Discovering America Anew [Book review from Wall St Journal]

The Wall ST Journal ^ | MAY 7, 2011 | CHARLES C. MANN

[Pharmboy]

A narrative history of the New World that by its very boldness invites argument.

"To write a history of colonial America used to be easier," the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Alan Taylor grumbled 10 years ago. "The human cast and the geographic stage were both considered so much smaller." My high-school U.S.-history textbook, written in the 1970s, was an example. After a few obligatory pages about "Indians," the Pilgrims land on Plymouth Rock. Soon boatloads of doughty Englishmen establish 13 colonies in a tidy row along the Atlantic coast, the heart of London's new empire. Almost at once—bud-a-bump! bud-a-bump!—Paul Revere gallops through every Middlesex village and farm to start the Revolutionary War. This once-over-lightly treatment of the first half of modern American history— the 250 years between 1526, the date of the first European attempt at permanent settlement in what is now the United States, and 1776, when the Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence—is still what many kids learn today.

Yet historians have spent the past 40 years concluding that things were more complicated—and more interesting. Contrary to what we were led to believe in school, the center of England's colonial enterprise was the Caribbean—everything from Florida north was a backwater. (In 1660, the sugar plantations of tiny Barbados were worth more than all other English colonies combined.) Nor was the proto-United States an English-language domain; Spain, France, Holland and even Sweden established beachheads; Pennsylvania was filled with Germans; snip...Given this chaotic, newly revealed canvas, how to discern a picture of what the United States was like before it was the United States?

Alan Taylor provided one answer in his "American Colonies" (2001), a sweeping history arguing that the foundation of today's nation was the "unprecedented mixing of radically diverse peoples—African, European and Indian— under circumstances stressful for all."

[Pharmboy]

This is a review of Before the Revolution: America's Ancient Pasts
By Daniel K. Richter
Harvard/Belknap Press, 502 pages, $35

I read the Taylor book "American Colonies" a few years ago and learned something new just about every page...and, it was a fairly easy read. For me, the most interesting pasrts of that book was the history of California.

I look forward to reading this new one...

[Pharmboy]

The RevWar/Colonial History/General Washington ping list...

[loveliberty2]

For a revealing synopsis of the amazing progress, economic and otherwise, which already had taken place in America prior to 1776, a reading of Burke's 1775 "Speech on Conciliation . . . " is enlightening.

Burke observes the "spirit of liberty" which is alive and well in the colonies, along with the obvious fact that their achievements outstrip those of the "Old World."

Frothingham's "Rise of the Republic of the United States" also couches the events of 1776 and 1787 in the rich ideas of liberty which existed and were being practiced among the colonists prior to the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

Both of these works provide background for the work described in this article, for all who wish to pursue them.

[Pharmboy]

Thanks for the information. Appreciated.

[loveliberty2]

You're welcome. When Burke spoke before the British Parliament in 1775, his understanding of what was going on in America relative to the "spirit of liberty" appears to be much greater than that of current leaders, even with the hindsight history provides them, if they choose to read it.

Burke cited great its economic progress and more. At that time, of course, there had been no Declaration of Independence, with its "encapsulation" Lincoln of abstract principles, etc. There were just the astounding numbers he could document in order to show his admiration and awe at what was happening in America.

On the other hand Frothingham's 1886 "Rise of the Republic..." was a backward look across the two centuries since the settlers had come to America, and he, too, with the advantage of having read other historians, could view the consequences of the ideas which had motivated those who had come here and accomplished such great things on behalf of individuals all over the globe.

Sadly, we have neglected such histories in favor of rewritten versions of our history, written by persons whose agenda controlled their writings, and we are, today, reaping the consequences of our neglect of the heritage of liberty left to us by those generations.

"Ideas have consequences." - Weaver

BTW, both of these can be read online.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Sounds very good. Thanks for the ping.

[goodnesswins]

Thanks so much....adding to my reading list!

[woweeitsme]

ping

[colorado tanker]

Thanks, I saw this in the WSJ and it looks really interesting.

I agree with the observation about the importance of the West Indies to the British. The trade in slaves and sugar was one of the foundations of the wealth of the City of London, along with the India trade. And London is still Europe's financial center.

[SunkenCiv]

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