| The Petticoat Affair: Manners, Mutiny, and Sex in Andrew Jackson's White House Contributor(s): Marszalek, John F. (Author) |
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ISBN: 0807126349 ISBN-13: 9780807126349 Publisher: LSU Press OUR PRICE: $19.90 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: October 2000 Annotation: In The Petticoat Affair, prize-winning historian John F. Marszalek offers the first in-depth investigation of the earliest -- and perhaps greatest -- political sex scandal in American history. During Andrew Jackson's first term in office, Margaret Eaton, the wife of Secretary of State John Henry Eaton, was branded a "loose woman" for her unconventional public life and was snubbed by the other cabinet members' wives. The brash, outgoing, and beautiful daughter of a Washington innkeeper, Margaret had socialized with her father's guests and married Eaton very soon after the death of her first husband, shocking genteel society. Jackson saw attacks on Eaton as part of a conspiracy to topple his administration, and his strong defense of her character dominated the first two years of his term, led to the resignation of his entire cabinet, and sparked a bitter feud with his vice-president, John Calhoun. With comparisons to modern-day politics inevitable, The Petticoat Affair vividly relates how a socially driven controversy could so strongly influence the politics of the age. Moreover, Margaret Eaton's story represents the struggle of many women throughout history to escape the limited roles deemed proper for them. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | United States - 19th Century |
| Dewey: 973.560 |
| LCCN: 00044946 |
| Physical Information: 0.63" H x 6.08" W x 9.31" (0.96 lbs) 312 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - 1851-1899 - Chronological Period - 19th Century |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: In The Petticoat Affair, prize-winning historian John F. Marszalek offers the first in--depth investigation of the earliest -- and perhaps greatest -- political sex scandal in American history. During Andrew Jackson's first term in office, Margaret Eaton, the wife of Secretary of State John Henry Eaton, was branded a loose woman for her unconventional public life. The brash, outgoing, and beautiful daughter of a Washington innkeeper, Margaret had socialized with her father's guests and married Eaton very soon after the death of her first husband, shocking genteel society. Jackson saw attacks on Eaton as part of a conspiracy to topple his administration, and his strong defense of her character dominated the first two years of his term, and led to the resignation of his entire cabinet. |