A Very Social Time: Crafting Community in Antebellum New EnglandKaren Hansen's richly anecdotal narrative explores the textured community lives of New England's working women and men—both white and black—n the half century before the Civil War. Her use of diaries, letters, and autobiographies brings their voices to life, making this study an extraordinary combination of historical research and sociological interpretation. Hansen challenges conventional notions that women were largely relegated to a private realm and men to a public one. A third dimension—the social sphere—also existed and was a critical meeting ground for both genders. In the social worlds of love, livelihood, gossip, friendship, and mutual assistance, working people crossed ideological gender boundaries. The book's rare collection of original writings reinforces Hansen's arguments and also provides an intimate glimpse into antebellum New England life. Karen Hansen's richly anecdotal narrative explores the textured community lives of New England's working women and men—both white and black—n the half century before the Civil War. Her use of diaries, letters, and autobiographies brings their voices to li |
Contents
Making the Social Central An Introduction | 1 |
I Never Forget What I Remember Delving into Antebellum New England | 29 |
Unbosom Your Heart Friendship and the Construction of Gender | 52 |
Social Work Visiting and the Creation of Community | 79 |
True Opinion Clear of Polish Gossip Reputation and the Community Jury | 114 |
Getting Religion The Church as a Social Institution | 137 |
Conclusion | 165 |
Other editions - View all
A Very Social Time: Crafting Community in Antebellum New England Karen V. Hansen Limited preview - 1994 |
A Very Social Time: Crafting Community in Antebellum New England Karen V. Hansen Limited preview - 1996 |
A Very Social Time: Crafting Community in Antebellum New England Karen V. Hansen Limited preview - 2023 |
Common terms and phrases
abolitionist activities Addie Brown African Americans Ann Lilley antebellum New England attended autobiographies behavior birth Bodwell Boston Brigham Nims brother Chloe Metcalf Christian church Correspondence Cott culture diarists domestic domestic worker economic Eliza Adams emphasis in original Erlunia everyday example factory farm farmer female Foster free blacks friends friendship gender girl gossip Hampshire Hannah Hannah Adams Harriet Holmes Family Papers household husband individual James letters lives male Marcella marriage married Massachusetts men's middle-class ministers mother Motz narratives neighbors networks NHHS nineteenth century Noah Davis nurse Pamela Brown Parna Gilbert Plymouth Notch political preaching quilting Rebecca Primus recorded relationships religion religious reputation Rhoda Parker Smith role romantic friendship Sarah Carter Sarah Holmes Clark Second Great Awakening separate spheres sick sister slave slave narratives slavery social sphere Stephen Parker subjects Susan teacher textile town visiting visitors wife woman women workers write wrote