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History of the American Frontier - 1763-1893
Embark on a gripping journey through the heart of America's past in 'History of the American Frontier - 1763-1893.' This meticulously researched chronicle illuminates the untamed expanses, courageous pioneers, and pivotal events that shaped the nation's frontier. From the clash of cultures to the pursuit of manifest destiny, this narrative paints a vivid portrait of the triumphs, struggles, and enduring spirit that defined this captivating era in American history.
327 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2023
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998 people want to read
About the author
Frederic L. Paxson
131 books3 followersFrederic Logan Paxson was an American historian, and an authority on the American West.
He earned his degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University.
From 1932 to 1947 he served as professor at the University of California.
He also served as President of the Organization of American Historians.
He won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1925 for History of the American Frontier.
He earned his degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University.
From 1932 to 1947 he served as professor at the University of California.
He also served as President of the Organization of American Historians.
He won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1925 for History of the American Frontier.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 23, 2023
Published in 1924.
I read the following chapters (in trying to get a better understanding of the time frame and process of the settlement of the first counties in Ohio):
The American Frontier of 1763
The Forks of the Ohio [became Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania]
The Rear of the Revolution
The Land Problem
Creation of the Public Domain
The National Land System
The Old Northwest
The Western Boundaries
The First New States [Vermont, Kentucky, Tennessee]
Political Theories of the Frontier
Jeffersonian Democracy
The Frontier of 1800
Ohio: The Clash of Principles
I read the following chapters (in trying to get a better understanding of the time frame and process of the settlement of the first counties in Ohio):
The American Frontier of 1763
The Forks of the Ohio [became Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania]
The Rear of the Revolution
The Land Problem
Creation of the Public Domain
The National Land System
The Old Northwest
The Western Boundaries
The First New States [Vermont, Kentucky, Tennessee]
Political Theories of the Frontier
Jeffersonian Democracy
The Frontier of 1800
Ohio: The Clash of Principles
August 10, 2023
Love the reprint of this book
September 26, 2023
Not sure what I expected. This covered some interesting issues relating to the establishments of states during the period in question. I think I was hoping for more about life on the frontier.
July 12, 2025
This Pulitzer Prize-winning work from 1924, spanning 59 chapters, vividly chronicles America’s westward expansion, capturing the boldness and complexity of the frontier’s evolution from untamed wilderness to a vital part of the United States, weaving together stories of exploration, settlement, and industrialization that shaped a nation.
The narrative opens in the post-French and Indian War era, where colonial constraints gave way to the exploratory zeal of figures like Lewis and Clark, whose expeditions embody the “drive and bravado” of pioneers seeking to claim the West. The 1803 Louisiana Purchase doubled U.S. territory, unleashing waves of settlement that often displaced Native American tribes, such as those in the Ohio Valley, showcasing the geopolitical and economic stakes of expansion. The 1849 California Gold Rush further accelerated migration, drawing thousands to the West in pursuit of wealth and opportunity, reflecting the ambition to own “something to call their own.”
The frenetic energy of the 1830s comes alive as settlers, speculators, and infrastructure like canals reshaped the frontier, often at the expense of Native communities pushed from their lands. Frontier towns, from rugged homesteads to bustling outposts, reflected the diverse dreams of settlers, though the work’s economic focus may feel dense for some. The transcontinental railroad’s triumph in linking the East Coast to California, driven by federal policies and corporate innovation, accelerated settlement and fulfilled a central theme of the user’s prompt.
The narrative also addresses the Civil War’s lingering divisions, though its analysis of the conflict’s social impact on the frontier, including escalating conflicts with Native tribes on the Plains, lacks depth. By the conclusion, the work reflects on the 1893 census declaring the frontier’s end, celebrating the pioneer spirit that defined America’s identity while underplaying the era’s toll on marginalized groups.
Despite its strengths, the 1924 perspective reflects biases in its matter-of-fact depiction of Native American dispossession, such as treaties and wars that displaced tribes like the Cherokee and Sioux, and minimal focus on non-white contributions. The book’s readability, primary-source depth, and vivid portrayal of frontier life make it a vital resource, though modern readers should pair it with works like *A People’s History of the United States* for balance.
**Rating: 4/5**
*Recommended for history buffs and students, with a suggestion to supplement with contemporary sources for a fuller perspective on the American West.*
The narrative opens in the post-French and Indian War era, where colonial constraints gave way to the exploratory zeal of figures like Lewis and Clark, whose expeditions embody the “drive and bravado” of pioneers seeking to claim the West. The 1803 Louisiana Purchase doubled U.S. territory, unleashing waves of settlement that often displaced Native American tribes, such as those in the Ohio Valley, showcasing the geopolitical and economic stakes of expansion. The 1849 California Gold Rush further accelerated migration, drawing thousands to the West in pursuit of wealth and opportunity, reflecting the ambition to own “something to call their own.”
The frenetic energy of the 1830s comes alive as settlers, speculators, and infrastructure like canals reshaped the frontier, often at the expense of Native communities pushed from their lands. Frontier towns, from rugged homesteads to bustling outposts, reflected the diverse dreams of settlers, though the work’s economic focus may feel dense for some. The transcontinental railroad’s triumph in linking the East Coast to California, driven by federal policies and corporate innovation, accelerated settlement and fulfilled a central theme of the user’s prompt.
The narrative also addresses the Civil War’s lingering divisions, though its analysis of the conflict’s social impact on the frontier, including escalating conflicts with Native tribes on the Plains, lacks depth. By the conclusion, the work reflects on the 1893 census declaring the frontier’s end, celebrating the pioneer spirit that defined America’s identity while underplaying the era’s toll on marginalized groups.
Despite its strengths, the 1924 perspective reflects biases in its matter-of-fact depiction of Native American dispossession, such as treaties and wars that displaced tribes like the Cherokee and Sioux, and minimal focus on non-white contributions. The book’s readability, primary-source depth, and vivid portrayal of frontier life make it a vital resource, though modern readers should pair it with works like *A People’s History of the United States* for balance.
**Rating: 4/5**
*Recommended for history buffs and students, with a suggestion to supplement with contemporary sources for a fuller perspective on the American West.*
July 8, 2023
Would have rated higher if not for the plethora of distracting typos.
September 8, 2024
When I was a kid, I learned about the history of the American frontier mostly from reading Landmark Books like: The Landing of the Pilgrims; Pocahontas and Captain John Smith: The Story of the Virginia Colony; Daniel Boone: the Opening of the Wilderness; The Lewis and Clark Expedition; The Erie Canal; Trappers and Traders of the Far West; The Santa Fe Trail; Kit Carson and the Wild Frontier; The California Gold Rush; To California by Covered Wagon; The Pony Express; The Building of the First Transcontinental Railroad; and The Golden Age of Railroads. As these books were aimed at grade school readers, they were exciting and full of up-close and personal accounts of individual people. They were great reads—I loved Landmark Books—but in keeping with their target audience, they did give a simplified and incomplete account of American history.
When I checked out History of the American Frontier 1763-1893 from my local college library, I was expecting to read narratives similar to what was in those Landmark Books. But no—it was very different, giving a truly comprehensive history. Rather than telling the stories of famous pioneers, author Paxon discusses the economic, political, social, technological, and philosophical forces that drove the growth and development of the United States from thirteen English colonies on the eastern seaboard, to 48 contiguous states spanning the North American continent. These were forces I’d never considered before, nor had called to my attention, which is why I said the Landmark Books version of American history is overly-simplified. When I was a kid, I thought of the growth of the United States only in terms of hardy, intrepid pioneers heading ever-westward and carving farms out of raw untamed wilderness. It never occurred to me that this was first and foremost an economic endeavor, that wilderness land was bought and sold by someone, and that besides revolutions in technology (farm equipment, steamboats, railroads), revolutions in economic and financial mechanisms and political thinking were also required. The cover blurb states the book is “a marvelous tour de force,” and I have to agree this is not hyperbole. The book does an excellent job of presenting the Big Picture, portraying a detailed panorama rather than a series of vignettes. It’s no wonder it was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize.
One aspect of the book which was not apparent when it was first published is its fresh, objective viewpoint. History of the American Frontier 1763-1893 was originally published in 1924. This is only twelve years after the last of the contiguous 48 states (Arizona) achieved statehood (which the book covers, belying the end date in the title of 1893), so the process of taming and organizing the American continent was still in recent—indeed, in immediate—memory when the book was written and published. This results in the book not being subject to revisionist history writing and negative interpretation, which mars too many modern works of history. Given the current trend in academia of condemning America and Americans as deeply flawed, even downright evil, this objective viewpoint is refreshing. To be honest, when I saw the original publication date, I half-expected to find chauvinistic and maybe even racist opinions holding sway. But I am impressed by the scholarly tone maintained by the author, historian Frederic Logan Paxon. His account includes intrepid courage and sacrifice and risk-taking, but it also includes government and private corruption, cupidity, and oftentimes outright stupidity of the people in power, and it includes an objective assessment of the American treatment of Native Americans, of black slavery, and of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the “Mormons.” Mr. Paxon does not shy away from nor does he sugar-coat the controversial—and often deplorable—actions of Americans, but a caveat to anyone reading this book: the treatment of, for example, the American Indian tribes is indeed described as appalling and regrettable, but the bottom line of Paxon’s analysis is that, given the profound differences in the two cultures, the extinguishing or subsuming of American Indian culture was inevitable. Paxon doesn’t glorify any of the misguided or downright malevolent actions committed in the settling of the continent, but he does state them simply as matters of fact.
The bottom line: The back cover of the paperback edition of History of the American Frontier 1763-1893 contains the statement, “This is a must-read for any student of American history.” This is a statement with which I wholeheartedly agree.
When I checked out History of the American Frontier 1763-1893 from my local college library, I was expecting to read narratives similar to what was in those Landmark Books. But no—it was very different, giving a truly comprehensive history. Rather than telling the stories of famous pioneers, author Paxon discusses the economic, political, social, technological, and philosophical forces that drove the growth and development of the United States from thirteen English colonies on the eastern seaboard, to 48 contiguous states spanning the North American continent. These were forces I’d never considered before, nor had called to my attention, which is why I said the Landmark Books version of American history is overly-simplified. When I was a kid, I thought of the growth of the United States only in terms of hardy, intrepid pioneers heading ever-westward and carving farms out of raw untamed wilderness. It never occurred to me that this was first and foremost an economic endeavor, that wilderness land was bought and sold by someone, and that besides revolutions in technology (farm equipment, steamboats, railroads), revolutions in economic and financial mechanisms and political thinking were also required. The cover blurb states the book is “a marvelous tour de force,” and I have to agree this is not hyperbole. The book does an excellent job of presenting the Big Picture, portraying a detailed panorama rather than a series of vignettes. It’s no wonder it was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize.
One aspect of the book which was not apparent when it was first published is its fresh, objective viewpoint. History of the American Frontier 1763-1893 was originally published in 1924. This is only twelve years after the last of the contiguous 48 states (Arizona) achieved statehood (which the book covers, belying the end date in the title of 1893), so the process of taming and organizing the American continent was still in recent—indeed, in immediate—memory when the book was written and published. This results in the book not being subject to revisionist history writing and negative interpretation, which mars too many modern works of history. Given the current trend in academia of condemning America and Americans as deeply flawed, even downright evil, this objective viewpoint is refreshing. To be honest, when I saw the original publication date, I half-expected to find chauvinistic and maybe even racist opinions holding sway. But I am impressed by the scholarly tone maintained by the author, historian Frederic Logan Paxon. His account includes intrepid courage and sacrifice and risk-taking, but it also includes government and private corruption, cupidity, and oftentimes outright stupidity of the people in power, and it includes an objective assessment of the American treatment of Native Americans, of black slavery, and of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the “Mormons.” Mr. Paxon does not shy away from nor does he sugar-coat the controversial—and often deplorable—actions of Americans, but a caveat to anyone reading this book: the treatment of, for example, the American Indian tribes is indeed described as appalling and regrettable, but the bottom line of Paxon’s analysis is that, given the profound differences in the two cultures, the extinguishing or subsuming of American Indian culture was inevitable. Paxon doesn’t glorify any of the misguided or downright malevolent actions committed in the settling of the continent, but he does state them simply as matters of fact.
The bottom line: The back cover of the paperback edition of History of the American Frontier 1763-1893 contains the statement, “This is a must-read for any student of American history.” This is a statement with which I wholeheartedly agree.
February 12, 2024
Paxson's century old history of American settlement is a fairly dry summation of the acquisition of territory from the French & Indian War to the formation of the last states and territories of the lower 48. (And as many have pointed out, contains an appalling number of editorial and proofreading mistakes.) Some aspects of Paxson's approach are more intriguing than others, especially his focus on transportation issues: the blazing of trails and building of the first roads, the rise of steamboats to ply the rivers, the building of canals in the early 19th century, and finally the arrival of the railroad. But the dated aspect of this document is hard to ignore, especially in his treatment of black slaves and American Indians, who come off less as people and more as objects, issues, and impediments to the inevitable movement of white Europeans.
September 18, 2024
This is a valuable book covering an unusual span of U.S. history. But it was written in 1924, not 2024, so the language and references are a tad arcane. It gives more detail than I’d prefer on how and why states after the first 13 became part of the union; but I understand this might be why someone else might pick up this tome.
Government land sales, banking issues; the advent of canals, steamboats, and railroads; and the successive movement and cessation of Indian lands are prime features of the book. It tells stories of the proposed states of Franklin, Jefferson, and Deseret; of how railroads enabled cattle herds on the prairies, thereby, ending frontier America; depressions of the 29th century; and, of course, strikes of silver and gold.
Government land sales, banking issues; the advent of canals, steamboats, and railroads; and the successive movement and cessation of Indian lands are prime features of the book. It tells stories of the proposed states of Franklin, Jefferson, and Deseret; of how railroads enabled cattle herds on the prairies, thereby, ending frontier America; depressions of the 29th century; and, of course, strikes of silver and gold.
June 10, 2024
A Complete History of The United States of America
Well done synopsis of the development of the Western and frontier territories of the Continental United States. The missing Star is due to the obvious need for more maps to accompany especially the early text. Big and smaller events are woven into a very coherent storyline that makes it easy to read and understand. Highly recommended.
Well done synopsis of the development of the Western and frontier territories of the Continental United States. The missing Star is due to the obvious need for more maps to accompany especially the early text. Big and smaller events are woven into a very coherent storyline that makes it easy to read and understand. Highly recommended.
June 16, 2024
I did not when I purchased this book that it was published in 1925. It still stands relevant today as a resource, breaking down the closing of the frontier through the US's addition of its contiguous states. Although slow in some parts because of reading like a textbook, it provides a lot of information for history students.
May 23, 2024
This book was written by an academic historian a hundred years ago, and it shows. Positives are that it is a comprehensive and in-depth presentation of the process of American frontier settlement, focused on the political environment, legislative action, the economic and social environment, and of course geographic factors. It filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge from the end of the Revolutionary War to the beginning of the Civil War, and provided context for other books I have read and will read that took place during the time period covered by the book. I particularly enjoyed the sections dealing with roadbuilding, canals, the migration trails (Oregon, Santa Fe), and the railroads, and the huge effect these had on communication, trade and settlement.
The book is extremely thorough, but also to the point of being tedious. There are 59 chapters, and it is a slog to read. I found myself unable to read this book for much more than an hour at a time. My biggest complaints are that (1) for a book so focused on geography, and in many cases obscure rivers and streams, there are almost no maps in the book, and (2) there is no index. For the first half of the book, I think I spent almost as much time looking at maps in an atlas and searching on-line as I did reading. Having relevant maps in the book would have been nice. I also found there to be some factual errors in the book, though not major, and there are probably more that I had no knowledge of. At times he also makes statements that are unsupported or at least make no sense to me, "It was appropriate in 1873 to call this new station Bismarck." Why was it "appropriate"? Perhaps because the settlers were German? There is no explanation. He also leaves some issues unresolved, as when discussing a conflict between two railroads over the rights to the passage through the Royal Gorge in Colorado. He goes to some length to describe the nature and reasons for the conflict, then just says "The quarrel was smoothed out in the next decade..." With all the narrative describing the conflict, a summary as to how it was resolved does not seem like too much to ask.
Finally, and perhaps this is nitpicking, but this is the most poorly edited book I have ever read, full of typos and poor punctuation. I read the digital version on Kindle. I could overlook the errors for a while, but they were so frequent that they eventually became irritating. "Band" written as "Rand", "one" written as "ore", "1835" written as "1358", and "coin" written as "com" for example. Also, this book must have a thousand unnecessary and/or misplaced commas and a few missing periods.
To summarize, if you want a comprehensive and detailed history of frontier settlement in America, and can slog your way through, this book is packed with information that will provide a chronological sense of American history year by year and decade by decade from 1763 - 1893. I don't regret reading the book, but at the same time I was never so glad to finish one.
The book is extremely thorough, but also to the point of being tedious. There are 59 chapters, and it is a slog to read. I found myself unable to read this book for much more than an hour at a time. My biggest complaints are that (1) for a book so focused on geography, and in many cases obscure rivers and streams, there are almost no maps in the book, and (2) there is no index. For the first half of the book, I think I spent almost as much time looking at maps in an atlas and searching on-line as I did reading. Having relevant maps in the book would have been nice. I also found there to be some factual errors in the book, though not major, and there are probably more that I had no knowledge of. At times he also makes statements that are unsupported or at least make no sense to me, "It was appropriate in 1873 to call this new station Bismarck." Why was it "appropriate"? Perhaps because the settlers were German? There is no explanation. He also leaves some issues unresolved, as when discussing a conflict between two railroads over the rights to the passage through the Royal Gorge in Colorado. He goes to some length to describe the nature and reasons for the conflict, then just says "The quarrel was smoothed out in the next decade..." With all the narrative describing the conflict, a summary as to how it was resolved does not seem like too much to ask.
Finally, and perhaps this is nitpicking, but this is the most poorly edited book I have ever read, full of typos and poor punctuation. I read the digital version on Kindle. I could overlook the errors for a while, but they were so frequent that they eventually became irritating. "Band" written as "Rand", "one" written as "ore", "1835" written as "1358", and "coin" written as "com" for example. Also, this book must have a thousand unnecessary and/or misplaced commas and a few missing periods.
To summarize, if you want a comprehensive and detailed history of frontier settlement in America, and can slog your way through, this book is packed with information that will provide a chronological sense of American history year by year and decade by decade from 1763 - 1893. I don't regret reading the book, but at the same time I was never so glad to finish one.
November 21, 2024
One of the very few books to get my 5 star review. It was written a hundred years ago, but it is as complete, thorough, and readable today as it was then.
Frederic Paxson covers the advance of the American frontier from the early coastal settlements until it closed with the statehood of Montana, Idaho, New Mexico, and Arizona. He covers the motives and societal forces that led thousands and tens of thousands of people to risk their lives in the interior.
Mr. Paxson details the development of banks and land grants that facilitated the settlement of the country. He traces the advance of the "frontier line" (where population goes below six people per square mile) up and across the Appalacians, down the Ohio and Tennessee river valleys, across the Great Lakes, and through the Mississippi and Missouri river basins.
Frederic Paxson also tracks the 370+ treaties made with Native Americans, how they were broken, why they were broken, and why treaties simply could not work with their cultures.
There is endless detail, seamlessly woven together, in a very readable history of the United States.
This is a must read for every American. I'd make it part of every high school history class.
Frederic Paxson covers the advance of the American frontier from the early coastal settlements until it closed with the statehood of Montana, Idaho, New Mexico, and Arizona. He covers the motives and societal forces that led thousands and tens of thousands of people to risk their lives in the interior.
Mr. Paxson details the development of banks and land grants that facilitated the settlement of the country. He traces the advance of the "frontier line" (where population goes below six people per square mile) up and across the Appalacians, down the Ohio and Tennessee river valleys, across the Great Lakes, and through the Mississippi and Missouri river basins.
Frederic Paxson also tracks the 370+ treaties made with Native Americans, how they were broken, why they were broken, and why treaties simply could not work with their cultures.
There is endless detail, seamlessly woven together, in a very readable history of the United States.
This is a must read for every American. I'd make it part of every high school history class.
September 25, 2025
Dense but engaging history of the expansion of the USA. A lot of focus on how each state after the 13 original colonies came into being. Rivers, treaties, laws, constitutions, banking, mining camps, railroads, etc. Reads almost like a textbook.
A little dated in some of its language but feels overall fair and balanced. The parts discussing Native Americans are at times dismissive (I believe the "Trail of Tears" gets 1 vague sentence), and at other times engaging in how it acknowledges and details wrongs done. For example, the author specifically references a "A Century of Dishonor" by Helen Hunt Jackson as overstating what the intentions of the US government were in relation to Native Americans, but it is in practice what happened.
Author's thesis is that the expansion of the American Frontier dictated the policies of the United States throughout the 19th century and did more than anything else to define the American identity.
Pretty solid stuff overall.
A little dated in some of its language but feels overall fair and balanced. The parts discussing Native Americans are at times dismissive (I believe the "Trail of Tears" gets 1 vague sentence), and at other times engaging in how it acknowledges and details wrongs done. For example, the author specifically references a "A Century of Dishonor" by Helen Hunt Jackson as overstating what the intentions of the US government were in relation to Native Americans, but it is in practice what happened.
Author's thesis is that the expansion of the American Frontier dictated the policies of the United States throughout the 19th century and did more than anything else to define the American identity.
Pretty solid stuff overall.
January 14, 2025
detailed, repetitive, somewhat confusing geographically, heavily focused on politics.
Would not consider this a comprehensive study. It is heavily focused on areas east of the Mississippi river. The major changes in the frontier that occurred after 1865 were superficial and brief. This is unfortunate since the “far west” frontier was essentially overlooked.
Would not consider this a comprehensive study. It is heavily focused on areas east of the Mississippi river. The major changes in the frontier that occurred after 1865 were superficial and brief. This is unfortunate since the “far west” frontier was essentially overlooked.
August 28, 2023
This book has changed my knowledge about how to learn about history. Understanding the day-to-day struggle, and the goings-on of an era helps to solidify your not only knowledge but also interest in a topic. I strongly recommend to any strong readers that you tackle this book, or something similar.
January 19, 2024
Some of the politics of the frontier states and how they influenced the eastern government were interesting, but I found the book as a whole to be long, dry, and tedious. Mostly, I think the problems for me were just a factor of the style of history books written in 1924.
March 18, 2024
Excellent detailed history of how the contiguous US states were settled and joined the country. It is particularly interesting if you have visited most of the states so you have context for the information.
October 24, 2024
Great read to understand the progress of the 13 colonies to expansion of the rest of the United States.
The trial and tribulations of the early settlers, and they had to survive hostile surroundibngs from the East coast to the West.
The trial and tribulations of the early settlers, and they had to survive hostile surroundibngs from the East coast to the West.
September 18, 2025
Good information but plagued with formatting errors.
Informational, but plagued with formatting errors, which took time to try and make sense of. I reported some errors but gave up after a while.
Informational, but plagued with formatting errors, which took time to try and make sense of. I reported some errors but gave up after a while.
August 12, 2023
An excellent overview of American history and expansion of the frontier!
March 10, 2024
Gave up after 2 chapters. Just seemed like a focus on geography, everything was related to this river, that mountain or that lake. Just didn't hold my attention.
December 9, 2024
See Tom’s 3* review on 5/23/24. He pretty much nails my thoughts.
August 10, 2025
Now I understand
Amazing details I had never before considered as to how this country grew and thrived. I understand much better and appreciate our nation so much more now.
Amazing details I had never before considered as to how this country grew and thrived. I understand much better and appreciate our nation so much more now.
June 17, 2024
3.5 stars. A political and economic history of the very American idea of the frontier that, while certainly a product of its time, was thorough and engaging. We tend to think of the frontier today as the Wild West, but Paxton does a good job of showing how it evolved over time and met different challenges based on the lay of the land, quite literally. It’s tough to wrap your head around Ohio being the frontier, but he does an admirable job of arguing what the “frontier” really was.
However, some of the chapters were very dry and dense, and I was longing for any social histories or anecdotes or direct evidence. Being written in the early 1900s, perspectives on non-white populations are less-than-stellar, but not nearly as bad as I expected for the time. Comes with the territory. Overall, a good time, if you are into history.
However, some of the chapters were very dry and dense, and I was longing for any social histories or anecdotes or direct evidence. Being written in the early 1900s, perspectives on non-white populations are less-than-stellar, but not nearly as bad as I expected for the time. Comes with the territory. Overall, a good time, if you are into history.
October 2, 2025
Paxson's book is one of the finest history books I have ever read. It gives an incredible view of the period from before the revolution to the final statehood of the continental U.S. The detail and the insight are unsurpassed in any history of the U.S. I have read. His unique take includes brilliant sourcing and his combining of the factors (economics, policy, religion, psychology and world events) which is unique and enlightening.
Highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a better understanding of how the United States was developed and how that process reflects upon our country even today. This book was published in 1925 but still very current. Remarkable work.
Highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a better understanding of how the United States was developed and how that process reflects upon our country even today. This book was published in 1925 but still very current. Remarkable work.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews