Rewriting Sex: Sexual Knowledge in Antebellum America A Brief History with Documents

The public discussion of sexuality in America first came about in the 1820s. Predictably, Americans diverged considerably on how to approach the controversial topic. Folk wisdom, current scientific beliefs, and the teachings of evangelical Christianity all shaped the antebellum conversation about the moral, social and physical implications of sex. In her introduction, Professor Horowitz takes American sexual history beyond the boundaries of the twentieth century and elucidates the complex issues surrounding nineteenth-century debates and dialogue. Helpful headnotes contextualize this colorful selection of hard-to-find documents, which includes medical articles, religious pamphlets, advertisements and propaganda, and popular literature. Contemporary illustrations, a chronology, and a bibliography foster students' understanding of antebellum sexual knowledge.

Helen Lefkowitz Horowitz is Sylvia Dlugasch Bauman Professor in American Studies at Smith College. Her work in American history has explored cultural philanthropy, higher education, the American landscape, and sexuality. She recently received fellowships at the Radcliffe Institute and was the Mellon Fellow at the American Antiquarian Society. Professor Horowitz is the author of the following books: Culture and the City, Alma Mater, Campus Life, The Power and Passion of M. Carey Thomas, and Rereading Sex, which was the winner of the OAH Merle Curti Prize and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in history and for the Francis Parkman Prize.