First Ladies For Dummies

✍ Scribed by Marcus A. Stadelmann PhD

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Year: 2021
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 339
• Series: For Dummies
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

It’s time for the ladies—the First Ladies, that is—to get their time in the spotlight  

What does a First Lady do? What makes a First Lady successful? If you’ve always wanted to know, this is the place to come to for the answers! This reference has the inside scoop on all the First Ladies, including Michelle Obama’s campaigns for healthy eating and Jackie Kennedy’s emphasis on art and culture. In First Ladies For Dummies, you’ll find out how these women’s values, initiatives, and style have influenced all our lives, and how they’ve become true role models for generations.  

With the detailed biographies and personal profiles in First Ladies For Dummies, you’ll gain a well-rounded knowledge of the United States' 47 First Ladies. From Martha to Melania, from Jackie to Dr. Jill, and everyone in between, every First Lady has left her stamp on the White House, in the Rose Garden, and in history, and this book covers it all. It includes:  

• An historical context for a deeper understanding of the world these First Ladies lived in  
• Accounts of their childhoods and early lives to learn who these women were before they stepped foot in the White House 
• Each First Lady's interests and achievements 

Whether you’re a history fanatic or just curious about these highly accomplished women, you’ll find lots of fun facts about them in First Ladies For Dummies. Pick up your copy to be in the know! 

✦ Table of Contents

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
About This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Understanding First Ladies
Chapter 1 The Changing Role of First Ladies in the United States
First Ladies in U.S. History
Defining a First Lady
Powers of the First Lady
The Evolution of the Position of First Lady
Phase I (1789–1829)
Phase II (1829–1869)
Phase III (1869–1933)
Phase IV (1933–Present)
Chapter 2 First Lady Rankings and Evaluations
Evaluating the First Ladies
Ranking U.S. First Ladies
The Siena Research Institute Survey
Discussing ten evaluation criteria
Part 2 Setting the Precedent
Chapter 3 Becoming the First First Lady
Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (1731–1802)
Joining Forces with George, the Love of Her Life
Taking an active role
Becoming a war hero
Going First: From Lady Washington to First Lady
Learning her way
Starting traditions
Taking sides
Hosting the World in Retirement
Chapter 4 Setting Precedents
Abigail Smith Adams (1744–1818)
Becoming a revolutionary
Living life abroad
Becoming First Lady
Turning into Mrs. President
Moving to and hating Washington, D.C.
Living out her life
Becoming famous after her death
Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson (1748–1782)
Dying too soon
Becoming First Lady after her death
Dolley Payne Todd Madison (1768–1849)
Moving forward with charm and popularity
Blazing the trail for future First Ladies
Saving a painting
Becoming the first lady named First Lady
Chapter 5 Continuing to Set an Example
Elizabeth Kortright Monroe (1768–1830)
Going abroad and saving an American hero’s wife
Embracing European life
Going home and being miserable
Louisa Johnson Adams (1775–1852)
Living an adventure
Becoming First Lady
Seeking the election of 1824
Going back to Washington, D.C.
Rachel Donelson Jackson (1767–1828)
Meeting Jackson
Almost becoming First Lady
Part 3 Leading Up to a Civil War
Chapter 6 Calling in a First Lady Substitute
Hannah Hoes Van Buren (1783–1819)
Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison (1775–1864)
Letitia Christian Tyler (1790–1842)
Being the wife of an absent politician
Allowing Priscilla Tyler to step in
Julia Gardiner Tyler (1820–1889)
Becoming the youngest First Lady, briefly
Going home to Virginia
Dying a Confederate
Chapter 7 Acting Like a President
Sarah Childress Polk (1803–1891)
Becoming a Politician-Er, Wife of One
Getting into politics
Becoming a “working” First Lady
Helping make policy
Going into Retirement Alone
Chapter 8 To Be or Not to Be First Lady
Margaret Smith Taylor (1788–1852)
Having a family and traveling America
Preferring to remain private
Abigail Powers Fillmore (1798–1853)
Tutoring the (future) president
Becoming First Lady by default
Jane Means Appleton Pierce (1806–1863)
Living not so happily ever after
Retiring, or not
Refusing to be a First Lady
Harriet Lane (1830–1903)
Growing up in politics
Becoming a single First Lady
Living her own life
Chapter 9 Living a Life of Tragedy
Mary Todd Lincoln (1818–1882)
Moving away from home
Meeting Lincoln
Making a president
Failing as First Lady
Spending like crazy
Changing moods
Enduring tragedy
Going On After Abraham’s Assassination
Part 4 The Civil War, Reconstruction, and Becoming a World Power
Chapter 10 Reconstructing a Country
Eliza McCardle Johnson (1810–1876)
Meeting and helping her husband
Staying in Tennessee as Johnson’s career grows
Becoming a recluse in the White House
Being revered for being frugal
Avoiding impeachment
Remaining together to the end
Julia Dent Grant (1826–1902)
Being at odds with family on slavery
Finding their way back to the battlefield
Loving the White House
Redirecting retirement through writing
Lucy Ware Webb Hayes (1831–1889)
Getting involved in civic causes
Riding the bumpy road to the White House
Improving lives as First Lady
Abstaining from alcohol
Enjoying new technology
Showing compassion
Lucretia Rudolph Garfield (1832–1918)
Staking independence
Making changes for each other
Serving less than a year as First Lady
Chapter 11 Getting Close to the 20th Century
Ellen Herndon Arthur (1837–1880)
Pushing her husband’s political career
Missing out on being First Lady
Frances Folsom Cleveland (1864–1947)
Growing up with Uncle Clev
Turning the tides to husband
Being the youngest First Lady ever
Staging a comeback
Getting remarried and caring about education
Caroline Scott Harrison (1832–1892)
Living life in Indiana
Making improvements as First Lady
Dying in the White House
Ida Saxton McKinley (1847–1907)
Excelling in a man’s world
Living with tragedy
Having a devoted husband
Remaining a strong First Lady
Chapter 12 Becoming a World Power
Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt (1861–1948)
Building a life with Teddy
Taking control as First Lady
Updating the White House
Enjoying a long, active life after retirement
Helen Herron Taft (1861–1943)
Being a free thinker
Becoming the First Lady of the Philippines
Moving to Washington
Finally becoming First Lady
Ellen Louise Axson Wilson (1860–1914)
Becoming an artist and practicing for First Lady
Being adept at First Lady
Edith Bolling Galt Wilson (1872–1961)
Meeting the President
Running the country
Thriving as Mrs. Wilson
Chapter 13 Changing the Roles of Women
Florence Kling Harding (1860–1924)
Dealing with affairs
Getting into politics
Succeeding as First Lady
Dying during their first term
Grace Goodhue Coolidge (1879–1957)
Being a politician’s wife
Experiencing tragedy
Working as a hostess and an advocate
Retiring and living a long life
Louise Henry Hoover (1874–1944)
Carrying a pistol
Traveling the world and becoming wealthy
Getting into politics
Being charitable
Dealing with staff
Retiring in style
Part 5 Modern First Ladies
Chapter 14 First Lady of the World
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962)
Marrying a Roosevelt and Living with a Dominant Mother-in-Law
Moving in Social Circles
Getting Active in Politics in the 1920s
Becoming First Lady of New York
Being an Activist First Lady
Advocating for women’s rights
Advocating for civil rights
Working the media
Supporting the troops
The Story Isn’t Over: Moving on After the White House
Chapter 15 Three Cold War First Ladies
Elizabeth Virginia Wallace Truman (1885–1982)
Finding early romance
Getting into politics
Being a strong First Lady behind the scenes
Retiring to Independence
Mamie Doud Eisenhower (1896–1979)
Being a military wife
Appealing to the average American
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy (1929–1994)
Joining forces with JFK
Becoming a First Lady everyone admired
Living through an assassination
Marrying a billionaire
Chapter 16 Becoming Politically Active
Claudia Alta Taylor Johnson (1912–2007)
Marrying Johnson and moving to D.C.
Getting familiar with politics
Helping a presidential campaign
Advocating for her husband and her causes
Going back to Texas
Thelma Catherine Ryan Nixon (1912–1993)
Building a life with Nixon
Becoming Second Lady
Being active and popular
Being left out
Retiring disgraced
Elizabeth Ann Bloomer Ford (1918–2011)
Perfecting her stage presence
Marrying a man like her father
Talking to the American people
Retiring early and doing more good
Chapter 17 Ending a Cold War
Eleanor Rosalynn Smith Carter (1927–)
Relishing travel but returning home
Changing gears to politics
Running for president
Loving it as First Lady
Being active in retirement
Nancy Davis Reagan (1921–2016)
Catching the acting bug
Meeting Ronald Reagan
Taking on the governorship
Becoming First Lady
Facing health issues
Barbara Pierce Bush (1925–2018)
Making family priority #1
Becoming Second and then First Lady
Creating a legacy
Chapter 18 Almost Becoming President
Hillary Rodham Clinton (1947–)
Meeting Bill Clinton
Starting a career and getting into politics
Moving up to First Lady
Becoming co-president
Owning her own political career
Running for president — Part I
Serving as secretary of state
Running for president — Part II
Losing in 2016 and moving on
Chapter 19 Using the Power of the Position
Laura Welch Bush (1946–)
Meeting and marrying George
Moving to Washington, D.C.
Championing the First Lady role
Retiring but staying active
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (1964–)
Meeting of the minds
Balancing politics and family life
Serving as mom-in-chief
Enjoying retirement
Chapter 20 The Model and the Educator
Melania Knauss Trump (1970–)
Choosing modeling and Donald Trump
Becoming an American citizen
Taking a backseat to politics
Being a quiet and private First Lady
Retiring with controversy
Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden (1951–)
Marrying a politician and continuing her education
Working double-duty
Serving the community (colleges) and the military
Leaving D.C. and returning as First Lady
Part 6 The Part of Tens
Chapter 21 The Ten Most Influential First Ladies
Eleanor Roosevelt
Abigail Adams
Dolley Madison
Hillary Clinton
Betty Ford
Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson
Sarah Polk
Rosalynn Carter
Harriet Lane
Michelle Obama
Chapter 22 The Ten Least-Known Facts about U.S. First Ladies
Dolley Madison: Dining and Dashing
Julia Grant: Using Foresight
Caroline Harrison: Leaving the Light On
Edith Roosevelt: Playing I Spy
Edith Wilson: Wielding a Famous Relative
Lou Hoover: Dodging Bullets
Mamie Eisenhower: Working from Bed
Jacqueline Kennedy: Upsetting the Public
Lady Bird Johnson: Not Letting Anything Stop Her
Barbara Bush: Taking Chances
Index
EULA