This volume investigates the central question of how the inclusion of women's experiences fundamentally alters the traditional narrative of American history. The authors, Cornelia H. Dayton, Jane S. De Hart, and Linda K. Kerber, utilize a comprehensive collection of primary source documents, scholarly articles, and visual records to construct a multi-dimensional view of the past. By shifting the focus from traditional political power structures to the domestic, social, and economic lives of women, the text provides a framework for understanding the evolution of gender roles and societal expectations across American history.

Experts and educators frequently cite this work as a foundational text for undergraduate courses in women's history. Readers often note the academic density of the prose and the breadth of the primary source material provided in each chapter.