America, Empire of Liberty: A New History of the United StatesIt was Thomas Jefferson who envisioned the United States as a great Òempire of liberty.Ó This paradoxical phrase may be the key to the American saga: How could the anti-empire of 1776 became the worldÕs greatest superpower? And how did the country that offered unmatched liberty nevertheless found its prosperity on slavery and the dispossession of Native Americans? In this new single-volume history spanning the entire course of US historyÑfrom 1776 through the election of Barack ObamaÑprize-winning historian David Reynolds explains how tensions between empire and liberty have often been resolved by faithÑboth the evangelical Protestantism that has energized American politics for centuries and the larger faith in American righteousness that has driven the countryÕs expansion. Written with verve and insight, Empire of Liberty brilliantly depicts America in all of its many contradictions. |
Contents
LIBERTY AND SLAVERY | 1 |
Natives and Europeans | 3 |
Empire and Liberties | 21 |
Independence and Republicanism | 45 |
viii | 48 |
Liberty and Security | 73 |
East and West | 95 |
Slave or Free? | 123 |
From Boom to Bomb | 273 |
EMPIRE AND EVIL | 305 |
14 | 312 |
Rights and Riots | 335 |
The Impotence of Omnipotence | 361 |
Détente and Discontent | 389 |
Revolution and Democracy | 417 |
Pride and Prejudice | 441 |
POWER AND PROGRESS | 147 |
North and South | 149 |
White and Black | 177 |
Capital and Labor | 197 |
Reform and Expansion | 221 |
War and Peace | 245 |
Conclusion | 469 |
Further Reading | 479 |
Notes | 493 |
Acknowledgments | 547 |
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Adams Amer American army Atlantic battle became Boston Britain British Bush called campaign canal century Chicago Civil Cold War colonies Confederate Congress Constitution declared democracy Democrats Détente economic election EMPIRE OF LIBERTY Europe European evangelical fight France freedom French George German immigrants independence Indians industrial Jackson Jefferson John John Adams Johnson Kennedy labor land leaders Lincoln London Madison March Mexico military million Mississippi nation Nixon North northern party peace political PPPUS website president Protestant Quoted radical railroad Reagan Red or Dead republic Republican revolution Roosevelt seemed Senate slavery slaves social soldiers South South Carolina southern Soviet Soviet Union Supreme Court Thomas Jefferson tion told took treaty troops U.S. army U.S. Congress U.S. Constitution U.S. Supreme Court Union United University Press victory Vietnam Virginia vote wanted Washington West White House William Wilson women York