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Cherokee Women Although its title says otherwise, this is novel is not a novel that focuses solely on female life. Instead, Cherokee Women rewrites the history of the Cherokee people by placing women in the forefront and by showing how gender affected the Cherokee culture and their relations with Americans. In the process, Theda Perdue tells the history of the "most civilized tribe" in terms of continuing traditions. As Perdue demonstrates, the world of Cherokee …

…of official sources. Since Cherokee culture made men and women segregated, naturally it made women nearly invisible to European visitors. Perdue's persuasive use of gender helps to uncover the previously hidden histories and themes within Cherokee society. This new perspective reveals that most Cherokees never adopted American civilization; they adapted it to fit into their traditional worldview. Although the title "most civilized tribe" might not fade from the historical dictionary, Perdue proves that it should.