A Concise History of the United States of America (Cambridge Concise Histories)

Born out of violence and the aspirations of its early settlers, the United States of America has become one of the world's most powerful nations, even as its past continues to inform its present and to mould its very identity as a nation. The search for nationhood and the ambiguities upon which the nation was founded are at the root of this intelligent and forthright book. Taking a broadly chronological approach, it begins in colonial America as the first Europeans arrived, lured by the promise of financial profit, driven by religious piety, and accompanied by the diseases which would ravage and consume the native populations. It explores the tensions inherent in a country built on slave labor in the name of liberty, one forced to assert its unity and reassess its ideals in the face of secession and civil war, and one that struggled to establish moral supremacy, military security, and economic stability during the financial crises and global conflicts of the twentieth century. Woven through this richly crafted study of America's shifting social and political landscapes are the multiple voices of the nation's history: slaves and slave owners, revolutionaries and reformers, soldiers and statesmen, immigrants and refugees. It is their voices, together with those of today's multicultural America, that define the United States at the dawn of a new century. Cover 1 A Concise History of the United States of America 3 Series title 4 Dedication 6 Title 7 Copyright 8 Contents 9 Figures 11 Tables 15 Acknowledgments 17 Introduction: The Making of a New World 19 1: New Found Land: Imagining America 28 The English at Home, and Abroad 36 2: A City on a Hill: The Origins of a Redeemer Nation 57 Race and Religion: The Chesapeake 64 Exodus: The Beginnings of a Bible Commonwealth 67 Indians, Indenture and Identity: Inventing a White Society 78 3: The Cause of All Mankind: From Colonies to Common Sense 89 What, then, is the American? 99 ‘Tis Time to Part 109 4: Self-Evident Truths: Founding the Revolutionary Republic 123 To Be or Not to Be 134 Articles of Faith 144 5: The Last, Best Hope of Earth: Toward the Second American Revolution 155 Our Federal Union! It Must Be Preserved! 171 A House Divided 178 6: Westward the Course of Empire: From Union to Nation 190 On to Richmond and through the Rockies 202 The Stride of a Century 212 7: A Promised Land: Gateway to the American Century 223 Looking Backward 240 A Progressive Nation 251 8: The Soldier’s Faith: Conflict and Conformity 260 The New Nationalism 274 The New Freedom 285 9: Beyond the Last Frontier: A New Deal for America 294 Blues Scale 306 Brave New World 317 10: A Land in Transition: America in the Atomic Age 331 American Century 344 Final Frontiers 356 11: Armies of the Night: Counterculture and Counterrevolution 364 The Haunted Generation 374 Third Century 385 Notes 399 Ch 1: New Found Land: Imagining America 399 Ch 2: A City on a Hill: The Origins of a Redeemer Nation 400 Ch 3: The Cause of All Mankind: From Colonies to Common Sense 401 Ch 4: Self-Evident Truths: Founding the Revolutionary Republic 402 Ch 5: The Last, Best Hope of Earth: Toward the Second American Revolution 403 Ch 6: Westward the Course of Empire: From Union to Nation 405 Ch 7: A Promised Land: Gateway to the American Century 407 Ch 8: The Soldier’s Faith: Conflict and Conformity 422 Ch 9: Beyond the Last Frontier: A New Deal for America 409 Ch 10: A Land in Transition: America in the Atomic Age 410 Ch 11: Armies of the Night: Counterculture and Counterrevolution 411 Guide to Further Reading 414 Colonial America 414 Revolution and Independence 416 The Early Republic and Antebellum America 416 Slavery and the South 425 The Civil War Era 417 The West 419 The Gilded Age/Progressive Era 420 America between the wars 420 Cold War America 421 Modern America/General 424 Biographies 427 Samuel Adams (1722–1803) 427 Jane Addams (1860–1935) 428 John Caldwell Calhoun (1782–1850) 429 Henry Clay (1777–1852) 430 Alexis-Charles-Henri Clérel de Tocqueville (1805–1859) 432 Stephen Arnold Douglas (1813–1861) 433 Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) 434 William Edward Burghardt (W.E.B.) Du Bois (1868–1963) 435 Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) 436 Sarah Margaret Fuller Ossoli (1810–1850) 437 Alexander Hamilton (c. 1755–1804) 438 Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) 439 Andrew Jackson (1767–1845) 440 John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917–1963) 441 Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) 442 Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) 443 Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) 445 Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882–1945) 446 Benjamin Rush (1745–1813) 447 Margaret Sanger (1879–1966) 448 Index 451 A Richly Crafted History Of America's Nation-building Project Told Through The Voices Of Its Peoples, From The Early Settlers To Its Multicultural Citizens Of The Twenty-first Century-- Born Out Of Violence And The Aspirations Of Its Early Settlers, The United States Of America Has Become One Of The World's Most Powerful Nations, Even As Its Past Continues To Inform Its Present And To Mold Its Very Identity As A Nation. The Search For Nationhood And The Ambiguities On Which The Nation Was Founded Are At The Root Of This Intelligent And Forthright Book. Taking A Broadly Chronological Approach, It Begins In Colonial America As The First Europeans Arrived, Lured By The Promise Of Financial Profit, Driven By Religious Piety, And Accompanied By The Diseases That Would Ravage And Consume The Native Populations. It Explores The Tensions Inherent In A Country Built On Slave Labor In The Name Of Liberty, One Forced To Assert Its Unity And Reassess Its Ideals In The Face Of Secession And Civil War, And One That Struggled To Establishmoral Supremacy, Military Security, And Economic Stability During The Financial Crises And Global Conflicts Of The Twentieth Century. Woven Through This Richly Crafted Study Of America's Shifting Social And Political Landscapes Are The Multiple Voices Of The Nation's History: Slaves And Slave Owners, Revolutionaries And Reformers, Soldiers And Statesmen, Immigrants And Refugees. It Is Their Voices, Together With Those Of Today's Multicultural America, That Define The United States At The Dawn Of A New Century-- Introduction: The Making Of A New World -- New Found Land: Imagining America -- A City On A Hill: The Origins Of A Redeemer Nation -- The Cause Of All Mankind: From Colonies To Common Sense -- Self-evident Truths: Founding The Revolutionary Republic -- The Last, Best Hope Of Earth: Toward The Second American Revolution -- Westward The Course Of Empire: From Union To Nation -- A Promised Land: Gateway To The American Century -- The Soldier's Faith: Conflict And Conformity -- Beyond The Last Frontier: A New Deal For America -- A Land In Transition: America In The Atomic Age -- Armies Of The Night: Counterculture And Counterrevolution. Susan-mary Grant. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Born out of violence and the aspirations of its early settlers, the United States of America has become one of the world's most powerful nations, even as its past continues to inform its present and to mold its very identity as a nation. The search for nationhood and the ambiguities on which the nation was founded are at the root of this intelligent and forthright book. Taking a broadly chronological approach, it begins in colonial America as the first Europeans arrived, lured by the promise of financial profit, driven by religious piety, and accompanied by the diseases that would ravage and consume the native populations. It explores the tensions inherent in a country built on slave labor in the name of liberty, one forced to assert its unity and reassess its ideals in the face of secession and civil war, and one that struggled to establishmoral supremacy, military security, and economic stability during the financial crises and global conflicts of the twentieth century. Woven through this richly crafted study of America's shifting social and political landscapes are the multiple voices of the nation's history: slaves and slave owners, revolutionaries and reformers, soldiers and statesmen, immigrants and refugees. It is their voices, together with those of today's multicultural America, that define the United States at the dawn of a new century"-- Provided by publisher "Born out of violence and the aspirations of its early settlers, the United States of America has become one of the world's most powerful nations, even as its past continues to inform its present and to mold its very identity as a nation. The search for nationhood and the ambiguities on which the nation was founded are at the root of this intelligent and forthright book. Taking a broadly chronological approach, it begins in colonial America as the first Europeans arrived, lured by the promise of financial profit, driven by religious piety, and accompanied by the diseases that would ravage and consume the native populations. It explores the tensions inherent in a country built on slave labor in the name of liberty, one forced to assert its unity and reassess its ideals in the face of secession and civil war, and one that struggled to establish moral supremacy, military security, and economic stability during the financial crises and global conflicts of the twentieth century. Woven through this richly crafted study of America's shifting social and political landscapes are the multiple voices of the nation's history: slaves and slave owners, revolutionaries and reformers, soldiers and statesmen, immigrants and refugees. It is their voices, together with those of today's multicultural America, that define the United States at the dawn of a new century"--Provided by publisher Born out of violence and the aspirations of its early settlers, the United States of America has become one of the world's most powerful nations. The book begins in colonial America as the first Europeans arrived, lured by the promise of financial profit, driven by religious piety and accompanied by diseases which would ravage the native populations. It explores the tensions inherent in a country built on slave labour in the name of liberty, one forced to assert its unity and reassess its ideals in the face of secession and civil war, and one that struggled to establish moral supremacy, military security and economic stability during the financial crises and global conflicts of the twentieth century. Woven through this richly crafted study of America's shifting social and political landscapes are the multiple voices of the nation's history: slaves and slave owners, revolutionaries and reformers, soldiers and statesmen, immigrants and refugees. These voices help define the United States at the dawn of a new century.