1890s: Women are faced with limited political, legal, and social options.

1990s: Women are an important part of the political process. Candidates struggle to attract the female vote, and women's issues are central to many political platforms.

1890s: Realism is a popular literary style, re- flecting changing American concerns in the twentieth century. Short stories gain popularity as a literary genre.

1990s: Short stories remain popular, and American literature is rich with fine examples of the short fiction genre. With the advent of the twenty- first century, realism also remains a viable literary form.

1890s: Since in many areas of the United States women outnumbered men, spinsterhood was not uncommon. The declining male population can be attributed to the Civil War, other armed conflicts, and westward expansion. To remain single was a serious social stigma for women, as it was believed that a woman's...