What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848Oxford University Press, 2007 M10 29 - 928 pages The Oxford History of the United States is by far the most respected multi-volume history of our nation. In this Pulitzer prize-winning, critically acclaimed addition to the series, historian Daniel Walker Howe illuminates the period from the battle of New Orleans to the end of the Mexican-American War, an era when the United States expanded to the Pacific and won control over the richest part of the North American continent. A panoramic narrative, What Hath God Wrought portrays revolutionary improvements in transportation and communications that accelerated the extension of the American empire. Railroads, canals, newspapers, and the telegraph dramatically lowered travel times and spurred the spread of information. These innovations prompted the emergence of mass political parties and stimulated America's economic development from an overwhelmingly rural country to a diversified economy in which commerce and industry took their place alongside agriculture. In his story, the author weaves together political and military events with social, economic, and cultural history. Howe examines the rise of Andrew Jackson and his Democratic party, but contends that John Quincy Adams and other Whigs--advocates of public education and economic integration, defenders of the rights of Indians, women, and African-Americans--were the true prophets of America's future. In addition, Howe reveals the power of religion to shape many aspects of American life during this period, including slavery and antislavery, women's rights and other reform movements, politics, education, and literature. Howe's story of American expansion culminates in the bitterly controversial but brilliantly executed war waged against Mexico to gain California and Texas for the United States. Winner of the New-York Historical Society American History Book Prize Finalist, 2007 National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction The Oxford History of the United States The Oxford History of the United States is the most respected multi-volume history of our nation. The series includes three Pulitzer Prize winners, a New York Times bestseller, and winners of the Bancroft and Parkman Prizes. The Atlantic Monthly has praised it as "the most distinguished series in American historical scholarship," a series that "synthesizes a generation's worth of historical inquiry and knowledge into one literally state-of-the-art book." Conceived under the general editorship of C. Vann Woodward and Richard Hofstadter, and now under the editorship of David M. Kennedy, this renowned series blends social, political, economic, cultural, diplomatic, and military history into coherent and vividly written narrative. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 82
Page 5
... farm families raising food for their own use to producing it for distant markets. However, more and more evidence ... farming to market participation. Most American family farmers welcomed the chance to buy and sell in larger markets ...
... farm families raising food for their own use to producing it for distant markets. However, more and more evidence ... farming to market participation. Most American family farmers welcomed the chance to buy and sell in larger markets ...
Page 18
... farms and the extension of American power across continental space. Americans agreed in rejecting the traditional class privilege exemplified by the British army and Europe in general. The Battle of New Orleans symbolized America's ...
... farms and the extension of American power across continental space. Americans agreed in rejecting the traditional class privilege exemplified by the British army and Europe in general. The Battle of New Orleans symbolized America's ...
Page 27
... farming was traditionally women's work and hunting, men's. Well-intentioned whites encouraged Indian men to downplay hunting, take up farming, and use plows pulled by draft animals. By 1815, white agricultural practices had been ...
... farming was traditionally women's work and hunting, men's. Well-intentioned whites encouraged Indian men to downplay hunting, take up farming, and use plows pulled by draft animals. By 1815, white agricultural practices had been ...
Page 31
... farm families—particularly in northern New England—despaired of eking out a living where they were and moved west. Some speculated that the bizarre summer that year heralded the approach of Judgment Day and the millennium.26 Agriculture ...
... farm families—particularly in northern New England—despaired of eking out a living where they were and moved west. Some speculated that the bizarre summer that year heralded the approach of Judgment Day and the millennium.26 Agriculture ...
Page 32
... farms and worked land that they owned or squatted on. A farm of one's own had been the dream of Old World peasantry; it seemed the key to dignity and economic security. Only a minority of American farmers owed rent to a landlord; none ...
... farms and worked land that they owned or squatted on. A farm of one's own had been the dream of Old World peasantry; it seemed the key to dignity and economic security. Only a minority of American farmers owed rent to a landlord; none ...
Contents
1 | |
8 | |
19 | |
63 | |
91 | |
4 The World That Cotton Made | 125 |
5 Awakenings of Religion | 164 |
6 Overthrowing the Tyranny of Distance | 203 |
12 Reason and Revelation | 446 |
13 Jacksons Third Term | 483 |
14 The New Economy | 525 |
15 The Whigs and Their Age | 570 |
16 American Renaissance | 613 |
17 Texas Tyler and the Telegraph | 658 |
18 Westward the Star of Empire | 701 |
19 The War Against Mexico | 744 |
7 The Improvers | 243 |
8 Pursuing the Millennium | 285 |
9 Andrew Jackson and His Age | 328 |
10 Battles over Sovereignty | 367 |
11 Jacksonian Democracy and the Rule of Law | 411 |
20 The Revolutions of 1848 | 792 |
A Vision of the Future | 837 |
Bibliographical Essay | 856 |
Index | 879 |
Other editions - View all
What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 Daniel Walker Howe Limited preview - 2007 |
What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 Daniel Walker Howe Limited preview - 2007 |
What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 Daniel Walker Howe No preview available - 2007 |
Common terms and phrases
abolitionists Adams’s administration African Americans Andrew Jackson antebellum antislavery army Bank British Calhoun California called Cambridge campaign canal Catholic Chapel Hill Cherokee Christian church City Civil Clay’s Congress constituted convention cotton Court culture declared Democratic Party economic election England evangelical farm federal government Federalists Frémont frontier Henry Clay historian History House immigrants included Indian Removal industrial internal improvements issue Jacksonian Jacksonian Democracy James Jefferson John Quincy Adams labor land Lincoln Madison Martin Van Buren Mass ment Mexican Mexico Missouri Monroe moral Mormon movement North northern Oregon political Polk Polk’s popular postmillennial president presidential Protestant quoted reform religion religious Republic Republican Revolution Richard Robert Robert Remini Santa Anna secretary Senate slavery slaves society southern tariff territory Texan Texas Texas annexation Thomas tion trade treaty Tyler United Virginia vote Washington West Whig Party William women women’s rights York
Popular passages
Page 425 - I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation.
Page 838 - The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her.
Page 631 - Tell me not, in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream! — For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem. Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul.
Page 157 - I regret that I am now to die in the belief, that the useless sacrifice of themselves by the generation of 1776, to acquire selfgovernment and happiness to their country, is to be thrown away by the unwise and unworthy passions of their sons, and that my only consolation is to be, that I live not to weep over it.
Page 380 - Distinctions in society will always exist under every just government. Equality of talents, of education, or of wealth, cannot be produced by human institutions. In the full enjoyment of the gifts of heaven, and the fruits of superior industry, economy and virtue, every man is equally entitled to protection by law.
Page 298 - tis the gift to be free, 'tis the gift to come down where we ought to be, and when we find ourselves in the place just right, 'twill be in the valley of love and delight.
Page 105 - ... beaming in their countenances. And you saw how those minions themselves were finally compelled to unite in the general praises bestowed upon our government. Beware how you forfeit this exalted character. Beware how you give a fatal sanction in this infant period of our republic, scarcely yet two score years old, to military insubordination.