Married to a Daughter of the Land: Spanish-Mexican Women and Interethnic Marriage in Calif., 1820-1880

Married to a Daughter of the Land examines the role of Spanish-Mexican women in the development of California. Contrary to romantic myths about giddy senoritas who were fragile pawns in a male-dominated society, these women often found ways to determine their own destinies, choose their mates, leave unsatisfactory marriages, and maintain themselves economically. The book is a significant contribution to the history of women in the West and to understanding the complex role that gender, race, and class played in the Spanish borderlands.