Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich Summary
Overview of Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History
From a forgotten scholarly phrase to a feminist battle cry - Ulrich's exploration of rebellious women throughout history became a cultural phenomenon, appearing on everything from t-shirts to bumper stickers. Why have millions embraced the radical idea that "good girls" rarely change the world?
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A Slogan That Escaped the Library
Have you ever wondered how a line buried in a 1976 scholarly article about Puritan funeral sermons ended up on Taylor Swift's T-shirt? When Harvard historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich wrote "Well-behaved women seldom make history," she was analyzing how virtuous colonial women-the "hidden ones," as Cotton Mather called them-lived pious lives hoping for heavenly rewards rather than earthly recognition. History forgot them entirely. But her observation escaped academic confines, appearing on everything from bumper stickers to Michelle Obama's speeches. The slogan's journey began quietly when journalist Kay Mills used it as an epigraph in 1995, then exploded after Jill Portugal printed it on T-shirts in 1996. Today, it's embraced by political activists and Sweet Potato Queens alike, computer scientists and nursing home coordinators. Its ambiguity fuels its appeal-some see a call for rebellion, others a celebration that bad girls have more fun. This accidental fame gave Ulrich unique insights: while some women contemplated feminism's demise, others were just discovering it. The phrase resonates because it plays into stereotypes about female invisibility and decorum, yet its widespread adoption proves its central point-women who challenge conventions are the ones remembered.
Why Good Behavior Erases Women From History
Three Women Who Rewrote the Story
Warriors, Myths, and the Women Who Defied Them
Shakespeare's Sisters Who Actually Existed
From Slavery to Suffrage
Making History From Your Kitchen
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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