America began; we are often told; with the Founding Fathers; the men who waged a revolution and created a unique place called the United States. We may acknowledge the early Jamestown and Puritan colonists and mourn the dispossession of Native Americans; but we rarely grapple with the complexity of the nation’s pre-revolutionary past. In this pathbreaking revision; Daniel Richter shows that the United States has a much deeper history than is apparent―that far from beginning with a clean slate; it is a nation with multiple pasts that stretch back as far as the Middle Ages; pasts whose legacies continue to shape the present.Exploring a vast range of original sources; Before the Revolution spans more than seven centuries and ranges across North America; Europe; and Africa. Richter recovers the lives of a stunning array of peoples―Indians; Spaniards; French; Dutch; Africans; English―as they struggled with one another and with their own people for control of land and resources. Their struggles occurred in a global context and built upon the remains of what came before. Gradually and unpredictably; distinctive patterns of North American culture took shape on a continent where no one yet imagined there would be nations called the United States; Canada; or Mexico.By seeing these trajectories on their own dynamic terms; rather than merely as a prelude to independence; Richter’s epic vision reveals the deepest origins of American history.
#49733 in Books Wilson Peter H 2016-04-04Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.40 x 2.40 x 6.50l; .0 #File Name: 06740580971008 pagesHeart of Europe A History of the Holy Roman Empire
Review
99 of 105 people found the following review helpful. I love European historyBy Tony MeyerReceived my pre-ordered copy a few days ago + am almost half-way through; and I've already learned an enormous amount. Before Mr Wilson's work; i never understood much about the Holy Roman Empire and this fine book is no less then a masterpiece. I read "Germany and the Holy Roman Empire volumes I II"; Oxford University Press; by Joachim Whaley; 2012 about a year ago; and they're also very good; but Mr Wilson's book has a different nuance with an extremely helpful chronology at the end and a spate of instructive maps at the beginning. Magnificently written for someone who loves European history. Make this superb volume part of your library.42 of 45 people found the following review helpful. InterestingBy R. AlbinA very impressive and interesting work about the Holy Roman Empire. This is not; however; an easy book to read; though not because Wilson is a poor writer. Quite the opposite; Wilson is a fine writer; in addition to being an impressive scholar and thoughtful analyst. This is not a narrative history but rather a very detailed and systematic exposition of a relatively novel interpretation of the history of the Empire. Wilson's basic concept; which he examines and evaluates from multiple different perspectives; is that the Holy Roman Empire represents an alternative trajectory of European historical development. Wilson is reacting the long-standing; indeed; dating back to the seminal work of Von Ranke in the 19th century; tendency to regard the development of the national state as the logical and normative path of European historical evolution. The idea that the Empire was an obstacle to the fulfillment of German national destiny appears to have been a particularly potent idea. In contrast to much traditional historiography that depicts the Empire as a confused; weak failure; Wilson argues that the Empire was relatively successful and barring the trauma of the Napoleonic Wars; would have persisted into the 19th century.Wilson demonstrates the historical continuity and relative success of the Empire in series of detailed sections addressing the ideal conceptions of the Empire; the ways in which Imperial subjects conceived of their inclusion in the Empire; the structures of governance in the Empire; and aspects of the social and economic history of the Empire. Each section covers the 1000 years of the Empire and each section exhibits remarkable command of a large range of scholarly literature and primary sources.Stripped to essentials; Wilson argues that the Empire was the logical development of many features of medieval Europe and was a complex; multi-polar state based on corporate institutions that assigned rights on the basis of locality; class; occupation; confession; and several other factors that descended from feudal relations. At its best; the Empire provided a consensual forum to negotiate political and legal conflicts. For much of its history; the basic structure of the Empire was useful enough to enough attract substantial allegiance up to the very end of the Empire. Abandoning a teleological framework; the long persistence of the Empire makes it an unusually successful; rather than failed institution.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy CustomerExcellent read!!!
