New Children's Book Illustrates The Influential Women Who Helped Found Our Nation
At the time of the American Revolution, married women in America were not even allowed to own property, let alone vote. Because women did not sign the Declaration of Independence, serve as generals in the war, or get elected to public office, they are not often mentioned in the history of the time.
But despite their lack of official roles, there were women who helped found our nation through their words and deeds, and through their association with the men who have become known as our Founding Fathers.
Ten years ago journalist and political commentator Cokie Roberts wrote “Founding Mothers” to highlight the instrumental roles of these women. As the daughter of politicians, she knew firsthand the influential role the wives and daughters of politicians could have.
“I spent my childhood growing up in Washington in the 40s and 50s seeing the incredible influence of the political women of that era, people like my mother Lindy Boggs and Betty Ford and Lady Bird Johnson. They were running everything. They ran the political conventions, they ran voter registration drives, they ran their husband’s campaigns,” Roberts said.
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