The Birth of America: From Before Columbus to the Revolution
by William R. Polk
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Description
In this provocative account of colonial America, William R. Polk explores the key events, individuals, and themes of this critical period. With vivid descriptions of the societies that people from Europe came from and with an emphasis on what they believed they were going to, Polk introduces the native Indians encountered in the New World and the black Africans who were brought across the Atlantic.With insightful analysis, he also discusses the dual truths of colonial societies' "growing up" show more and "growing apart." As John Adams would point out to Thomas Jefferson, the long years that witnessed the formation of our national character and the growth of our spirit of independence were indeed the real revolution. That story forms the basis of The Birth of America. In addition to its discussion of the influence the British had on the colonies, The Birth of America covers the pivotal roles played by the Spanish, French, and Dutch in early America.From the fearful crossing of the stormy Atlantic to the growth of the early settlements, to the French and Indian War and the unrest of the 1760s, William Polk brilliantly traces the progress of the colonies to the point where itwas no longer possible to recapture the past and the break with England was inevitable. America had been born. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Polk is one of my favorite authors, and one I discovered by accident this year. He's an acdademic who is an expert on the Middle East. His books on Iraq are wonderful. So this book on the history of colonial America has a broader than usual view of American history, inclucing as much as we know about the history of Africa at the time and slaves, and Native Americans.
Gritty but fascinating, including details of how the colonists lived, how they built their houses, what they ate, and more.
Gritty but fascinating, including details of how the colonists lived, how they built their houses, what they ate, and more.
Informative account of the period leading up to the American Revolution. Includes lesser-known facts from a wider perspective. Lends balance to the popular mythology taught in American public schools.
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29+ Works 959 Members
William R. Polk served in the Kennedy administration where he supervised American policy on the Islamic world and was a member of the Crisis Management Committee during the Cuban Missile Crisis. As professor of history at the University of Chicago, he established the Center for Middle Eastern Studies. Later, as president of the Adlai Stevenson show more Institute of International Affairs, he helped to organize the "Table Ronde" meeting that laid the groundwork for the European Union and worked on nuclear weapons issues for the Pugwash organization. He was called back to the White House during the 1967 Middle Eastern War to write a draft Peace Treaty and to act as advisor to U.S. National Security Advisor McGeorge Bundy. A senior director of the W.P. Carey Foundation, he lives in Vence, France. show less
Common Knowledge
- Original language
- English
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- Members
- 160
- Popularity
- 203,660
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.92)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
- ASINs
- 2
