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Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815
Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815 | Gordon S. Wood
6 posts | 6 read | 1 reading | 6 to read
The Oxford History of the United States is by far the most respected multi-volume history of our nation. The series includes three Pulitzer Prize winners, two New York Times bestsellers, and winners of the Bancroft and Parkman Prizes. Now, in the newest volume in the series, one of Americas most esteemed historians, Gordon S. Wood, offers a brilliant account of the early American Republic, ranging from 1789 and the beginning of the national government to the end of the War of 1812. As Wood reveals, the period was marked by tumultuous change in all aspects of American life--in politics, society, economy, and culture. The men who founded the new government had high hopes for the future, but few of their hopes and dreams worked out quite as they expected. They hated political parties but parties nonetheless emerged. Some wanted the United States to become a great fiscal-military state like those of Britain and France; others wanted the country to remain a rural agricultural state very different from the European states. Instead, by 1815 the United States became something neither group anticipated. Many leaders expected American culture to flourish and surpass that of Europe; instead it became popularized and vulgarized. The leaders also hope to see the end of slavery; instead, despite the release of many slaves and the end of slavery in the North, slavery was stronger in 1815 than it had been in 1789. Many wanted to avoid entanglements with Europe, but instead the country became involved in Europes wars and ended up waging another war with the former mother country. Still, with a new generation emerging by 1815, most Americans were confident and optimistic about the future of their country. Named a New York Times Notable Book, Empire of Liberty offers a marvelous account of this pivotal era when America took its first unsteady steps as a new and rapidly expanding nation.
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SamAnne
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This chunkster is a good overview of the politics, society and culture of post-Revolution America. Wood focuses quite a bit on all the ways slavery held back the South—in terms of innovation, economy, & growing a middle class, beyond just its moral repugnance. But like many prominent white historians of his generation he still can‘t help himself in making some excuses for Jefferson enslaving people. Time to call out all the “Founding Fathers.”

Clwojick 6 pt. 5y
DrSabrinaMoldenReads One of my favorite books as you mentioned “calling out the founding fathers” 5y
SamAnne @Joyfulmimi Thanks for the recommendation! 5y
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SamAnne
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Today I learned about Chief Justice Marshall. “He... turned the Court into a “band of brothers” & worked at building consensus thru friendly discussion and more than an occasional glass of wine. He had a rule that they would drink wine only if it were raining...somewhere over their jurisdiction. LOL. Their own version of “It‘s 5 O‘Clock somewhere!” #NFNov @rsteve388 @Clwojick

rsteve388 4 pts 5y
34 likes1 comment
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SamAnne
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Taking a break from participating in American democracy—volunteer phonebanking for a great mayoral candidate for my city who is up against a powerful realtor lobby trying to buy the election via outside PACs and paid canvassers. I learned today the many ways northern towns prospered far more economically because they did not have slavery. #NFNov @rsteve388 @Clwojick

rsteve388 4 pts yay and please use the hashtag! 5y
43 likes1 comment
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SamAnne
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I‘m halfway through but counting towards #NFNov because it is a chunkster! Have been reading and rereading a lot of American history this year. What have I been learning? That partisan politics were as crazy, vitriolic, and divisive in the first have of the 19th century as they are today. @rsteve388 @Clwojick

Texreader I remember learning there were physical skirmishes between congressmen. Do I remember correctly? 5y
rsteve388 4 pts very good. 5y
SamAnne @texreader. Yes, duels to the death. Family feuds would begin based on party affiliation. 5y
Amiable @SamAnne I love reading about American history too —I was also surprised by how incredibly partisan the newspapers were back in the early days as well. Talk about fake news! 😳 5y
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Megalinity
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And now for some history! USA: 1789-1815

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GoneFishing

Virtue became less the harsh and martial self-sacrifice of antiquity and more the modern willingness to get along with others for the sake of peace and prosperity.