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Who Built America? V 2: Work.People&the Nation's Econom.Polit.Cult.Soc
At last, American history is more than presidents and robber barons, elections and battles, names and dates to memorize. Who Built America? is about working Americans -- artisans, servants, slaves, farm families, laborers, women working in the home, factory hands, and office clerks -- who played crucial roles in shaping modern America: what they thought, what they did, and what happened to them.
The central focus of this two-volume history of the United States is the changing nature of the work that built, sustained, and transformed American society over the course of almost four centuries. It depicts the ways working people affected and were affected by the economic, social, cultural, and political processes that together make up the national experience. The result is a path-breaking integration of the history of community, family, gender roles, race, and ethnicity into the more familiar history of U.S. politics and economic development.
Volume One takes the reader through the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the great railroad strike of 1877. Volume Two continues the story from the expansion of industrial capitalism during the Gilded Age and the rise of movements of opposition, through the decades of world war, depression, and industrial unionism, to the dramatic growth of U.S. military and economic power in the postwar era and the continuing struggle over the meaning of America in the contemporary era.
The central focus of this two-volume history of the United States is the changing nature of the work that built, sustained, and transformed American society over the course of almost four centuries. It depicts the ways working people affected and were affected by the economic, social, cultural, and political processes that together make up the national experience. The result is a path-breaking integration of the history of community, family, gender roles, race, and ethnicity into the more familiar history of U.S. politics and economic development.
Volume One takes the reader through the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the great railroad strike of 1877. Volume Two continues the story from the expansion of industrial capitalism during the Gilded Age and the rise of movements of opposition, through the decades of world war, depression, and industrial unionism, to the dramatic growth of U.S. military and economic power in the postwar era and the continuing struggle over the meaning of America in the contemporary era.
606 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 17, 2017
Excellent alternative to the great man theory of history. A true peoples history with many facts that should be in our school text books but are not.
January 17, 2014
Who Built America? What a question, right? And to be honest, this historic volume was in large part stumbled upon due to a late entry during my first semester at the University of Houston- Clear Lake. I signed up for classes late and felt stuck with a labor history class. Surprisingly thought, as it seems to be with how things tend to work in the world, Labor history, what I thought an accident, turned out to be one of the most profound classes i've ever had. The text book as Who Built America? which in itself looked at the progress of America from a new perspective, from the bottom up. Typically, history grades and teaches from the top down, fewer names and dates to remember, so we traditionally learn about presidents and generals, etc. and how they impacted the world. However, with Who Built America, we get to see these same historic footnotes from the people who lived them, and who fundamentally made progress and change happen. America has a rich and meaningful historiography with social movements and every historian has their own take on the meaning of things; be that as it may, this volume presents the history free of spin and gives the reader/student a look into the causes and effects in the evolution of labor in America.
With this book you should expect to walk away with a deeper understanding of how labor evolved, how technology changed the way we see ourselves as working class, and how conflict said changes. You will learn about the various social movements in over a hundred year history text book. With that being said, this volume is meant to be supplemental; it has a wide breath and doesn't dig extraordinarily deep in any one group or social movement. If you are interested in further research into social movements, this book is an excellent source for finding more material.
With this book you should expect to walk away with a deeper understanding of how labor evolved, how technology changed the way we see ourselves as working class, and how conflict said changes. You will learn about the various social movements in over a hundred year history text book. With that being said, this volume is meant to be supplemental; it has a wide breath and doesn't dig extraordinarily deep in any one group or social movement. If you are interested in further research into social movements, this book is an excellent source for finding more material.
April 13, 2011
The New Left historians at the American Social History Project have produced a fantastic two-volume textbook. Owing to their judicious inclusion of thought-provoking primary sources, no separate reader is necessary. My only quibble is with the authors' decision not to place discussion questions at the end of each chapter and primary source excerpt. I had to write these questions myself, and while this wasn't an entirely jejune undertaking, I'm all for working smarter rather than harder when it comes to teaching. Their 3,000-question CD-ROM test bank is an excellent resource too, even if the accompanying exam generation software leaves a bit to be desired. Highly recommended.
May 18, 2009
I read the CD-ROM of this about 10 or so years ago. It's incredible and incredibly rich. Well-worth hunting down as it contains digital copies of many of the primary source materials cited in the text. A fascinating and sophisticated take put together by Roy Rozensweig, et al. that covers late 19th Century America.
The bits on Chester A. Arthur are priceless (look this obscure President up, he's worth it).
The bits on Chester A. Arthur are priceless (look this obscure President up, he's worth it).
July 14, 2011
This is a great book that focuses on the impact of the working class on the development of the nation from the end of the Civil War to the early 21st century. I think it's too easy to forget just how much influence laborers and unions have had on the growth of the nation, and this book will certainly remind students of that legacy. I'm so glad I chose this book for the upcoming school year!
March 23, 2014
love americaaaaaaaaaaaaa this book will gave more information about america
October 14, 2022
A great compendium with analysis and selected primary sources. Looks at US history, politics and social currents through a populist, pro-labor perspective sure to widen your own.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews