American Catholics: A History

American Catholics: A History traces Catholic history in the United States from the arrival of the first Spanish missionaries to the present day, spanning nearly five hundred years. Historian Leslie Woodcock Tentler examines lay religious practice and the influence of clergy on Catholic life and culture, investigating what it meant to be a "good Catholic" in different times and places. The book addresses Catholics' involvement in American politics and Catholic intellectual life, with detailed coverage of Catholics' roles during the Civil War and questions of race, Catholics in twentieth-century public life, and Catholic education and intellectual development. It also explores recent topics including the role of Catholic women in parish and community life, Catholic positions on birth control and reproductive ethics, and the Catholic Church sex abuse crisis.