On a cold Wednesday afternoon, as the USS Princeton passed Mount Vernon on its return to Washington, Secretary of the Navy Thomas Gilmer asked for a final demonstration of one of its new guns—the "Peacemaker"—in honor of George Washington. The gun's breech exploded to the left, killing six men, including Gilmer and Secretary of State … Continue reading The Significance of the USS Princeton Tragedy
Book Recommendation: Sam Haynes, Unfinished Revolution: The Early American Republic in a British World
I picked up Sam Haynes' new book, Unfinished Revolution: The Early American Republic in a British World, at last fall's Southern. His short biography of James K. Polk is a great introduction to Young Hickory, one that I've used previously in upper-division courses. Unfinished Revolution examines Americans' relationship with Great Britain during the antebellum period. Not surprisingly, … Continue reading Book Recommendation: Sam Haynes, Unfinished Revolution: The Early American Republic in a British World
New Jacksonian Books: Feb. 2011 Edition
The year 2011 is off to a strong start in the field of Jacksonian studies. I'm currently reading Haynes' book and hope to get a chance to review it and the others in the near future. (All book descriptions are excerpted from History Book Club.) Patricia Brady, A Being So Gentle: The Frontier Love Story of Rachel … Continue reading New Jacksonian Books: Feb. 2011 Edition
Jacksonian America: Society, Personality, and Politics 