American Historical Documents 1000 to 1904: Part 43 Harvard Classics

by Charles William Eliot (Editor)

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Genres: History, Nonfiction, Classics, American History, Reference, Political Science

496 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1910

About the author

Charles William Eliot was an American academic who was selected as Harvard's president in 1869. He transformed the provincial college into the preeminent American research university. Eliot served the longest term as president in the university's history.

Reviews

[Parker Samelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating to read the original legal documents that in progression ultimately created the United States as we know it today.

[Brent Winslow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compendium of documents regarding America - from early exploration, to colonization, the revolutionary war, nationhood, the civil war, and through the early 20th century. I found the early descriptions of explorers very revealing. Regarding native groups at the time of early exploration: "the cause of their wars is not for lust of dominion, nor of extending their frontiers, nor for inordinate covetousness, but for some ancient enmity which in by-gone times arose amongst them. How they be stirred up to go to war is this, that when the enemies have slain or captured any of them, his oldest kinsman rises up and goes about the highways haranguing them to go with him and avenge the death of such his kinsman: and so are they stirred up by fellow-feeling."

It is very interesting to read Washington's words regarding the dignity of the presidency, and attempts to alienate a portion of the country from the rest (e.g., Trump is quite the opposite of this standard), and the problems with allowing minority rule (e.g., Republicans).

[James Violand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible and yet odd. I regret that this compendium has included some documents of questionable relevancy and excluded others that were far more important. For example, why include a report from a Protestant missionary in Massachusetts Bay Colony but not one word from Jamestown? Why was the seminal case of Marbury v. Madison overlooked? Why no inclusion of the anonymous (Jefferson) response to the Alien and Sedition Laws setting forth the doctrine of nullification?
Despite these criticisms and the failure to update this collection (last edition 1910), I recommend this book be a supplement to all American history classes in high school if only for the lengthy letter of Frank Haskell, aide-de-camp to Union General Gibbon, commander of the Iron Brigade at Gettysburg. He wrote this account in a private letter to his brother shortly after the battle. Haskell fell at Cold Harbor. Truly riveting.

[Chase · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something interesting from this knowledgeable plethora of American history is Lincolns first inaugural address, Lincoln explicitly stated that he would not mess with slavery where it existed, then shortly after he changed his mind, even after years and years of public and college education i was never taught this here in the south. I wonder how the people from the south were at the time? I wonder if the things and dishonesty we feel with politicians going against their words in modern times was also experienced then maybe even at a higher level. I am excited to read the other Harvard classics, awesome.

[Angela Bujold · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much history in these books!!! The schools don´t teach you all this. If you are interested in history you must go out and find books on history :( But thank God the Harvard Classics are here.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Relies heavily on treaties.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm gradually going through the Harvard Classics and this is a collection of just what it says - various documents from the Viking days up to agreements on the Panama Canal. The most compelling was a quite long eye-witness account of the Battle of Gettysburg by a soldier named Frank Haskell. I read the book in small bites - 5 min. a day. I skimmed parts of treaties, but it's interesting to learn about things I never would have known, dry as some of it was.

[Jeff Beland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it exciting with car chases and explosions and romantic love scenes, no. In fact it's kind of dry and at times boring. when I was in my early twenties I found this book in a thrift shop and I wanted to know more about America, so I read this book. I still have my copy and I thumb through it every now and again. It's a must read for any American and I highly recommended to anybody who wants a better understanding of the good ol US of A

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish this volume included the documents for the succession of the Southern states and the constitution for the Confederacy. Though illegal these documents are an important part of U.S. History and present an enlightening view into the causes for the war and dispel the myth that the Civil War was about anything other than the right to keep slaves.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copies of historic documents thathad influence over events over the last thousand years. A good research resource.

[bela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Medium: physical book
Would read again?: yes
Would buy? already own (Trinity College book fair in 2019)

[Michael Marstellar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good foundation to read about the prehistory and history of the United States. AMERICAN HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS goes back to the year 1000 AD with the landings of Leif Ericsson and his children/relatives to the land: Vinland all the way up to the year 1904 AD and the United States agreement concerning the Panama Canal.

Among some of the notable documents listed are: THE VOYAGES TO VINLAND, THE LETTER OF COLUMBUS (1493), THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT, THE INSTRUMENT OF GOVERNMENT (1653), THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION, THE TREATY WITH GREAT BRITAIN (1783), THE CONSTITUTION, THE FEDERALIST PAPERS (I, II), Washington and Lincoln's Inaugural Addresses, OPINION OF CHIEF JUSTICE MARSHALL IN THE CASE OF MCCULLOUCH VS. THE STATE OF MARYLAND (1819), Haskell's BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG and THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS.

It's a good start for Americans as well as others interested in knowing how the United States came to be, how it was shaped and what its founders and early rulers envisioned the United States of America should be.