Jill Lepore is a widely recognized and well-respected historian of eighteenth-century America. I don't usually venture this far back into the Early Republic, but her review might convince me to read Chernow's biography of Washington. Every generation must have its Washington; ours is fated to choose among dozens. Ronald Reagan, in his first Inaugural Address, … Continue reading Review of Ron Chernow’s Washington: A Life
Fall 2010 Issue of Journal of the Early Republic
Somewhat belatedly on my part, here is what's in the latest issue of the JER: Articles Philippe R. Girard, "Trading Races: Joseph and Marie Bunel, a Diplomat and a Merchant in Revolutionary Saint-Domingue and Philadelphia." Brian Rouleau, "Maritime Destiny as Manifest Destiny: American Commercial Expansionism and the Idea of the Indian." Brian Connolly, "'Every Family Become … Continue reading Fall 2010 Issue of Journal of the Early Republic
John Spencer Bassett and Jacksonian Historiography, Part 1
In the process of presenting a paper at the April 2010 OAH about Jackson and slavery and writing a longer historiographical essay on the same topic, I have spent a lot of time this year considering the influence of John Spencer Bassett on Jacksonian historiography. Bassett received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1894, having … Continue reading John Spencer Bassett and Jacksonian Historiography, Part 1
R.I.P. William Goetzmann
From the New York Times: William H. Goetzmann, who in a Pulitzer Prize-winning book overturned the idea of Western exploration in the 19th century as a series of random thrusts into the hinterland, finding instead that it was a far more systematic effort, died on Tuesday at his home in Austin, Tex. He was 80. … Continue reading R.I.P. William Goetzmann
Review of Annette Gordon-Reed’s The Hemingses of Monticello
While chatting with my former student, Chris Tucker, at TCH last weekend, I asked him if he would be willing to let me cross-post a review of Annette Gordon-Reed's The Hemingses of Monticello that he posted on his own blog. He graciously gave me permission. Annette Gordon-Reed’s The Hemingses of Monticello examines the state of affairs in eighteenth century … Continue reading Review of Annette Gordon-Reed’s The Hemingses of Monticello
2010 Tennessee Conference of Historians Recap
It doesn't seem appropriate to duplicate the conference recap here in this blog, but I wanted to add a thought or two. The panel that I was on focused on John Catron and Andrew Jackson. Surprisingly, no historian has written a biography of Catron, despite being a member of the United States Supreme Court. (Add him … Continue reading 2010 Tennessee Conference of Historians Recap
Lafayette: The Lost Hero
Lafayette: The Lost Hero is a documentary about Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roche Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette. Lafayette was a supporter of the American Revolution and took a tour of the U.S. in 1824-25 that helped Americans commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Revolution. The documentary begins airing on local PBS stations on Monday, Sept. 13.
The Many Faces of Sean Wilentz
Sean Wilentz is an historian familiar to those who have studied Jacksonian politics. The Chronicle of Higher Education has an interesting piece on him this week. Even his harshest critics, however, pay their respects to Wilentz's academic career. His first book, Chants Democratic: New York City and the Rise of the American Working Class, 1788-1850 (Oxford University … Continue reading The Many Faces of Sean Wilentz
Slavery Collections at the New-York Historical Society
The New-York Historical Society recently digitized some of its slavery-related collections. The fourteen collections on this web site are among the most important of these manuscript collections. They consist of diaries, account books, letter books, ships’ logs, indentures, bills of sale, personal papers, and records of institutions. Some of the highlights of these collections include … Continue reading Slavery Collections at the New-York Historical Society
Jacksonian America: Society, Personality, and Politics 