Catharine Maria Sedgwick (1789-1867) was an American novelist of what is sometimes referred to as "domestic fiction". Was one of the most notable female novelists of her time. Sedgwick wrote work in American settings, and combined patriotism with protests against historic Puritan oppressiveness. Her topics contributed to the creation of a national literature, enhanced by her detailed descriptions of nature. Sedgwick created spirited heroines who did not conform to the stereotypical conduct of women at the time.