American History Reclaimed

Accuracy in Academia ^ | June 27, 2006 | Malcolm A. Kline

[JSedreporter]

We keep coming back to cover commercially published historian David McCullough for a reason: Unlike his academic counterparts, he actually has something to say.

“Many people today are saying that we should be teaching morals in our schools,” McCullough himself said in a lecture earlier this year at Hillsdale College. “They could find support in the closing line of this section of the Commonwealth Constitution, which speaks of the necessity ‘to countenance and inculcate the principles of humanity and general benevolence, public and private charity, industry and frugality, honesty and punctuality in their dealings, sincerity, good humor, and all social affections and generous sentiments among the people.’”

The commonwealth McCullough refers to is Massachusetts, where the state supreme court recently managed to find a right to gay marriage in that same document. The author of that original constitution was John Adams, of whom McCullough has written a bestselling biography.

“John Adams was born into a poor farm family,” McCullough told the audience at Hillsdale. “He is often imagined as a rich Boston blueblood.”

“He was none of those.” But then, that is not as interesting a story to history professors who would rather pontificate about “patriarchal hegemony.”

“At a young age, he began to keep a diary—it was about the size of the palm of your hand, and his handwriting so small you need a magnifying glass to read it—with the idea that by reckoning day-by-day his moral assets and liabilities, he could improve himself,” McCullough said in the lecture that Hillsdale compiled in its Imprimis magazine.

How does McCullough know this? Because he held the diary in one hand and a magnifying glass in the other so that he could read it. Can you picture the people’s historian, Howard Zinn, doing that?

And here’s another interesting tidbit that Adams’ chronicler leaves us with. McCullough tells us of Abigail Adams, “Schools were closed so she had to educate the children at home.” Does that make President John Quincy Adams the first homeschooled American to achieve prominence?

Academic icons such as Zinn and the late Richard Hoffstadter of Columbia have long held that America’s founding fathers pursued the revolution to protect their property and prestige. McCullough, who has done considerably more research from primary documents than any of them, comes to a different conclusion.

“When our founders pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor, that wasn’t just rhetoric,” McCullough says. “Keep in mind, too, that they were up against the greatest military power on earth and had very little military experience.”

“They had no money—there wasn’t a bank in all of America in 1776.” Really, if the spry septuagenarian can delve as deeply as he does into America’s archives to recover this country’s past, surely tenured professors half his age could make the effort.

Malcolm A. Kline is the executive director of Accuracy in Academia.

[socal_parrot]

I just finished McCullough's 1776. Very good book and an easy read.

[true_blue_texican]

book ping!

[LS]

Dang. Here I thought we did a pretty good job of reclaiming American history with our book, "A Patriot's History of the United States" last year. (McCulloch is good, though, as is David Hackett Fischer).

[Neoliberalnot]

McCullough is one of the best. I have read both John Adams and 1776. If others reading this post can suggest historians with a knack for accuracy (sarc) I would relish hearing your suggestions. History is about all I read and I despise the modern-day embellishment, interpretation, and removal from context and remodeling to fit a modern agenda, that is so prevalent today.

[RexBeach]

As I recall, and this may be incorrect, God is referred to in the preamble to the Massachusetts constitution as "that great legislator in the sky."

Too bad it's in MA. John Adams would be shocked at what his successors are doing to his once fine commonwealth.

[socal_parrot]

I can recommend A Patriot's History of the United States by Larry Schweikart (FReeper LS).

[nonliberal]

Willard Sterne Randall is factually very good but his stuff reads like a high school term paper. Ron Chernow's bio of Alexander Hamilton was amazing. Thomas Fleming has some great stuff too.

H.W. Brands' newest book on Jackson is great. I am just finishing off William C. Davis' "The Pirates Lafitte" about the pirates in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 1800s. Davis is primarily a southern historian. His book on Jefferson Davis is definitive.

Civil War: Stephen W. Sears
Early America: Joseph Ellis (a few Freepers might disagree on that one but I enjoy his books)
Jackson-era: Robert Remini
General American History: Paul Johnson "A History of the American People."

[eyespysomething]

Dang. Here I thought we did a pretty good job of reclaiming American history with our book, "A Patriot's History of the United States" last year.

You did, trust me!

;-)

[LS]

Ellis is excellent, despite his personal lies about his career.

I'd strongly recommend both of my books, "A Patriot's History of the United States," and my recent book, "America's Victories: Why the U.S. Wins Wars and Will Win the War on Terror."

[roofgoat]

Can you or any other here recommend some good, honest written works regarding this time period (just before, during and just after 1776).

[uncitizen]

Can you recommend a good book(s) about the Reconstruction Period?

[nonliberal]

I'll have to pick those two up when I have a chance. I'm down to two books behind where I want to be. When I catch up, I head to the bookstore and go nuts.

[LS]

Hehe. Thanks. If I'm ever in the area, I'll be happy to sign them.

[LS]

Both Middlekauf's "Glorious Cause," and the novel by the same name by Shaara, are great.

I also recommend "Washington's Crossing" by David Hackett Fischer.

[nonliberal]

I liked Benson Bobrick's "Angel in the Whirlwind." Thomas Fleming's book on the Hamilton-Burr duel is also amazing.

McCullough's "John Adams" is always good.

Also try Joseph Ellis' "Founding Brothers" and Bernard Weisberger's "America Afire" about the election of 1804.

[Neoliberalnot]

McCullough's book 1776 is good. I think Ellis is a bit too subject to his own interpretation of how historical figures were thinking. Ellis may be a mind-reader, but I question his ability to read the mind of someone that lived 200 years ago. :)

[LS]

Let me note that Patriot's History is "special order" only at Barnes & Noble now, because they wanted us to go paperback. We reluctantly agreed, but it won't be out in paper until next March. In the meantime, it's best to get that one at Borders or on Amazon.
LS

[Neoliberalnot]

Thank you all for the excellent suggestions. How do I post to more than one person? What is the mechanism?

[nonliberal]

Not much on reconstruction. I think Eric Foner has a bunch of stuff out there but he is a flaming liberal and, like Zinn, hardly anything is cited so I don't put much stock in it.

Hans Trefousse wrote a very good biography of Andrew Johnson that details his battles with Sumner, Stevens and the Radicals over reconstruction.
Something that explores a bit of the end of reconstruction is Roy Morris, Jr.'s book "Fraud of the Century" about the Hayes-Tilden election.

[nonliberal]

To post to more than one person, click in the "To" box and separate names with a semicolon.

[54-46 Was My Number]

Can you or any other here recommend some good, honest written works regarding this time period (just before, during and just after 1776).

I recommend Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer, The Ordeal of Thomas Hutchinson by Bernard Bailyn, The Boston Massacre by Hiller Zobel, Lexington and Concord by Arthur Tourtellot, and The Minutemen and Their World, by Robert Gross, among others.

[oh8eleven]

Larry Schweikart is a history professor at the University of Dayton.
Michael Allen is a professor of history and American studies at the University of Washington, Tacoma.
How did two professors so far apart decide to co-author a book?

[LS]

We wrote the whole thing by Fax, e-mail, and phone. We met in 1994 at a Western History meeting, talked often, but didn't physically see each other again until AFTER the book came out!

The wonders of technology!

[roofgoat]

Thanks Everyone for the suggested material.

[uncitizen]

Thanks. I haven't been able to find much on the subject of Reconstruction, tho i've looked. I will check out what you recommended.

[StonyBurk]

Article III Northwest Ordinance ,July 13,1787& Aug.4,1789
Religion,Morality,and knowledge being necessary to good
government ,and the happiness of mankind Schols and means of education shall forever be encouraged."Note the men who
drafted the Constitution and Bill of Rights did NOT discriminate nor separate Religion,Morality, and Knowledge
but suggested they ought equally encouraged in schools.
Only when we began to ignore what was established did we begin to dream of accepting national suicide.

[oh8eleven]

We wrote the whole thing by Fax, e-mail, and phone.
Wouldn't a pen have been easier? I appreciate and applaud your efforts.

[LS]

You don't want to see my handwriting. It is incomprehensible, even to me, I've been on a keyboard for so long.

[oh8eleven]

I just finished Ellis', "His Excellency: George Washington."
I'll pick up yours this weekend.

[LS]

Did you read his "Founding Brothers?" That was good too.

And, if you're in the mood for fiction, check out my 9/11 novel, "September Day."

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0974761087/102-2546858-6228101?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

So far, no dissatisfied customers.

[oh8eleven]

Did you read his "Founding Brothers?"
Yes I did, and despite his politics (and lies), he's a wonderful writer.
I'll check out your "September Day" shortly.

[KEmom]

I really liked "Founding Brothers" and have been wanting to read "1776" but have not found the time to do so yet.

I can imagine John Adams is rolling in his grave with what is going on in MA and what they can "find" in the MA Constitution... and the US Constitution.

[nonliberal]

"1776" is a great book and a fairly quick read. What I think separates McCullough from most modern historians is that he still has an appreciation for the heroic. He views our great leaders as just that. No deconstruction, just the facts of how ordinary people could rise to the occasion and become extraordinary.

[nonliberal]

Yes I did, and despite his politics (and lies), he's a wonderful writer.

The problem I have with some people is that they use the fact that he lied about his service as a discrediting factor. Ellis' scholarship was never in question and reamains above reproach. Even though the guy is fairly liberal, I thouroughly enjoy his books.