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History of the United States of America, Volume 1: From the Discovery of the Continent
History of The United States by George Bancroft, his most famous work.
Author's last revision version, reformatted for kindle and some language modernized for ease of reading.
Author's last revision version, reformatted for kindle and some language modernized for ease of reading.
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1840
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172 people want to read
About the author
George Bancroft
915 books11 followersPublished works of American diplomat George Bancroft include the ten-volume
History of the United States
(1834-1874); as secretary of the Navy from 1845 to 1846, he established the academy at Annapolis.
George Bancroft, a prominent man, promoted secondary education in his home and at the national level during his tenure. From the discovery of the continent, he wrote the best-known magisterial series.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_...
George Bancroft, a prominent man, promoted secondary education in his home and at the national level during his tenure. From the discovery of the continent, he wrote the best-known magisterial series.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_...
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 8, 2016
Bancroft's sanguine chauvinism is as unbearable as his style is impeccable:
"...it is but little more than two centuries, since the oldest of our states received its first permanent colony. Before that time the whole territory was an unproductive waste. Throughout its wide extent the arts had not erected a monument. Its only inhabitants were a few scattered tribes of feeble barbarians, destitute of commerce and of political connection. The axe and the ploughshare were unknown. The soil, which had been gathering fertility from the repose of centuries, was lavishing its strength in magnificent but useless vegetation. In the view of civilization the immense domain was a solitude. It is the object of the present work to explain how the change in the condition of our land has been accomplished; and, as the fortunes of a nation are not under the control of blind destiny, to follow the steps by which a favoring Providence, calling our institutions into being, has conducted the country to its present glory."
For anyone who knows the basic outline of Native American history or doubts the idea that America is God's chosen nation(!) this is truly stunning stuff. Reading this book was a thoroughly ambivalent experience for me. I enjoyed its literary quality, and even sympathized with some of Bancroft's views. Then suddenly the 19th century prejudices would emerge out of the mist and remind me that I was in a time machine which had traveled back to 1834. Bancroft's disdainful and callous attitude towards America's indigenous people is often palpable. While narrating the story of the Fort Mystic massacre during the Pequot War, he betrays little sign of moral outrage. At the conclusion of the war itself, which nearly wiped out the Pequots, he merely states "A nation had disappeared from the family of man. The vigor and courage displayed by the settlers on the Connecticut, in this first Indian war in New England, struck terror into the savages, and secured a long succession of years of peace."
Bancroft's lack of sympathy for Native Americans contrasts with his enthusiastic anti-slavery outlook. He dedicates an entire chapter to slavery's history since antiquity and deplores its arrival in America: "... a Dutch man-of-war entered the James River, and landed twenty negroes for sale. This is, indeed, the sad epoch of the introduction of negro slavery in the English colonies...." It is strange to me that one can hold such selectively humanitarian views towards slaves yet feel the barest sympathy for Indians. Bancroft is also a passionate supporter of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. He deplores the persecutions that took place during the wars of religion and inveighs against the evils of Europe when compared to the relative tolerance and freedom of the English colonies. To this end, he draws very sympathetic portraits of Lord Baltimore, Roger Williams, and Anne Hutchinson.
In a somewhat bizarre fashion, however, Bancroft cannot bring himself to see Puritan New England as anything like the backwards theocratic states of Europe. In spite of the colony's persecution of religious non-conformists, it appears to him to hold the seeds of American progress: "The Effects of Puritanism display its true character still more distinctly. Ecclesiastical tyranny is of all kinds the worst; its fruits are cowardice, idleness, ignorance, and poverty: Puritanism was a life-giving spirit; activity, thrift, intelligence, followed in its train; and as for courage, a coward and a Puritan never went together. 'He that prays best, and preaches best, will fight best'; such was the judgement of Cromwell, the greatest soldier of his age." Bancroft goes on to list the other merits of the colony. In his view it possessed an exceptional educational system, a much milder criminal law code than any in Europe, common purpose due to social cohesion, and a long average life expectancy.
One other section of the narrative stood out to me and that was the portrayal of Captain John Smith. Bancroft pays a great deal of attention to Smith's conflict with the English nobility. As a commoner and an accomplished soldier of fortune, Smith had to tolerate and often overcome the arrogance of his social betters who turned out to be very poor colonists and managers. The population of Jamestown was almost exclusively made up of noblemen when it was founded, and they preferred searching for gold to planting crops. When Smith took charge of the colony, he required everyone to work 6 hours a day or go without food. His success in keeping Jamestown afloat, so to speak, and in his exploratory ventures went totally unrecognized by the Virginia Company of London and the Aristocracy. Given Bancroft's sympathy for Jacksonian democracy, it seems probable that he viewed Smith as an early example of a common man who challenged privilege (with varying degrees of success). I suspect he intended to cast Smith as a sort of prototype for the self-made Jacksonian man.
If you are interested in American history and not put off by the language or 19th century prejudices, this is well worth the read.
"...it is but little more than two centuries, since the oldest of our states received its first permanent colony. Before that time the whole territory was an unproductive waste. Throughout its wide extent the arts had not erected a monument. Its only inhabitants were a few scattered tribes of feeble barbarians, destitute of commerce and of political connection. The axe and the ploughshare were unknown. The soil, which had been gathering fertility from the repose of centuries, was lavishing its strength in magnificent but useless vegetation. In the view of civilization the immense domain was a solitude. It is the object of the present work to explain how the change in the condition of our land has been accomplished; and, as the fortunes of a nation are not under the control of blind destiny, to follow the steps by which a favoring Providence, calling our institutions into being, has conducted the country to its present glory."
For anyone who knows the basic outline of Native American history or doubts the idea that America is God's chosen nation(!) this is truly stunning stuff. Reading this book was a thoroughly ambivalent experience for me. I enjoyed its literary quality, and even sympathized with some of Bancroft's views. Then suddenly the 19th century prejudices would emerge out of the mist and remind me that I was in a time machine which had traveled back to 1834. Bancroft's disdainful and callous attitude towards America's indigenous people is often palpable. While narrating the story of the Fort Mystic massacre during the Pequot War, he betrays little sign of moral outrage. At the conclusion of the war itself, which nearly wiped out the Pequots, he merely states "A nation had disappeared from the family of man. The vigor and courage displayed by the settlers on the Connecticut, in this first Indian war in New England, struck terror into the savages, and secured a long succession of years of peace."
Bancroft's lack of sympathy for Native Americans contrasts with his enthusiastic anti-slavery outlook. He dedicates an entire chapter to slavery's history since antiquity and deplores its arrival in America: "... a Dutch man-of-war entered the James River, and landed twenty negroes for sale. This is, indeed, the sad epoch of the introduction of negro slavery in the English colonies...." It is strange to me that one can hold such selectively humanitarian views towards slaves yet feel the barest sympathy for Indians. Bancroft is also a passionate supporter of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. He deplores the persecutions that took place during the wars of religion and inveighs against the evils of Europe when compared to the relative tolerance and freedom of the English colonies. To this end, he draws very sympathetic portraits of Lord Baltimore, Roger Williams, and Anne Hutchinson.
In a somewhat bizarre fashion, however, Bancroft cannot bring himself to see Puritan New England as anything like the backwards theocratic states of Europe. In spite of the colony's persecution of religious non-conformists, it appears to him to hold the seeds of American progress: "The Effects of Puritanism display its true character still more distinctly. Ecclesiastical tyranny is of all kinds the worst; its fruits are cowardice, idleness, ignorance, and poverty: Puritanism was a life-giving spirit; activity, thrift, intelligence, followed in its train; and as for courage, a coward and a Puritan never went together. 'He that prays best, and preaches best, will fight best'; such was the judgement of Cromwell, the greatest soldier of his age." Bancroft goes on to list the other merits of the colony. In his view it possessed an exceptional educational system, a much milder criminal law code than any in Europe, common purpose due to social cohesion, and a long average life expectancy.
One other section of the narrative stood out to me and that was the portrayal of Captain John Smith. Bancroft pays a great deal of attention to Smith's conflict with the English nobility. As a commoner and an accomplished soldier of fortune, Smith had to tolerate and often overcome the arrogance of his social betters who turned out to be very poor colonists and managers. The population of Jamestown was almost exclusively made up of noblemen when it was founded, and they preferred searching for gold to planting crops. When Smith took charge of the colony, he required everyone to work 6 hours a day or go without food. His success in keeping Jamestown afloat, so to speak, and in his exploratory ventures went totally unrecognized by the Virginia Company of London and the Aristocracy. Given Bancroft's sympathy for Jacksonian democracy, it seems probable that he viewed Smith as an early example of a common man who challenged privilege (with varying degrees of success). I suspect he intended to cast Smith as a sort of prototype for the self-made Jacksonian man.
If you are interested in American history and not put off by the language or 19th century prejudices, this is well worth the read.
July 28, 2012
'History of the United States, from the Discovery of the American Continent (Volume 1),' by George Bancroft, is an excellent introduction to American history. It whets the appetite for further research and reading of historical works, both general and specific.
This particular volume deals with the early European history of the United States. A very good read, very informative and easy to read. High recommended.
This particular volume deals with the early European history of the United States. A very good read, very informative and easy to read. High recommended.
April 6, 2022
George Bancroft compiled a detailed and informative work regarding the history of the US. In this work by Bancroft, the audience can find interesting discussions of the major events in the US history in a comprehensive manner. With clever and delicate style in writing, Bancroft proved his talent in describing the American history throughout the course of time with major events, principal figures, as well as multiple contextual analysis. Overall, this seemed to be a discussion of the US history with quality and ability to leave impressions on the audience.
April 6, 2022
I think George Bancroft did a good job in compiling this comprehensive work about history of the United States. In this work, one can find the overview and general information regarding the history of the US as well as the major events and notable figures. With cleverness, George Bancroft provided such a detailed work and covered most remarkable and prominent events in the US history. Overall, I think this is a worthwhile and helpful work for anyone concerned about the past.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews