A Little History of the United States

by James West Davidson

"This is a little history with a big heart, meant to be savored more than studied, read out loud like poetry, or perhaps sung like a hymn."—Joseph J. Ellis, author of Founding Brothers

"Davidson has written a work that should lead readers to reflect anew on America’s past and present. . . . We can all use not just a good refresher course on American history, but also some good historical thinking on how we might better realize freedom, equality, and E pluribus unum."— The Daily Beast

A fast-paced, character-filled history that brings the unique American saga to life for readers of all ages

How did a land and people of such immense diversity come together under a banner of freedom and equality to form one of the most remarkable nations in the world? Everyone from young adults to grandparents will be fascinated by the answers uncovered in James West Davidson’s vividly told A Little History of the United States . In 300 fast-moving pages, Davidson guides his readers through 500 years, from the first contact between the two halves of the world to the rise of America as a superpower in an era of atomic perils and diminishing resources.
 
In short, vivid chapters the book brings to life hundreds of individuals whose stories are part of the larger American story. Pilgrim William Bradford stumbles into an Indian deer trap on his first day in America; Harriet Tubman lets loose a pair of chickens to divert attention from escaping slaves; the toddler Andrew Carnegie, later an ambitious industrial magnate, gobbles his oatmeal with a spoon in each hand. Such stories are riveting in themselves, but they also spark larger questions to ponder about freedom, equality, and unity in the context of a nation that is, and always has been, remarkably divided and diverse.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, Audiobook, American, School, Education

344 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

James West Davidson is a historian, writer, and wilderness paddler. He received his Ph.D. in American history from Yale University and writes full time. He is also co-editor, with Michael Stoff, of New Narratives in American History, a series published by Oxford University Press, as well as the coauthor of textbooks in American history. These include "Experience History," "After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection," and "US: A Narrative History" for the college level and "The American Nation" for the middle grades.

Reviews

[Riku Sayuj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't know enough about US history to be able to make judgments on coverage, ideological biases or accuracy. However, it was an enjoyable read and that in my book earns points.

[Gülşen Ç.Ç. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amerikan tarihi hatta dünya tarihi konusunda parça parça olayları bilip genel akışa hakim olamamak beni çok rahatsız ediyor her zaman. Bu kitap tam derdimin çaresi oldu. Detaya neredeyse hiç inmeden, sebep sonuç ilişkilerinde didaktiklik yapmak için zorlamadan 500 yıllık bir geçmişi gözden geçiriyor.

Oldukça beğendim. Özel ilgi alanı tarih olanlara asla yetmeyecektir ama benim gibi daha uzun bir zaman aralığını tek kitapta görmek isteyenlere iyi bir başlangıç noktası.

[Boudewijn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 'little' history of the United States (however still resulting in +300 pages or in my case: an 8 hour audiobook) which explains how people of such immense diversity came together under a banner of freedom and equality (E Pluribus Unum). For me, as a European, it gave me some insight in how a country grew from the first contact between the Old and the New World to the rise of America as a superpower in the modern age, while still sparking larger questions to ponder about freedom, equality, and unity. Which are as important today as they were in the past.

[T. Ngan · Rating 4 out of 5]

ไม่เคยอ่านประวัติศาสตร์ของสหรัฐฯ เป็นเรื่องเป็นราวอย่างนี้มาก่อน จึงไม่อาจเปรียบเทียบกับหนังสือเล่มอื่นๆ ได้ เอาเพียงความรู้สึกต่อเล่มนี้ล้วนๆ คือ น่าทึ่ง น่าศึกษา และสนุกมาก

อาจจะเล่าถึงด้านสว่างมากกว่าด้านมืด ทำให้คนอ่านอย่างผมรู้สึกชื่นชมหลายๆ อย่างที่รวมมาเป็นประเทศนี้

มันผ่านหัวเลี้ยวหัวต่อมาหลายครั้ง และดูเหมือนยังรักษาจิตวิญญาณของ โลกใหม่ได้เสมอ
มันดูเลวร้ายในตอนนี้ยุคนี้ แต่อ่านแล้วยังรู้สึกว่า มันยังมีหวังอยู่เสมอ เพราะความผิดพลาดเป็นเรื่องแสนธรรมดาในแผ่นดินนี้ ความน่าทึ่งของมันคือ พร้อมจะลุกใหม่ได้เสมอนั่นเอง

[Corey Wozniak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edit: Read again in October 2018– even better this time. I’d forgotten how beautifully written it was!

4.5 stars.

A joy to read! Badly needed a refresher on American history, and this did the trick. I had some gaping holes that this book helped fill in. This book was helpful enough, and pleasant enough, that I can imagine re-reading it again-- maybe even again this year-- to better remember all the fascinating people/events. I can also imagine reading/listening to it with my children.

I want to learn more about about feminists Elizabeth Candy Stanton and Lucretia Mott, abolitionists William Lloyd Garrison and David Walker. And I continue to be especially interested in American religionists: George Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards, William Bradford, John Winthrop etc., and the heretics Thomas Morton, Ann Hutchinson.

[Tim Conder · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of American History, that covers the period from Pre-Columbus to the modern era. The book has little critical analysis, and provides largely the received wisdom on major events, including events that are well known to be fabrications or exaggeration. However, the book does engage with a few key debates, and is somewhat critical of Columbus and other colonial figures.

It is a good introductory book and will give young people a good overview and framework for engaging in deeper analysis in the future. However, it will not challenge people who already have a level of understanding of the topic.

[Jean-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For homeschooling this year, the 12-year-old and I have been focusing on American History. So far our non-fiction texts have included "An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People" by Debbie Reece, "This Is Our Constitution: Discover America with a Gold Star Father" by Khizr Khan, and "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" by Jason Reynolds. I feel like we struck gold with these selections that were only published within the last 3 years. It is not an easy task to find quality non-fiction U.S. history books for the middle school crowd. Next, I wanted a brief, readable book (not a textbook) that summarily covered the core narrative of U.S. history and was pleasantly satisfied with A Little History of the United States. Although it is an adult text, it was perfect for my 7th grader. It is an enjoyable read, not dry or boring. Also, it did a very good job complementing the previous books we read. While I will definitely recommend it to my homeschool friends as a middle school text, I will suggest it is used to supplement the historically underrepresented narratives that often get lost in middle school and high school textbooks. A Little History of the United States is a good jumping off book for a deeper dive into U.S. history.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a prepublication copy of this book (September 15, 2015) through NetGalley with the understanding that I would publish are review on my blog, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google + pages along with NetGalley, Amazon and Goodreads.

I requested this book because I am have an interest in the history of the United States.
This is the type of history book that my late father-in-law would have loved. You can open it to any part and read a brief overview of some historical occurrence in America. The book is laid out in chronological order for those who want to read it from beginning to end with short chapters that are informative and entertaining. While it hits all of the highlights it does delve into some of the more unknown events in our history.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants an easy to read, light on detail story of the United States.

[Rich Readzzz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful general overview of the history behind the United States. Reads like a novel, is fast -paced, informative, and engaging.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. Not being American, I wanted a general overview of the history of the United States so that I wouldn't get lost when reading denser and more intricate American history books. This book was perfect for that goal.

[Shannen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a rare gem where the nuances of history are touched on, though since it is 300 pages for 500 years of history, nothing is covered in depth. Still, it is rare he paints anyone as all good or someone who has sinned beyond repair, which is refreshing as too many history books seem to paint too black-and-white a picture of historical figures.

[Nell · Rating 3 out of 5]

More than five centuries of U.S. history (with a little prehistory of the Americas thrown in for good measure) in just over 300 pages might seem a tall order. But by focusing on larger themes and currents such as religion versus secularism, equality versus inequality, industrialization, urbanization, and westward expansion, Davidson shows how they shaped American events, government, and character.

What is now the United States was not “empty” in 1492 when Columbus blundered onto the West Indies. It was teeming with wildlife and had a population of about eight million people, divided into distinct cultures that had developed over thousands of years. Columbus was not the first to reach the new world, the Spanish having reached South America to find cities of size and sophistication. Both the conquerors and some of the existing civilizations were brutal. Murder, enslavement, and human sacrifice were common. Europeans brought diseases to which people of the Americas had no immunity. Before Africans were imported as slaves, Indians were captured and shipped out of America for that purpose. Some 90 percent of slaves imported from Africa went to South America and the Caribbean to work on sugar plantations.

Religious upheaval following the Protestant Reformation in Europe brought waves of settlers seeking freedom to live and worship the way they wanted—which they then often denied to others. In 1620, the Mayflower Compact created the first representative government in America, to promote a commonwealth—a community for the public good.

The north was settled by families who established schools and communities. The south was settled by fortune-seeking planters and traders, mostly single men, who established plantations, not towns and villages. The differences between north and south would persist and influence the course of the country, even to the present day.

Another kind of difference, less dependent on geography, consisted of that between followers of the Enlightenment—questioning based on reason and science, personified by Benjamin Franklin—and those seeking a “Great Awakening,” a revival of religiosity valuing emotion and certainty, as expressed by Jonathan Edwards.

By the mid-18th century, colonial powers in the Americas were expanding and consolidating. The English and Dutch were concentrated along the eastern seaboard; the French from Canada down the Mississippi into Louisiana; the Spanish in Florida and moving up from Mexico into Texas and California. Each had their Indian allies. Tensions between the French and English broke out into war in 1754 and grew into the Seven Years’ War in Europe and Asia. It resulted in the British driving the French from North America but would leave Great Britain deep in debt. And although war was over, British troops remained to help defend colonists against Indians, who resented increasing settlement on their lands. Colonists resented paying the war debts and the presence of redcoats. Taxes imposed by the British prompted speeches of protest, boycotts, and riots, culminating in the Boston Tea Party. British retaliation led to the convening of the Continental Congress in 1774 and serious resistance by the colonists. It was now a full-fledged rebellion.

The formation and tumultuous early years of the new republic are familiar to us. Davidson reminds us of the tensions inherent in the country that had to be reconciled in order to form a functioning government. Despite espousing equality, the new nation fell short of achieving it. Still, within the framework erected by the Founders, the nation grew, both by urbanizing and by pushing west. In the early decades of the 19th century, movements like religious revivalism, utopianism, social reform, abolitionism, and women’s rights began to take hold. A succession of compromises and stopgap measures to accommodate both slaveholding and antislavery states postponed but could not stop the Civil War. Equality was won in theory but not in practice, as segregation and Jim Crow laws replaced slavery.

In the decades after Reconstruction, capitalism ran roughshod over workers and farmers as the country kept growing. Around the turn of the 20th century the Progressive movement arose from a belief that government should help people. Teddy Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson governed in this spirit, curbing the worst excesses of business. Women’s suffrage was finally achieved in 1920, and women entered the workforce in increasing numbers. At the same time, the U.S. participated in imperialism, as did Europe, putting the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii under our control.

Efforts to gain civil rights, always ongoing, reached critical mass in the 1950s as blacks, farm workers, women, and students all questioned the status quo as the balance between equality and inequality shifted again. The Great Society funded head Start, the Job Corps, Medicare and Medicaid, all to further equality of opportunity.

Obviously I’ve skipped over a lot that Davidson covers, and most of us know the broad outline of events anyway. His point is that our country has always been pulled in opposing directions because of the interests of different groups—particularly the tension between equality and inequality, as one group claims rights for itself that it refuses to grant to others: Indians, African-Americans, women, and immigrants who fight to gain those same rights. Kind of a struggle between our better and baser instincts as one, then the other, gains the upper hand.

A quotation from the book (page 120) that is especially pertinent to the present: “[A] democracy doesn’t succeed because the people are always right. Any government is sure to be wrong sometimes. The difference is, kings or tyrants can ignore their mistakes because they answer to no one. A democracy succeeds because, when mistakes are made, the people feel them and have the power to correct their errors.”

[Liedzeit Liedzeit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having recently read Lepore’s excellent history of the United States I thought it would be interesting to see how others handled the subject.

Now, Davidson’s book is a lot less ambitious. It is just “little” history. But just considering the reading experience it is actually better. Better, that is beautifully, written and covering, if only very briefly, all I would expect from a history. The only thing missing in my opinion is the age of prohibition the gangster area as that is something uniquely American.

He will stop from time to time presenting the great events to show how normal people (like his father in law) or, hm... Mark Twain, were “making” history. That could be annoying but he does handle this very well.

He does mention Armstrong but only in the final chapter comparing it to the impact of the first beginnings of what was to become the Internet. I happen to disagree, I think, or I should say, hope that in the long run the landing on the Moon will turn out to be the more important event.

There is one ting that is wrong. Berlin was not the capital of both West and East Germany. Amazing how a blunder like this could survive proof-reading/fact-checking.

9/10

[Clare Kirwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This whistle stop history of 500 years of US history is an engaging read and full of fascinating facts. As a non-American it really brought home to me this often turbulent melting pot, and the sheer sweep and scale of its exhilarating journey from Pilgrim Fathers and slavery, through Civil War, Wild West etc to become a nuclear superpower. The author also looks at the oft-stated US values - are all men 'equal'? And is it the 'land of the free'?

[Moayad Hippo · Rating 4 out of 5]

في اعتقادي أن كتابة التاريخ، هي واحدة من أهم العلوم الإنسانية. ولكن طريقة كتابة التاريخ هي فن وموهبة فوق ذلك. خاصة كتابة موجز تاريخي. فهو يحتاج إلى قدرة لغوية وأدبية هائلة، كما يحتاج إلى قدرة على تحديد اهم مفاصل التاريخ التي تحتاج لتسليط الضوء عليها.
في هذا الكتاب نعود مع ديفيدسون إلى بداية اكتشاف أمريكا كقارة ونتابع الحكاية إلى أن نصل إلى الولايات المتحدة، هذه القوة العظمى التي رغم الانجازات التي حققتها، إلا أنها كانت سببا شقاء الكثيرين.
ومما يؤخذ على هذا الكتاب (وان كان موجزا) هو تجاهله لما ذكرته آنفا، وهو كون الولايات المتحدة كانت سببا في شقاء الكثيرين، فلا يذكر الكتاب شيئا مثلا عن أولى الجرائم والتي بدأت في الفترة التي سبقت تأسيس الاتحاد واستمرت بعد ذلك، وهنا أتحدث عن معاناة السكان الأصليين (والذين سموا ظلما بالهنود الحمر) بل أن الكاتب وقع في فخ خطير حين قدر اعدادهم ب ٨ ملايين نفس، علما بأن غالبية التقديرات تشير إلى انهم تجاوزوا ال ٢٠ مليوناً، كما أنه لم يذكر الإبادات التي تعرضت لها هذه الشعوب، رغم انهم كانوا شعوبا مسالمة كما يذكر الكاتب نفسه.
كما أنه أسقط الحديث عن المجازر الأمريكية، في عديد من البلدان، واسقط الحديث عن سياسات الولايات المتحدة غير الأخلاقية، سواء كان مع جزء من شعبها، كعزلها الأمريكيين من أصل ياباني في سنوات الحرب العالمية الثانية وترك ممتلكاتهم للنهب، أو عن جرائمها في أفغانستان وفيتنام والعراق وغوانتانامو، وتدخلها السافر في سياسات الدول، إلى الحد الذي جعلها تسقط رؤساء وحكومات دول مستقلة، وسياساتها المنحازة للصهيونية، ودورها القذر في التأثير في التصويت على تقسيم فلسطين، وأثر اللوبي الصهيوني في سياسة الولايات المتحدة، واستخدامها السافر لحق النقض (الفيتو) في مجلس الأمن، الذي عطل في كثير من الأحيان قرارات تتعلق في وقف جرائم ضد الإنسانية، والكثير الكثير من المآخذ على هذه القوة العظمى.
سيحسب للكاتب طبعا، اسلوبه الذكي في كتابة موجز لتاريخ الولايات المتحدة. رغم الملاحظات التي ذكرتها في الفقرات السابقة. وان كان لا يشفع له كمؤرخ، حتى وان كان يكتب تاريخ بلاده.

[Jacob Vahle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great quick sweeping overview of US history as I prepare to teach US next year - nothing groundbreaking but a nice clean narrative and a thesis that holds equality and inequality in a messy tension rather than fully exalting or condemning America

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Been reading this one aloud on road trips with the fam, for a while. It was really well done. Kept the attention of a tween and two adults. The chapters are bite-sized, and well-framed. Really good. I learned some things.

[Alex Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light, well written, entertaining survey of various historical points of US history but perhaps a little superficial and PC.

Audio version was well narrated.

[Blossom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Half or perhaps three-quarter stars should be an option. But alas, I’ll round up. Going through the history of the United States in 40 chapters isn’t easy. At least I wouldn’t think so but I’ve never tried.
Each chapter I found to be interesting and written in a manner that is engaging. Many well-known names and events are brought out and a few not so well-known, which I appreciated. Of course with the speed that the years are gone through there are some points that are undoubtedly left behind. He does mention this at the start, and again at the end.
There is no such thing as an unbiased view and I don’t think this writer would suggest he tried to present one. However, for the most part it felt that he attempted to present a little bit from both sides of the stories. One occasion that stands out though is the chapter which includes Reagan. He suggested that Reagan wasn’t much of a church goer. While it is true Reagan didn’t attend church while President (what about after?), his religious conviction is rarely doubted (not that he says this in the book). So why include that bit about not attending church? There are a few toss-ins such as that throughout the book.
I came away with the thinking that he is in favor of immigration, social service programs, and a supporter of global warming/climate change advocacy. In terms of a history book, it is alright.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...or perhaps a beverage even more remarkable in that day, a glass of water shimmering with ice." pg. 125

Wow, this was definitely an interesting read. Typically, I'm not the biggest fan of nonfiction, but I really enjoyed this one. Instead of coming off as like a history textbook, it tells you almost the entire history of the U.S. in the voice of a storyteller. It gives you enough detail to understand what's being told with little touches of humor throughout without going on and on in exhausting detail like those textbooks we all hated in high school. I am officially a fan of A Little History and look forward to reading all of them.

[Debbie Gorin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a lover of American History and not one to shy from its uglier parts, I tend to concentrate my historical readings around The Revolution, Civil War, a bit of WWII. Davidson’s book filled in blanks and blind spots in my historical understanding. The author impressively illustrates the scope of his timeline using personal physical references in Chapter 3 that I found myself thinking of throughout the duration of the text. The chapters are short, connected, relatively detailed, and contain thoughtful language that keeps the pages turning.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good high school level overview of American history. It is one book for all of American history, so it of course doesn't go into very far detail into any particular topic or period. For someone who doesn't read much history it was an easy read.

[Sheila Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

This whistle-stop, speedy tour through the history of the United States is informative for beginners and puts key elements of US history into the context of various international historical events. I regret, however, that I still couldn’t recount the presidents of the US in chronological order! My fault though - not the book’s!

[Sam Bahou · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of US History for younger folks who are unfamiliar. Unfortunately, it is hard to write about everything from the pre-Columbus era to modern day in just 300 pages.

A lot gets glossed over.

[Magda Pojda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jakoś tak w podstawówce dotarło do mnie, że w USA nigdy nie było króla. Mówię ze zdziwieniem o tym "odkryciu" w domu - ej w Ameryce nigdy nie mieli króla. Na co mój tata - I co? Jakoś bardzo źle na tym wyszli? Książka w sposób skondensowany przedstawia historię Stanów Zjednoczonych. Pewnie dlatego miałam wrażenie, że pełno w niej okropnych, paskudnych rzeczy.
Biali Amerykanie uważając, że "każdy" ma prawo do życia, wolności i szczęścia, dążyli do tego nie zważając na nikogo i na nic. Bo przecież do "każdych" nie zaliczała się rdzenna ludność, ani Metysi ani Afroamerykanie.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really excellent book. Engaging and useful for filling in my very patchy knowledge of the Early Pilgrim Fathers, the War of Independence and the Civil War period.

[Eliza DuBose · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is great if you ever missed or slept through US history in high school but obviously is rather brief in some of its descriptions of eras. Not a deep history dive but a good review

[Bjorn Bakker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read, giving you the whistle-stop tour through US history with some fresh perspectives.

[Selin Deldağ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was fun and interesting (and easy to read) even though it just gave snippets of history.

[Jo Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful and measured overview of US history for buffoons like me who get the War of Independence and the Civil War confused. It was good to finish reading a long view of American politics last week and reflect that blowhard populist presidents have been voted into power many times before, but so far they've always gone away again in the end.