1898: The Birth of the American Century

by David Traxel

In 1898: The Birth of the American Century, David Traxel tells the story of a watershed year, a year of foreign conflict, extravagant adventure, and breakneck social change that forged a new America—a sudden empire with many far-flung possessions, a dynamic new player upon the global stage.

At the heart of this vivid, anecdotal history is a masterly account of the Spanish-American War, the "splendid little war" that garnered the nation Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.  From the sinking of the Maine in waters off Havana to Teddy Roosevelt's rough riders and the triumph of Admiral Dewey, here is the lightning-swift military episode that transformed America into a world power. Here too are many stories not so often told—the bloody first successes of the new United Mine Workers, the tentative beginnings of the Ford Motor Company, the million-dollar launch of the Uneeda Biscuit—each in its way as important as the harbinger of the American century.  Compulsively readable, frequently humorous, utterly fascinating in its every detail, 1898 is popular history at its finest.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History

384 pages, Paperback

First published May 5, 1998

Reviews

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book about the year 1898, although for me it spent too much time on the Spanish American War (probably 2/3 of the book) which was interesting but which also glossed over a lot of other fascinating non-war issues and stories.
And easy book to stop and start a few days or weeks later. And I found the chapters prior to and after those war chapters to be the strength of the book for me. And the author did pull all things together in a superb epilogue. But we could have used a lot less on Teddy Roosevelt, and more on William McKinley (I have a new-found respect for him), Frank Baum, Nabisco, and advertising. Lots of stories that showed how by the year 1898 America really began to shape the world.
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[Jill H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part, I enjoyed it as it is an overall social commentary of the year of the title. It touches on such disparate subjects as politics, regional development, the Spanish-American War and "yellow" journalism. As is common with most books that try to cover an entire year, some subjects get short shrift but overall, a fairly entertaining read.

[Dave Schoettinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Traxel has noted that many Americans have complained that the American president has too much power and/or has taken on powers that the Constitution bestowed on Congress. He has further noted that the identity of the complainants seems to change whenever a president of a different party is elected. It would come as no surprise to Mr. Traxel that those who complained about Barack Obama taking on the powers of a king were quiet when Donald Trump took similar actions; and conversely that those who had no complaints about Obama see Trump as a power-crazed maniac when he takes similar actions. For those who would ask how did we reach such a state of executive overreach, Mr. Traxel would suggest looking at the events of 1898.

As Traxel outlines in this book, the president was shamed by Congress and the media into conducting a war for which the military was unprepared, resulting in an executive branch that sought to be ready for such occurrences in the future. The book centers on the Spanish-American War, but there are plenty of other interesting things happening in 1898 to keep one's attention.

[Patrick Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent account of a seminal year on American histort. Well written account of very interesting times.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of the Spanish American War which takes up a large portion of the book. The war is bookened by an insightful survey of the changes American culture, society, and manufacturing were undergoing by 1898.

[Jrobertus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very readable book and very informative. It addresses issues like the interaction of science an commerce, competition among entrepreneurs, rise of trusts and conglomerates, and the acquisition of the American empire in Cuba and the Philippines. There is a lot about Teddy Roosevelt, Tammy Hall, the Guilded Age and even Madam Blavatsky.

[Treva · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to read this because I am watching Murdoch Mysteries which takes place starting in the 1890's. Since they have had Edison and Roosevelt as "characters" on that show I was interested in learning more about them in real life.

It was like reading a history book so much of the time that it was bumped often for more enjoyable choices. That's why it took me 4 months to finish.

[Babbity Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid overview of the Spanish-American war, Teddy Roosevelt, and the much-biographied men of wealth and power in 1989. But those subjects have been written to death, and this book doesn't take the opportunity of the format to go beyond what's already been established about how FANTASTICALLY IMPORTANT these individuals are. I was hoping for more detail and nuance in the social/cultural history.

[Ralphz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This seemed like a nice idea going in: A history of one year (which I love) and how it impacted the growth of America.

I expected looks at the economy and innovation and technology and politics and culture, and that's how it started. But the majority of the book is about the Spanish-American War.

Here, the author could have given a quick look at the issues brought up by the war, including modernization and imperialism. But instead, the author starts a battle-by-battle account of the war. Sure, the war was key in shaping the nation, but that could have been its own book, apart from the rest.

There is good stuff here, but not what I was hoping for.

[Louis Picone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written book. I's a fun read & helps give a better understanding of the important Spanish American War that turned the US into an imperial nation. My only problem was an over-reliance on a satiric character of the time "Mr. Dooley" as a source. The quotes are extensive and difficult to read. After a while, I groaned when I hit yet another Dooley quote. Dooley aside, I recommend the book

[John E · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems as if everything else in the United States was subordinated to the War with Spain over Cuba. Almost half the book covers the war, especially the Battle for Santiago (San Juan Hill), in far too much detail. The rest of the book is more interesting, but given so much less space.

[Wendi Enright · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a slog. Thought it would be closer to historical fiction, but it was just a mishmash of history. Sounds like a fascinating time to be alive; but I've come to believe that is the case for most years.

[Alexa Hansen-Beeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is amazing. I had to read it for my Gilded Age class and the stories are intricately woven together with fact. It focuses specifically on the year of 1898 but also incorporates all of the Gilded Age. I highly recommend this book.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

Looking to round out the 19th Century and begin transitioning to the next, I read David Traxel's 1898: The Birth of the American Century to learn more about the events leading up to and during the Spanish American War and how results of the conflict officially changed America's role in international relations.

In hindsight, the events of this year do seem to be a natural termination of the trends of the previous four decades.

Formal reconstruction and recovery from the Civil War was more or less over, with a new economic, political, and race relations equilibrium established. And the generation of the war was beginning to hand over the reigns to the next. I had never contemplated the concerns of having US troops on their way to Cuba pass through the American South--this was the first time since the Civil War/Reconstruction and no one knew how the public would react. The fact that they were cheered is telling of how the country's focus and priorities had changed in just a few years.

The changing of national focus had been seen in the fast migration and "taming" of the West, which had an almost sudden end, as the frontier was officially gone by the 1890s. Industrialization, with its urban focus and complementary need for trade, including international trade, to keep the economic engine churning was leading to a new interest in foreign conerns--a"foreign" concept to the isolated mentality established with the Revolution.

Urbanization and communications had allowed the media to emerge as major players in the country's actions, with the popular lead up to the war by the competing newspapers and their moguls as the classic example of creating news. It seems almost too neat of a story, with figures too large for life.

Traxel's book is okay. Not great, but readable and interesting enough. 2/5 stars. The main portion of the book is the war, but it is sandwiched between general survey history chapters on various cultural and political topics.

The book did, however, feel like a movie that was written with a sequel in mind.

The Germans were being set up as a future bully / enemy with their actions in the Philippines. The year ended with the European powers now having to consider America as a player in their events. And Teddy Roosevelt, after his introduction a few books ago, is emerging as a big hero.

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[Lauren Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A "slice of life" book that looks at one year in the life of the country--the Spanish American War being the predominant event. An Exhibition, Roosevelt as Governor of NY, gold in the Yukon--it was an eventful year. Though Traxel spends the most time on the build up to the war ("remember the Maine") and the debates over colonialism after, he also tries to give a sense of what life was like for every day people.

[David Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book starts really strong and was a compelling read. But the chronology of moving through the year day by day got a bit sloppy feeling and less helpful in the later half of the book. For the first half though, it was a fun jaunt through the world of burgeoning experiments with cars, planes and more. Fun section on Nabisco too.

[Bap · Rating 3 out of 5]

A breezy history fo the year that this country became a world power. A pistache of Roosevelt, the splendid little war, labor strife, inventers, and immigrants. A book my father picked up at the Strand that I have read as part of my inheritance.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the book focuses on the Spanish-American war, though I was hoping for a little more information about the "homefront." A very good book about the year 1898 and the years surrounding it. The last chapter about advertising was particularly interesting.

[John Rosenfelder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly about Roosevelt and the Spanish American War, but later chapters on other things including the Wilmington NC massacre. Kind of compartmentalized. I would have liked each event addressed in the context of other things going on. Still a good read.

[Tim Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent chronicle of a pivotal year, 1898.