Customer Reviews:
History Comes Alive!.......2001-09-10
A friend recommended Coffin's books "Story of Liberty" and "Sweet Land of Liberty" to me several years ago because I was looking for an account of American History that was not distorted and colored by recent "correct" thinking.
I was not seeking to shore up my own political ideology either, I just wanted an account that had been written closer to the time when the actual events occurred and describing not only what truly happened, but also how the contemporary authors of the time truly felt and thought while they were recording the events.
To that end, these books are so well written that I have subsequently read many of the chapters to my children, at their request! When history is fun to read, it is more memorable, and I was glad to observe my children remembering and learning from what REALLY happened and not what a prevailing political system wishes had happened as is the case in recent years as "correct" thinkers have managed to gain control of many of our publicly funded educational institutions. In many ways, you can only discover what you are first looking for, and to endeavor to make history fit modern ideals, while entirely possible, is still a disservice to future generations. Instead of looking through a filtered lens to find those of antiquity that think the way we want them to, lets all try to learn from the successes and mistakes of the past and then pass on what really happened. Finally, keep in mind these are not children's books. They are written for the adult audience and are in-depth, detailed, and accurate. However as an added bonus, I discovered that they also appeal to children precisely because Coffin is so engaging as an author.
A splendid colonial history.......2001-02-17
*Sweet Land of Liberty* is a reprint of an 1881 young people's history of colonial America initially titled *Old Times in the Colonies*. It is an intermediary volume between Charles C. Coffin's *The Boys of '76*, the narrative of the battles of the American Revolution he published for the centennial, and his *Story of Liberty*, which chronicled "the struggles of men in England and Europe against the tyranny of emperors, kings, popes, archbishops, bishops and inquisitors". It covers the whole period from Columbus's discovery of San Salvador in 1492 to the French and Indian Wars, with chapters on the establishment of the various colonies and the major events of the era.
This volume was reprinted by religious conservatives and will be of particular interest to homeschoolers. Coffin had a "Providential view of history", believing that "the settlement of America" revealed a "design in Providence for the illumination of the ignorant, and the emancipation of the slavish part of mankind all over the earth." As a Frenchman, I view this hopeful vision of history with more than a little skepticism, as my own country shows no sign of sharing in any divine plans for liberty on earth. And I think Coffin himself would have been much more reserved if he had witnessed the evolution of his country in the century following the publication of his book.
But even for those who do not share the author's faith in Providence, which surfaces only occasionally, this colonial history will be a delight to read, accompanied as it is by hundreds of black-and-white illustrations artfully documenting the buildings, the landscapes, the costumes, the people and the events of the period. Together with Coffin's flair for the concretization and dramatization of history, these illustrations will "take you there" just as surely as any good work of historical fiction. The only technical flaw of the book is its maps, which never seem to be at the right place or to feature the locations you are looking for, and lack the often brilliant visual design of modern maps.
As far as the text is concerned, it tends to focus mostly on the issues of freedom of conscience and popular government. Though strongly inimical to the Catholics in general and the Jesuits in particular, it is not one-sided and often plays the devil's advocate. The presentation of quakerism, for instance, helped me understand why its devotees were often targeted as the victims of religious intolerance; and the chapter on the Salem Witch Hunt, by giving the whole American and European context of the episode, made it seem much less bizarre and unexplainable than it is generally made to be. Particularly interesting are the numerous accounts of Indian atrocities, which would never find their place in a modern, politically correct textbook. In their gory detail, however, they may make the book unsuitable for younger readers.
If you loved Edward Eggleston's beautiful *History of the United States and Its People* (recently reprinted by the Lost Classics Book Company), you will certainly enjoy this volume just as much. I also recommend it as a more concrete and anecdotal supplement to the first volume of Clarence Carson's *Basic History of the United States*. And as it ends with Robert Rogers' retaliatory attack on the St Francis Indians, it can also be read as a preface to Kenneth Roberts' excellent historical novel, *Northwest Passage*, which begins with the same incident.
Sweet Land of Liberty.......2000-05-10
This book is so well written that my younger children eagerly listened as well. Charles Coffin brings history to life through this sequel to The Story of Liberty. He shows how it was God's plan for a land of freedom to lay waiting for those who would need a new beginning to express their religious freedom. The dangers were many, but the thread of purpose is evident throughout. I recommend this book to any family, especially home schooled, as a must to their study of the colonization of America.
Book Description
The Glorious Revolution was a decisive moment in England's history; an invading Dutch army forced James II to flee to France, and his son-in-law and daughter, William and Mary, were crowned as joint sovereigns. The wider consequences were no less startling: bloody war in Ireland, Union with Scotland, Jacobite intrigue, deep involvement in two European wars, Britain's emergence as a great power, a financial revolution, greater religious toleration, a riven church and a startling growth of parliamentary government. Such changes were only a part of the transformation of English society of the time. An enriching torrent of new ideas from the likes of Newton, Defoe, and Addison, spread through newspapers, periodicals, and coffee-houses, provided new views and values that some embraced and others loathed. England's horizions were also growing, especially in the Caribbean and American colonies, For many however, the benefits were uncertain: the slave trade flourished, inequality widened, and the poor and 'disorderly' were increasingly subject to strictures and statutes. If it was an age of prospects it was also one of anxieties.
Customer Reviews:
Table of Contents.......2006-11-10
Table of Contents
England after the Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution and the Revolution Constitution
The Facts of Life
A Bloody Progress
The Political World of William III
Wars of Words and the Battle of the Books
Faith and Fervour
England, Britain, Empire
The Political World of Queen Anne
Profits, Progress and Projects
The Wealth of the Country
The Political World of George I
Urban and Urbane
An Ordered Society
Epilogue
Chronology
Bibliography
Index
Very readable and comprehensive.......2002-04-05
A very well- rounded introduction to a period of British history that should be better known. The author strikes a good balance between the political narrative and his coverage of the social, economic, cultural, and military developments of the age. This book should be accessible to anyone with a serious interest in this period in European history.
A Great Power Emerges.......2000-12-09
Writes Professor Roger Hainsworth, formerly of Adelaide University, South Australia: Students of English history will welcome this new volume in the New Oxford History of England series.1689-1727 is a very significant period for the history of the British people and indeed it proved important to many European people also for this reason: during it Britain became a great power and in the process the growing hegemony of France over western Europe was first confronted, fought against and finally halted. More of this later. Dr. Hoppit, although his eye is undimmed by romantic illusions about past eras, has a positive tale to tell. He writes that in late seventeen and early eighteenth century England "political discord was contained and then undermined. Warfare was endured and survived. Britain's empire was extended and its value increased. Population began slowly to grow. Many towns flourished. Agriculture, industry and commerce all showed signs of expansion .... society was not stagnant, it was on the move." This favourable assessment might have astonished contemporaries both at home and abroad. They still perceived England as politically unstable, riven by party ("faction"), and menaced by the apparently unbridgeable dynastic dispute between the Jacobite supporters of the exiled James II and then of his son (the Old Pretender) and the Whig and Orange Tory supporters of William III, Anne and the Protestant Succession (the Hanoverians). Meanwhile the British state was menaced by growing poor rates, menacing numbers of unemployed, seemingly endless foreign wars, and a growing mountain of debt: all presided over by a government which appeared more powerful and uncheckable every year and was backed by that worst of all English nightmares: a permanent army. Dr. Hoppit explores these fears and traumas incisively and expertly and makes it clearer than it perhaps has ever been made before why the positive developments prevailed and the worst fears ebbed away. The fundamental problem for historians of the period is to explain how England become a great power during the reigns of William III and Anne. Cromwell's disciplined army and a powerful navy had made England a great power fleetingly during the 1650s. However, there was no way to finance these prodigies on a long term basis. The restored Charles II almost went broke disbanding these extravagant instruments of power. England's resurgence in the two decades following the Glorious Revolution of 1689 astonished foreign observers who had believed, reasonably enough, that England's small population doomed it to the side-lines of European politics. In a long contest between Britain and France surely there could be only one result? England with Wales had only about 5.25 million in 1700. Scotland had 1.23 million and Ireland about 2 million. France, the most populous country in Europe (including Russia) had 22 million. These bare statistics proved deceptive. Although eighty per cent of England's population were rural dwellers, almost thirty per cent of the population were engaged in some form of industry. Manchester was then only a large village but Defoe estimated it provided "outside" employment to 40,000 weavers and allied trades. In fact England was the most urbanised country in Europe and if this was partly because ten per cent of the people lived in London her urbanisation was to increase hugely during the eighteenth century while London's population stagnated. Industrial strength and a powerful navy were gradually joined by a formidable army. During Anne's reign it would be led by one of history's greatest commanders who was also a remarkable diplomat and builder of alliances: the Duke of Marlborough. The financial problems of the mid seventeenth century were resolved by taxation passed freely if grumpily by the House of Commons which had now become a permanent institution of state rather than an irregular occurrence. The taxes funded that unusual novelty the National Debt which was partly managed by an enlarged Treasury assisted by an inspired creation, the Bank of England. The two great European wars of the period weakened the Continental powers, especially France, but left Britain stronger than when she entered them. Many speculated about this paradox but no great power seemed able to copy the method even supposing they understood it. All these matters receive due attention in this volume. So also does a range of other important topics: the remarkable growth of parliamentary government which in time would make possible the political peace of Sir Robert Walpole's long prime ministership during the 1720s; the decline into impotence of the Jacobites; the astonishing efflorescence of a print culture of books, newspapers and pamphlets; the slow decline of the Anglican hegemony in the face of stubborn Dissenters and ideas of religious tolerance; the extraordinarily rich burst of public and private building ranging from Wren's St Paul's to Vanbrugh and Hawksmoor's masterpieces (Castle Howard and Blenheim the best known of many); and the steady advance of pragmatic, experimental science. This last owed much to one man and in a fine passage Hoppit writes that the year his period ends is better defined not by the death of George I but by the death aged 84 of one of his subjects. Interred like a prince in Westminster Abbey with the Lord Chancellor, two dukes and three earls among his pall-bearers, he was Sir Isaac Newton. That indeed was the end of an era. This is a worthy addition to a very collectable series. There are the minor flaws often found when the author has to shoehorn a complex discourse into a confined space. Stylistic faults occasionally jar and infelicities of sentence structure ("there were those (such as Locke had done) who strongly argued ...") often require the reader to turn back to disentangle the sense. However, Dr. Hoppit's text is informative, interesting, thought-provoking and engrossing. He has explored the diverse facets of his subject with care and sensitivity to their nuances. All students of this significant period will be in his debt for decades to come. Had it been put in my hands when I was studying this period as an undergraduate I would have gnawed on it like a famished wolf.
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Liberty, Property And Markets: A Critique Of Libertarianism (Ashgate New Critical Thinking in Philosophy)
Daniel Attas
Manufacturer: Ashgate Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Ethics & Morality
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ASIN: 0754652580 |
Customer Reviews:
A new view of Absolutism.......2003-10-26
Helen Nader's 1990 book, Liberty in Absolutist Spain: The Habsburg Sale of Towns, 1516-1700, we are introduced to many case studies that are lifelike and full of a lot of detail. Nader introduces the term perpetual decentralization as a way of describing the political infactions in Habsburg Spain. During times of desperate need such as funding a war, the authorities needed to make timely tax pickups. This information is new in the field of Habsburg studies. Habsburg studies had not been a hot topic since the nineteenth century but Nader has brought it to the forefront.
Nader illustrates who the Castilian villages obtained charters which gave them municipal status and their struggle to maintain their independence. This struggle is mirrored by another society that existed during their same period, and that is the America's. Considering the two societies came into contact via Columbus, it is not mentioned. Nader does not discuss the 'outer world' but rather focuses on Castile under the Habsburgs. She does however, relate the Habsburg rule to that of all of Spain. She compares the towns that maintained their autonomy to those that lost theirs to the government.
This book offers a new perspective of absolutism that William Beik does not cover. Nader's analysis is a breath of fresh air for anyone that has had to read article after article about absolutism, she brings the idea that absolutism is not an entirely bad thing rather it is benefiticial to both the government and society.
Customer Reviews:
Great for English Language Learners.......2006-07-17
I teach ESL students and have used a previous edition of this book. I bought this edition for my future daughter-in-law who is from Germany. She reads and speaks English well but is not familiar with American History. The language is appropriate for adult readers but at a lower reading level that is easily understood. Within a couple of hours, she came to me and said enthusiastically that she had learned a lot about American History. The topics are not covered in great depth but there are focus pages on historical figures that enhance the book's value.
America's History: Land of Liberty.......2000-03-28
As an adult education teacher in NYC, I was thrilled to discover this book. We work primarily with the homeless population, and often conventional textbooks do not hold their interest or are organized in a way that makes them less accessible for adults with learning and other difficulties.
The book covers the material thoroughly, and includes minorities and special populations. It is organized in short chapters with lots of review and interaction which make it easy for students to retain. The book is also well designed, with lots of graphics and color to keep students visually interested.
Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend this book to a teacher of young adults or adults who wanted an interesting, interactive US history text.
NOTE: The text is used by Phoenix Special Programs (a distance education academy) for high school grade 9 US History. We have found it excellent for working with adults completing their high school diploma.
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- The Examination of Sweet Land of Liberty
- Sweet Land of Liberty?: The African -American Struggle for
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Sweet Land of Liberty?: The African-American Struggle for Civil Rights in the Twentieth Century (Studies in Modern History (Longman (Firm)).)
Robert Cook
Manufacturer: Longman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0582215323 |
Customer Reviews:
objective.......2004-04-24
An objective take on the Civil rights movement, excellent historical annalysis of the important events, would recomend this book to anyone wanting a clear overview of the struggle, in particular students
The Examination of Sweet Land of Liberty.......2002-06-10
In my opinion I personally think that Cook had valid and explanational points, but they were bios and somewhat more of someone else's thinking than of his own.
Sweet Land of Liberty?: The African -American Struggle for.......2002-01-30
Excellent reference for advanced high school or college level courses.
Book Description
Should prayer be allowed in public schools? Should biology be taught according to Darwin or to the book of Genesis? Why is polygamy against the law? These are just a few of the questions that touch our lives directly and emerge out of the separation of church and state. In this volume, one of the most distinguished scholars of American religious history traces the complicated relationship of church and state from the early colonial period, through the unique American experiment in religious liberty after the Revolution, to the ongoing debate over religious issues in our schools and communities. Edwin Gaustad relates entertaining and edifying accounts of headline-grabbing court trials involving polygamy, witchcraft, and church taxation. He quotes moving passages from the speeches and writings of American Presidents and Supreme Court justices to prove that, to paraphrase Michelangelo, "religious liberty is made up of a series of trifles, but religious liberty is no trifle."
Customer Reviews:
Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land.......2005-09-23
For daughter in college - saved $ over the college bookstore!
A great introduction.......2003-09-20
This is a great introduction to Church and State relations from the early colonial period to today, touching on the early theocracies of New England, the post-revolutionary period that introduced the concept of church/state separation, and the inconsistent Supreme Court decisions made to uphold this ideal.
Of particular interest is the rather brutal history of the first colonies as they executed people for being the wrong type of Christian, the founding of Maryland as a refuge for Catholics and the founding of Rhode Island as a provider of true religious freedom before the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ever drafted.
This is great as introductory reading, but is in no way comprehensive or authoritative. A good bibliography points the way to further, more in-depth study of the subject.
Book Description
Using the concept of "classical republicanism" in his analysis, Kenneth Winn argues against the common view that the Mormon religion was an exceptional phenomenon representing a countercultural ideology fundamentally subversive to American society. Rather, he maintains, both the Saints and their enemies affirmed republican principles, but in radically different ways.
Winn identifies the 1830 founding of the Mormon church as a religious protest against the pervasive disorder plaguing antebellum America, attracting people who saw the libertarianism, religious pluralism, and market capitalism of Jacksonian America as threats to the Republic. While non-Mormons shared the perception that the Union was in danger, many saw the Mormons as one of the chief threats. General fear of Joseph Smith and his followers led to verbal and physical attacks on the Saints, which reinforced the Mormons' conviction that America had descended into anarchy. By 1846, violent opposition had driven Mormons to the uninhabited Great Salt Lake Basin.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting perception of LDS's early history.......2004-04-05
I thought this was one of the better written books on the early history of Latter Days Saints - otherwise known as the Mormons. The book traces the Church's history from the beginning and how they interacted with other sectors of American society as they grew and expanded. The author's premise was that the LDS was part of the America's growing pain during this period (1830-1846). The author maintained that Mormons remains true to the concepts of the Republic even although they were leaning toward theocracy. The book was well written, appears to be well researched and the author maintained an even approach while exploring his premise. Its a good book, quite insightful and should be read by anyone interested in Mormon history.
Customer Reviews:
Anarchism is freedom.......2000-07-06
Mexican anarchist Ricardo Flores Magon lived with facts and so he died, defending the most illustrious concepts of anarchy suffering hunger, and poverty, finally executed in a Missouri jail. I really suggest this book, 'cause inside it theere are many teachings of how human beings can depend on imagination, not in plitical parties.
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Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Land: The Plunder of Early America
Daniel M. Friedenberg
Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0879757221 |
Books:
- The Aeneid: A New Prose Translation (Penguin Classics)
- The Afghan Campaign: A novel
- The Age of Faith, Part IV, A History of Medieval Civilization--Christian, Islamic, and Judaic--from Constantine to Dante: A.D. 325 - 1300
- The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger
- The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia 4 volume Paperback Set (Cambridge History of Southeast Asia)
- The Cambridge Illustrated History of France (Cambridge Illustrated Histories)
- The Communist Manifesto (Signet Classics)
- The Complete Anne of Green Gables Boxed Set (Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne's House of Dreams, ... Rainbow Valley, Rilla of Ingleside)
- The Condition of Postmodernity: An Enquiry into the Origins of Cultural Change
- The Fight for Jerusalem: Radical Islam, the West, and the Future of the Holy City
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