Women and the Constitutional Moment of 1787

In this episode of Ben Franklin’s World, Mary Sarah Bilder, an award-winning historian and the Founders Professor of Law at Boston College Law School, joins Liz to investigate the context of the United States Constitution’s creation with details from her book, Female Genius: Eliza Harriot and George Washington at the Dawn of the Constitution (UVA Press, 2022).

During this episode, Bilder reveals information about Eliza Harriot and her efforts to promote the idea of “female genius;” The ways in which early Americans believed that education went hand-in-hand with a healthy representative government; And, the feeling of probability for women’s inclusion in the early American political state, as seen in early voting rights, changing views on girls’ education, and the gender-neutral language of the United States Constitution.

You can listen to the podcast here.

Ben Franklin’s World is an award-winning podcast. It’s for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our world. Each episode features an interview with a historian who shares their unique insights into our early American past. It is a production of the Omohundro Institute.

For a full list of this week’s New York Almanack podcasts announcements click HERE.