James Kirke Paulding: The Last Republican

Front Cover
Bloomsbury Academic, Sep 17, 1992 - History - 168 pages

For many decades after the American Revolution, the image of the Republic shaped people's thinking and influenced events. Yet the simple republic and a growing, increasingly complex, capitalist America represented a clear paradox in American thinking. James Kirke Paulding was at one pole of that paradox. The first American writer to devote his career to describing America and Americans, to social commentary and social criticism, Paulding came to his subject as a crusader, his cause being the defense of the republic as a way of life, an economic and social system, and an ethical code.

Although this book is Paulding's story, it is even more an attempt to describe America as Paulding saw it. Chapter 1 focuses on Paulding's part in urging the ongoing reasons for liberation from England and the protection of a unique American society. In Chapter 2, the discussion shifts to Paulding's view of the simple republic, and Chapter 3 considers the role of the West in preserving the simple republic. Although Paulding considered the West to be America's future, the South became for him its present. Chapter 4 considers his focus on the South in his struggle to save the heritage of the Revolution. Yet society was changing, and Chapter 5 focuses on Paulding's role in politics and his relationship with politicians in his last efforts to have both a noble past and a rapidly changing present. As the Civil War approached, the country, in Paulding's eyes, fell into the hands of fanatics who would sacrifice its heritage for the sake of a cause. His efforts to resist that fanaticism are the subject of the final chapter.

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Contents

Defining and Defending the Simple Republic
31
Revitalizing the American Dream
57
The South and the Impending Crisis
75
Copyright

3 other sections not shown

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James Kirke Paulding: The Last Republican
Lorman Ratner
No preview available - 1992

Common terms and phrases

abolitionists Aderman American character Andrew Jackson anti-Masonry anti-slavery Backwoodsman British Bucktails cause century conflict contrast corruption criticism Dangerfield Democratic drama Dutch economic enemies England English European evil experience fanaticism fanatics farmer fear fiction forces Founding Fathers frontier future greed heroes historian Indians influence Jacksonian Democracy Jacksonian Persuasion James K James Kirke Paulding Jefferson label land leaders Letters liberty literary lived Lorman Ratner Madison Martin Van Buren Meyers moral national character Navy North Northern noted novel Old Continental Old World Paulding began Paulding believed Paulding described Paulding found Paulding never Paulding saw Paulding wrote Paulding's description Paulding's mind Paulding's views perhaps politicians Polk preserve the Republic President principles Puritan republican Revolution seemed simple republic slavery slaves social society sought South Southern theme Union virtues Washington Irving wealth West Westward Westward Ho wilderness William Paulding Wilmot Proviso York City

References to this book

About the author (1992)

LORMAN RATNER is Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Tennessee and Adjunct Professor of History at the University of Illinois, Urbana.

Bibliographic information

TitleJames Kirke Paulding: The Last Republican
Contributions in American History
AuthorLorman Ratner
Editionillustrated
PublisherBloomsbury Academic, 1992
Original fromthe University of Michigan
DigitizedMar 12, 2008
ISBN0313285500, 9780313285509
Length168 pages
Subjects ›  › 

History / Americas (North, Central, South, West Indies)
History / United States / 19th Century
  
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