The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries ushered in a new era of discovery as explorers traversed the globe; returning home with vivid tales of distant lands and exotic peoples. Aided by the invention of the printing press in Europe; travelers were able to spread their accounts to wider audiences than ever before. In Travel Narratives from the Age of Discovery; historian Peter C. Mancall has compiled some of the most important travel accounts of this era. Written by authors from Spain; France; Italy; England; China; and North Africa describing locations that range from Brazil to Canada; China to Virginia; and Angola to Vietnam; these accounts provided crucial insight into unfamiliar cultures and environments; and also betrayed the prejudices of their own societies; revealing as much about the observers themselves as they did about faraway lands.From Christopher Columbus to lesser-known figures such as the Huguenot missionary Jean de Léry; this anthology brings together first-hand accounts of places connected by the Atlantic; Pacific; and Indian oceans. Unlike other collections; Travel Narratives from the Age of Discovery offers a global view of travel at a crucial stage in world; and human; history; with accounts written by non-European authors; including two new translations. Included here are the Mughal Emperor Babur's first thoughts of India upon establishing his empire there; the Chinese chronicler Ma Huan's report detailing Chinese travel to the Middle East during the fifteenth century; and an account of Africa written by the man known as Leo Africanus. In addition to these travel narratives; this anthology features rare pictures from sixteenth-century printed books; including images of Brazil; Roanoke; Guiana; and India; which; together with the accounts themselves; provide a detailed understanding of the many ways in which fifteenth and sixteenth century travelers and readers imagined other worlds.
#539141 in Books Don E Fehrenbacher 2001-05-24 2001-05-24Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 5.90 x 2.00 x 9.00l; 2.42 #File Name: 0195145887741 pagesThe Dred Scott Case Its Significance in American Law and Politics
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. You thought Citizens United was bad?By peorFrom the greatest authority on Lincoln and the years that preceded the Civil War (at least in my humble opinion); an exhaustive and very well researched account of the Dred Scott (Scott v. Sampson) case which the Supreme Court decided in 1857; and which for all practical purposes did away with the Missouri Compromise of 1820 which limited slavery to those territories south of the 36 degrees 30 minutes North latitude line; brought the possibility of a Republican victory in the 1860 election; and helped decide the Southern states finally to secede.Fehrenbacher first paints the historical background of slavery in the United States and the constitutional provisions that precipitated the case; then relates the facts of the case; the arguments presented by both lawyers and how the decision came to be. This is followed by an evaluation of how the decision was received by people; press and politicians at the time; and the consequences it has had and with which we live to this day.Although it is not loaded with legalese and can be understood by anybody with a decent knowledge of the Constitution; it is a six hundred page exhaustive study; and may be more than the garden variety curious reader may want to know about this pivotal case in American history.25 of 25 people found the following review helpful. An outstanding bookBy M. NielsenThis is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It might seem that a 700 page book (600 pages of text; 100 pages of notes) on a 19th century court case might be the epitome of exceedingly dry material suited only for particularly motivated graduate students. But I found this book captivating. What came through in every paragraph was the work of a skilled and judicious historian sleuthing his way to an understanding of the background and ramifications of the enormously important Dred Scott decision. Not one page in this book read like the work of an uninspired academic sawing his way through a pile of research notes.Fehrenbacher focuses on the political; legal and constitutional aspects of the Dred Scott case. He explores the background and developments; from the arrival of the first slaves in the colonies in 1619 through the bitter political battles of the 1850s. His discussion of legal developments is particularly interesting because this is one area where the reader encounters the concrete complications and conflicts between various state and federal laws affecting slaves and slave owners. He also shows how legal developments and constitutional theories were affected by the increasingly acrimonious political battles over the rights of slaveholders. His analysis of Chief Justice Taney's opinion was particularly impressive. Finally; his discussion of the immediate and longer term impact of the Dred Scott decision was fascinating. When I finished the book; I was disappointed that he hadn't carried the thoughts in the last chapter further (even though it was clear he had chosen a good stopping point for his analysis). I was also tempted to go back to the beginning and re-read the book immediately! It is so rich; and there's so much of importance to understand. (Instead; I started in on Fehrenbacher's more recent book; The Slaveholding Republic.)One of the strengths of the book is Fehrenbacher's attention to the relevants facts and texts. His text never reads like a cut-and-paste compilation of other authors' conclusions. Throughout; Fehrenbacher was doing his own thinking - and he came through as quite skilled in asking good questions; identifying all the relevant facts; weighing the possible meanings and interpretations; and arriving at fair conclusions. (Whatever the topic; it's always a pleasure to read the work of someone who works as Fehrenbacher did in this book.)I highly recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in American legal or constitutional history; in the events that lead to the Civil War; or in race relations in America.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Good sellerBy John J. TollefsenAs represented
