Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815 (Oxford History of the United...

Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815 (Oxford History of the United States) | Gordon S. Wood | Detailed and comprehensive, but so well written that it is never boring.

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	Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815 (Oxford History of the United States) Gordon S. Wood Oxford University Press, USA, 2009 - 800 pages average customer review:based on 42 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The Oxford History of the United States is by far the most respected multi-volume history of our nation. The series includes three Pulitzer Prize winners, two New York Times bestsellers, and winners of the Bancroft and Parkman Prizes. Now, in the newest volume in the series, one of America's most esteemed historians, Gordon S. Wood, offers a brilliant account of the early American Republic, ranging from 1789 and the beginning of the national government to the end of the War of 1812.
As Wood reveals, the period was marked by tumultuous change in all aspects of American life--in politics, society, economy, and culture. The men who founded the new government had high hopes for the future, but few of their hopes and dreams worked out quite as they expected. They hated political parties but parties nonetheless emerged. Some wanted the United States to become a great fiscal-military state like those of Britain and France; others wanted the country to remain a rural agricultural state very different from the European states. Instead, by 1815 the United States became something neither group anticipated. Many leaders expected American culture to flourish and surpass that of Europe; instead it became popularized and vulgarized. The leaders also hope to see the end of slavery; instead, despite the release of many slaves and the end of slavery in the North, slavery was stronger in 1815 than it had been in 1789. Many wanted to avoid entanglements with Europe, but instead the country became involved in Europe's wars and ended up waging another war with the former mother country. Still, with a new generation emerging by 1815, most Americans were confident and optimistic about the future of their country.
Named a New York Times Notable Book, Empire of Liberty offers a marvelous account of this pivotal era when America took its first unsteady steps as a new and rapidly expanding nation.

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A Classic Study of Early America

I am using this novel as a reference work for a college course in "Law and Literature" that I teach at a local university. It is a comprehensive, deep, enlightened account of early American society that traces the development of American history, culture and institutions, including the legal institutions that we inherited from Britain and, with an overlay of Constitutional principles and American legal institutions, ultimately made our own. Anyone with an interest in the roots and development of early American institutions, and foundations of the modern American society, will find this book an invaluable resource. Its scope and intellectual depth are approached by no recent work in the field that I have read other than Sean Wilentz's "Rise of American Democracy."

In addition, "Empire of Liberty" is readable. I disagree with those here who describe Wood's style as "dense". His material is complex and his analysis is multi-layered and nuanced, but his work is accessible to the nonprofessional.

We came from empire, but established a rule of liberty. Anyone who is interested in the process, or the result, will appreciate this book.

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Detailed and comprehensive, but so well written that it is never boring.

Despite being a student of this era, I learned a great deal in the details. I have given the book to two family members who are interested in our history, and they have also enjoyed reading it. Woods writes so well that the details become absorbing, never overwheming, although I did feel that military history was not his strongest point.

I took it with me to a 7 hour marathon at a swimming spa, with my granddaughter (7) and her cousin (10). I was not required to watch them as lifeguards were on duty and I had a great time with the book, covering a number of chapters.

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Empire

Didn't actually read this book yet but read parts of it in the book store prior to purchasing it for Xmas for my boss. I can wait to read it myself. Beautifully written and insightful from what I've seen so far.

From "Subjects" to "Citizens"

I am reading this "series" having first completed The Glorious Cause. Empire of Liberty picks up the chronology at 1789 taking the reader to 1815. This period is best categorized as the emergence of a swiftly maturing mass democracy following the excitement of national independence. Founded on inspiring but untested principles and goals, this shows the shaky but promising America as it begins to execute against its ideals and strategy. As the author states, "In the decades following the Revolution America changed so much and so rapidly that Americans not only became used to change but came to expect it and prize it". This insight along with the American drive for commerce and less-than-successful handling of foreign affairs are three characteristics of modern America that were born in this era.

After espousing and fighting for democracy and equality, Americans now had to fulfill their promise. This change of "subject" to "citizens" was huge and naturally the young nation stumbled. As early as 1787 it was clear that the Revolutionary leaders had retreated from much of the Republican idealism that formed their crusade. This was not out of want but out of necessity given the challenges of the day. One of these challenges was the changing social strata given that all men were now created equal. There arose a conflict between the new 'middling people' and the gentry-aristocracy. Wealth, sophistication and worldliness was no longer preserved for the upper crust. This social struggle resulted in the middle class and would transform America for decades.

This period also produced a certain arrogance as well. Americans could not speak of a national character or identity because it had not yet been forged. Instead they took the position that they were more "enlightened and ideally located along the process of social development". This belief was quickly shared across its geography through the advantage of a common language. John Adams suggested that American English would become the next universal language (and it certainly is in business). The glorious cause had turned into a noble social one but with airs.

Yet, there was a great deal of uncertainty when Washington became the first president. Ceremonies had monarchical symbolism, some wanted him to rule as a king, and even the Founders were unsure on how to form a democratic government. Like Hamilton, most had a vision of America becoming a great powerful nation yet he had the foresight and intelligence to lay the economic framework to achieve it. Hamilton knew where people's ambition lay and he influenced it by stoking the coals of commerce (Thomas Paine had said in 1776 "Our plan is commerce.").

This was also a time of party politics which had not been predicted. Washington turns out to be a tremendous diplomat in this turmoil. The author points out that the first President's goals were clear, "All he ever wanted for America, was time for its institutions to settle and mature, time for it to progress in strength and become master of its own fortunes." He accomplished this during an incredibly contentious time. A time when the Federalists began to label the Republicans "Democrats" which was a derogatory term (as a Canadian, I almost needed a cheat sheet to keep Federalist, Republicans and Democrats clear).

The new century tested the leadership and its new institutions. There was significant social upheaval including rioting, excessive drinking, lax social behavior, and the disintegration of the family. The native issue remained large and incredibly sad with one Wea speaker saying to their British ally in the Revolutionary War, "In endeavouring to assist you, it seems we have wrought our own ruin". And as America took over dealings with the natives, the author observes and concludes, "The encounter between the two incompatible cultures was a tragedy from beginning to end".

Perhaps the greatest reform challenge of the period was the anti-slavery movement. Yet, one fifth of the population remained enslaved. The Revolution freed only a small fraction but created an atmosphere that made the practice of slavery abhorrent. This though had a terrible impact as it forced Southerners "to fall back on the alleged racial deficiencies of blacks as a justification for an institution that hitherto they had taken for granted and never before needed to justify. The anti-slavery movement that arose out of the Revolution inadvertently produced racism in America."

The War of 1812 is also covered and I was amazed to see how much American lore sprung from it: the national anthem, "we have met the enemy and they are ours", the killing of Tecumseh, Old Ironsides, and more. The author believes it was one of the most important wars in American history - also the strangest war in American history. Its start was Gulf of Tonkin-ish as the reasons stated were British impressment of American sailors and other maritime violations, yet, that hardly seems cause for war. What it truly resulted in was national pride.

It was also a time of progress. Common men became gentlemen with a new focus on education, refinement, the arts, and communications (newspapers and the post office sped up shared communications along with better roads). As this period closes the author believes that "it made it much easier for Americans to come to a more honest appreciation of their society's preoccupation with economic development and money-making". He points out one fact that I have observed, that even from this early time, Americans were unsettled and moved frequently from place to place. I must say that as a Canadian who has worked for a series of American companies, I have been amazed at how quickly my colleagues will pick up and move for a slight increase in compensation or title. Canadians are far more rooted which is very interesting and tied to how the two nations evolved.

Clearly executing against ideals on paper are more challenging than can be assumed and early American is such an example. The book is incredibly interesting and had a great pace to it although I have to admit certain chapters required patience especially those covering law and the judiciary and religion. Overall it was fascinating. The author provides accurate foreshadowing when he writes, "The Civil War was the climax of a tragedy that was preordained from the time of the Revolution." I am looking forward to the next in the series, What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848.

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Empire of Liberty

//Empire of Liberty// immediately engages the reader from the first page. Author Gordon S. Wood keeps details in their proper narrative context, allowing those details to enrich the reader's experience; Wood expertly weaves the overarching discussion of historical happenings with the personal depictions of the founders of the United States. Although the book is chronological, it is not bogged down in a dry recitation of events; rather, it is structured upon interesting issues such as the early desire not to have political parties, the intense fear that the president would become a monarch and that the United States would become England all over again, and the spiritual connection with France and the Enlightenment, mirrored in the person of Thomas Jefferson. //Empire of Liberty// is a book about struggle and bears out the notion that agony itself leads to the best humankind can produce when tempered by the rule of law. Indeed, it was a struggle to throw off European traditions of monarchy and social hierarchy. The struggle between the founders' personalities and their differing political philosophies was at times strident and impassioned. One leaves the book thinking that the development of the United States in the years following the Revolutionary War was nothing short of a miracle and that early American leaders were exceptional human beings, in spite of their shortcomings. Wood's insight into people and events makes //Empire of Liberty// a worthwhile and satisfying read.

Reviewed by Suzanne Christensen

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