The Landmark History of the American People by Daniel J. Boorstin
"The Landmark History of the American People" by Daniel J. Boorstin is a comprehensive exploration of the United States' evolution from its inception in the 17th century through the 20th century. This work is richly illustrated with contemporary images and chronicles the growth of the nation from a collection of English colonies to a prominent global power. Boorstin emphasizes the development of a shared national identity, shaped by diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences. The first volume traces the transformation from colonial settlers to a unified nation, culminating in the Civil War, while the second volume delves into the United States' role in the modern world, highlighting the expansion of rights and responsibilities among its citizens.
The narrative addresses significant themes such as economic freedom, immigration, and the contributions of influential leaders in promoting democratic ideals. Notably, Boorstin's work does not shy away from America's historical shortcomings, including its complex relationship with slavery and the consequences of major conflicts like the World Wars and the Cold War. Overall, Boorstin presents a balanced account, blending optimism with an honest reflection on the challenges faced by the nation, making this a valuable resource for those interested in understanding the multifaceted history of America.
The Landmark History of the American People by Daniel J. Boorstin
First published: 1968; illustrated
Subjects: Politics and law, religion, social issues, and war
Type of work: History
Time of work: From the seventeenth century to the 1960’s
Recommended Ages: 13-18
Locale: The North American continent
Principal Personages:
Thomas Jefferson , an American political thinker and the author of the Declaration of IndependenceGeorge Washington , the first president of the United StatesFrederick Douglass , a former slave and a leader of the abolitionist movementAbraham Lincoln , the sixteenth president of the United StatesRobert E. Lee , a Confederate generalUlysses S. Grant , a Union generalSusan B. Anthony , a leader of the woman suffrage movementWoodrow Wilson , the president of the United States during World War IFranklin Delano Roosevelt , the president of the United States during the Great Depression and World War IIDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , a leader of the Civil Rights movement
Form and Content
The Landmark History of the American People is a chronological study of the growth and development of the United States of America from its earliest fragile settlements through the latter part of the twentieth century. Profusely illustrated with contemporary drawings, paintings, and photographs, it follows the major development of the nation as it evolved from a scattering of primarily English colonies along the Atlantic coastline to the major world power that largely determined the shape and fate of modern world history. Daniel J. Boorstin’s emphasis is on the political and social culture of a nation that believed, from even before its formal beginning, in the independence and freedom of the individual and the power of democracy.
Boorstin’s controlling metaphor is that the United States is a collection of peoples who have learned, over the years and through a series of dramatic and traumatic events, to think as one people—in other words, to become a nation with a core basis of shared national beliefs and values that transcend a wide variety of backgrounds. The subdivisions in the first volume of this two-volume set illustrate this approach clearly: From “An Assortment of Plantations,” the work moves to “Thirteen States Are Born,” then changes to “American Ways of Growing,” advances to “Thinking Like Americans,” and ends with “The Rocky Road to Union.” In this fashion, Boorstin traces the development of the American national consciousness from the Colonial period, when settlers considered themselves merely transplanted Englishmen and Englishwomen, to the strangely uniting tragedy of the Civil War, when the separate states were finally woven into a single nation.
Volume 2 of the history brings the newly reunited United States into the modern world and places its emphasis on how the national government used its newly acquired powers to enhance and advance the rights and responsibilities of all citizens, black people as well as white people, women as well as men. “The Go-Getters” outlines the role of economic freedom in the surprising yet perhaps inevitable development of American industry during the early years of the twentieth century. “People on the Move” develops the theme of immigration, both internal and external, in providing an impetus to the energy and dynamism of the United States. “Bringing People Together” and “Champions for the People” underscore the crucial importance of leaders such as presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt in expanding the promise of American democracy to all citizens, especially the poor, minorities, and the working men and women who had for so long been disregarded and exploited by the industrialists and bankers. “To This Whole World—and Beyond” brings the story to a triumphant close—and the hint of a new beginning—with the account of the role of the United States in two world wars and its leadership of the “free world” in a period of international tension and potential mutual destruction by nuclear holocaust.
Boorstin’s history is clear, concise, and honest. He does not absolve America for what might rightly be considered its short-comings and failures. He notes, for example, that the original draft of the Declaration of Independence contained an unsparing denunciation of slavery that was edited out for political reasons. The failure to address that fundamental flaw was to return generations later in the Civil War, the bloodiest conflict in U.S. history and one that continues to haunt the nation. The victory over Nazi Germany, Imperialist Japan, and Fascist Italy in World War II did not lead to the realization of the dream of a perfect world, as some had hoped, but to a protracted and nerve-wracking Cold War with a former ally, the Soviet Union. Boorstin chronicles this situation in his chapter “Winning a War, Losing a Peace.” In short, Boorstin presents the American story without flinching, aware that it contains much that is both good and bad, but confident that an honest account is worth the effort.
Critical Context
Daniel J. Boorstin served for twelve years as Librarian of Congress, was director of the National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institution, and taught history for twenty-five years at the University of Chicago, where he held the chair of Morton Distinguished Service Professor. His historical trilogy The Americans—The Colonial Experience (1958), The National Experience (1965), and The Democratic Experience (1973)—won the Bancroft, Parkman, and Pulitzer prizes. Clearly, the author understands his subject and cares about it deeply and passionately.
That understanding and concern are clearly evident in The Landmark History of the American People. When the work was first published in 1968, readers and critics were attracted to the accessible style and unimpeachable authority of the history, which struck a balanced and objective, yet generally optimistic note. This deeply informed historical study transforms the facts of American history into living and contemporary aspects of the national experience. Its celebration of the United States as fundamentally a union of diverse peoples was especially noteworthy in the troubled era of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s and has remained a central reason for its continued popularity.