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Recounts the story of aspiring writer William Strachey, who was shipwrecked on Bermuda en route to the Jamestown settlement in 1609 and wrote of his experiences, which provided the inspiration for one of Shakespeare's great plays.
In 1783, as the Revolutionary War came to a close, Alexander Hamilton resigned in disgust from the Continental Congress after it refused to consider a fundamental reform of the Articles of Confederation. Just four years later, that same government collapsed, and Congress grudgingly agreed to support the 1787 Philadelphia Constitutional Convention, which altered the Articles beyond recognition. What occurred during this remarkably brief interval to cause the Confederation to lose public confidence and inspire Americans to replace it with a dramatically more flexible and powerful government? We Have Not a Government is the story of this contentious moment in American history. In George William...
In 1577, John Dee, a scientist who served as an advisor to Queen Elizabeth I, proposed to her the creation of colonies in the New World. Neither Elizabeth nor Walter Raleigh imagined the task would be so difficult or take more than 30 years. The effort started with an exploration of the coast of today's North Carolina and the settlement of a colony on Roanoke Island in 1585. This ended tragically and became known as The Lost Colony, its fate a mystery to this day. James I resumed the effort with the founding of Jamestown in 1607 on an island in the James River in today's Virginia. This book relates the histories of the Roanoke and Jamestown colonies to enable a full understanding of the founding of English America. Important events in America's beginnings, including the wreck of the Sea Venture (which inspired William Shakespeare's The Tempest), the Algonquin chief Powhatan's plans to make the newcomers useful to him, and the relationship between Pocahontas and English Captain John Smith are highlighted.
Subject: In this fascinating tale of England's first two New World colonies, Bernhard links Virginia and Bermuda in a series of unintended consequences resulting from natural disaster, ignorance of native cultures, diplomatic intrigue, and the fateful arrival of the first Africans in both colonies. --from publisher description
In this provocative essay, the authors explore how John Trumbull, famed painter of the American Revolutionary War period, came to make sketches of five Creek Indian leaders in New York in 1790. By chance, Trumbull was painting George Washington’s portrait for the City of New York when a delegation of Creeks arrived to sign the Treaty of New York. Finding himself in the company of the Creeks, the artist seized the opportunity to draw them. While Drawing By Stealth tells the history of these iconic drawings of American Indians, it also provides details about the clothing and ornaments depicted and corrects a popular -- but erroneous -- theory that one of the images is of the leader of the Creek delegation to New York, Alexander McGillivray.
Anecdotal memories of 70 years of summers on Nantucket told with humor, joy and some nostalgia. Authentic history intermingled with early styles cotrasted with the new; by experienced magazine publisher. 26 essays, 24 illustrations, 120 pages.
As the site of the first permanent English settlement in North America, the birthplace of a presidential dynasty, and the gateway to western growth in the nation’s early years, Virginia can rightfully be called the “cradle of America.” Peter Wallenstein traces major themes across four centuries in a brisk narrative that recalls the people and events that have shaped the Old Dominion. The second edition is updated with new material throughout, including a new chapter on Virginia and world affairs from the Korean War through 9/11 and beyond, and, an expanded bibliography. Historical accounts of Virginia have often emphasized harmony and tradition, but Wallenstein focuses on the impact of...
American Phoenix tells the gripping story of John Quincy Adams's "honorable exile" during the War of 1812 and the harrowing journey of his wife, Louisa, to be reunited with her family.
This book discusses examples of how the U.S. Founding Fathers were influenced and inspired by Chinese agriculture, architecture, and philosophy. China, then one of the most stable and powerful civilizations in the world, offered unique perspectives on various aspects of society which were distinct from the Founding Fathers’ European heritage. China provided an alternative set of social and political frameworks which supported the Founding Fathers’ efforts to craft a unique heritage for their young nation. These Founders sought to establish a political identity that was distinct from European aristocratic traditions.