1001 Things Everyone Should Know About American History

by John A. Garraty

Identifies important people, ideas, books, music, military actions, and economic events in American history

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, Reference, American

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

John Arthur Garraty was an American historian and biographer. He specialized largely in American political and economic history.

Garraty earned an undergraduate degree from Brooklyn College in 1941 and completed his doctorate at Columbia University in 1948. During World War II, he served in the United States Merchant Marines as a swimming instructor. He taught at Michigan State University for 12 years before joining the Columbia University History Department in 1959. Garraty also served as the president of the Society of American Historians. He retired from teaching at Columbia in 1990.

An author of many textbooks, Garraty's works include the college and high school history textbook The American Nation, later editions of which were co-written with Mark C. Carnes. Among Garraty's other works were many biographies, and Garraty was one of the general editors of the American National Biography, a project which he completed in his retirement.

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A crash course on American history, which is divided between politics, ideas, people, quotes about presidents, literature and music, the military, and economics.
Here's your chance to get up to speed on New Harmony and Hoovervilles, Old Hickory and The Little Magician, Dixiecrats and Dugout Doug. Do you know about the following people-Nat Turner, Victoria Woodhull, Chief Joseph, Joseph Hooker, Joseph Smith, "Mother" Jones, and Clarence Birdseye?
How much do you know about the following events- the Treason Trial of Aaron Burr, the Pullman Strike of 1894, Shay's Rebellion, the Argonne-Meuse Campaign...? What was decided by the 1896 Supreme Court case "Plessy v. Ferguson"? What was the Three- Fifths Compromise?
Who wrote, "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer" ? ( Henry Thoreau, "Walden," 1854)
Who said "...we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex" ? ( President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961)
Who said, "I never gave them hell, I just tell the truth, and they think it's hell"? ( Harry S. Truman)
You have to learn something about American history... and maybe chuckle at something too. Unfortunately, this book was published in 1989 and there has been some history since then...

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of tidbits about people, places, and events in American History. As a history major, I recognized most of the the 1001 items discussed, but there were a few of which I had never heard. For instance, I had never heard of many of the women pioneers that were listed. I think that the reason for this is that women's studies in the past have been overlooked in many history textbooks. Also, there was the Argonne-Meuse Campaign of World War I, of which I had never studied. Again, World War I is often somewhat neglected in our history books. Working in a bookstore, as I do, I know how few books are written on the subject of World War I. While the Civil War might have a whole bookcase devoted to it, and World War II might have two whole bookcases, there might only be two shelves dedicated to the subject of World War I. The Korean War is another area that is often neglected.

This book was written in 1989, and does a fairly good job of covering events in American History up to that time. If anything was neglected in this book, I might have to say it was the Civil Rights Movement. I just didn't see a lot on that subject. However, I felt that this was a very informative and interesting book. Each fact was short enough to catch your attention and make you want to go research the subjects that you didn't know about.

[Ayelet · Rating 2 out of 5]

While there were many interesting tidbits in the book, I think he spent too much time focusing on politics. He also put in a lot of quotes that seemed unnecessary. All of the information in the presidential section was quotes. He was also uneven. Most people got short entries but Civil War generals got entire columns.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that was right up my alley; it was, however, unfortunately colored by the conservative views of the writer that he was not quite able to suppress.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

All kinds of interesting info in this book. I especially enjoyed the sections on the women in America and the quotes written about the presidents. It's always easier to think that the public attacks on the president are a recent occurrence which is not the case.

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forgo that it's a bit dated and this book provides a lot of neat facts about American History. There were some that I didn't agree with, but Garraty said he doesn't care about that(that it's HIS 1,001) and I respect his forwardness! If you don't, write your own!

[Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the Trivial Pursuit knowledge you will ever need in one book.

[Kenley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is better for light reading, or when you're bored and have nothing better to do. While it is filled with many facts and tid bits you wouldn't normally know, it does get boring quickly.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great book to read a few pages at a time each day. I love these books to start my mornings with a new bit of trivia. Recommended