What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 (Oxford History of the United States)
by Daniel Walker Howe
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Book Summary Information
Author: Daniel Walker HoweEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Published)
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2007-10-29
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 928
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Book Reviews of What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 (Oxford History of the United States)
Book Review: Religion and slavery
Summary: 5 Stars
When this book arrived I was surprised by its size - over 700 pages of reading! While not completely finished I have been fascinated by two themes. The first is religion. An understanding of the role of the Second Great Awakening combined with the incredible society creating activities of Evangelicals in the antebellum period gives explanation to why it is that we still think of ourselves as a Christian nation. Often this question is framed with reference to the the early settlement of this continent or in the original founding documents but I beleve the more formative factors can be found in the explosion of Protestant Christianity in churches and in institutions and societies in the first half of the 1800's.
Secondly, if you read Lincoln's writings up to his election as President, you begin to get some sense of the historical controversy surrounding our country's struggle with the slavery issue. Lincoln's famous Peoria speech is the best document to find this summary. Howe's book fills in that history with much more detail and enables one to see that the slavery question was the principle point of contention between the southern and northern states from the foundation of the republic forward to the Civil War. It lays out South Carolina's pivotal role in this agitation so that I appreciated for the first time why the initial insurgency against the union began in that state. Questions about nullification and state's rights were at their most agitated level in that political environment. I came away understanding much better what Lincoln and Douglas were arguing for and why an apologetic for slavery was integral to the Democratic party.
The extended discussion of the Andrew Jackson presidency is also illuminating.
If you are patient, this volume will fill in a great deal of knowledge that you had previously only in outline, if at all.
Summary of What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 (Oxford History of the United States)
The Oxford History of the United States is by far the most respected multi-volume history of our nation. In this Pulitzer prize-winning, critically acclaimed addition to the series, historian Daniel Walker Howe illuminates the period from the battle of New Orleans to the end of the Mexican-American War, an era when the United States expanded to the Pacific and won control over the richest part of the North American continent. Howe's panoramic narrative portrays revolutionary improvements in transportation and communications that accelerated the extension of the American empire. Railroads, canals, newspapers, and the telegraph dramatically lowered travel times and spurred the spread of information. These innovations prompted the emergence of mass political parties and stimulated America's economic development from an overwhelmingly rural country to a diversified economy in which commerce and industry took their place alongside agriculture. In his story, the author weaves together political and military events with social, economic, and cultural history. He examines the rise of Andrew Jackson and his Democratic party, but contends that John Quincy Adams and other Whigs--advocates of public education and economic integration, defenders of the rights of Indians, women, and African-Americans--were the true prophets of America's future. He reveals the power of religion to shape many aspects of American life during this period, including slavery and antislavery, women's rights and other reform movements, politics, education, and literature. Howe's story of American expansion culminates in the bitterly controversial but brilliantly executed war waged against Mexico to gain California and Texas for the United States.Winner of the New-York Historical Society American History Book Prize
Finalist, 2007 National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction
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