- Shopping Bag ( 0 items )
The bestselling author of A Patriot's History of the United States examines some of the pivotal-yet mostly ignored-moments that shaped our history.
Every schoolchild is taught the great turning points in American history, such as Gettysburg, Pearl Harbor, the Kennedy assassination, and 9/11. But other, equally significant events have altered our destiny without being understood-or even widely noticed.
Acclaimed conservative historian Larry Schweikart now takes an in-depth look at seven such episodes and reveals the profound ways they have shaped America. He also asks readers to reconsider them not just in terms of what happened, but in light of the Founding Fathers' vision for our nation. What would Washington, Jefferson, or Madison have said about these events?
In the same reader-friendly style of his previous bestsellers, A Patriot's History of the United States and 48 Liberal Lies About American History, Professor Schweikart doesn't merely recount our history-he forces us to rethink what makes our country great. He shows how individual liberty, private enterprise, and small government helped build a free and prosperous nation. Conversely, whenever these values have been threatened by big government, oppressive taxes, and special interests, we lose sight of the principles that made us strong.
You'll be surprised to learn how these events spurred sweeping changes that still affect us today. For instance:
• Martin Van Buren's consolidation of the first national political party made it possible for Barack Obama to get elected almost two centuries later.
• Dwight Eisenhower's heart attack led to a war on red meat, during which thegovernment took control over Americans' diets.
• The rock'n'roll craze (often mistakenly claimed as a liberal phenomenon) helped bring about the decline of communism and the fall of the Soviet Union.
In this time of national uncertainty, it has never been more important for Americans to understand what has shaped our national destiny. This provocative book will enlighten anyone looking for clarity about our past and inspiration for our future.
Larry Schweikart is the coauthor of the New York Times bestseller A Patriot's History of the United States and the author of 48 Liberal Lies About American History. A professor of history at the University of Dayton, he has appeared as a guest commentator on Fox News and has written many academic books and articles on national defense, business, and financial history. He lives outside of Dayton, Ohio.
RobertGaines
Posted September 9, 2010
This is an interesting and worthwhile book written by an intelligent historian. The only reason I don't give it a 5 rating is that at times is reads like history books I remember from school. No doubt the author would accuse me of wanting history to read like swashbuckling fiction. To which I would have to plead guilty.
Liberals will not like this book. It deals with the facts of 7 issues, frequently citing the Constitution. The author appears unbiased in that he tries to show the unintended consequences of some acts, while exposing the intended consequences of others. Ronald Reagan is shown as less than perfect in having missed the threat of Islam. Media bias is traced historically to its humble origins.
He credits the Beatles with a substantial role in bringing down the Iron Curtain. And here I thought they were just a fad that derailed American Jazz. I was impressed with the documentation and the detail of the process.
We live in a crazy, frightening world where fair is foul and foul is fair. The author sheds light on some of the issues which we have faced in the past, but leaves the question in my mind: How will we avoid the next Civil War?
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.The_Anti-pedant_Pedagog
Posted October 12, 2011
This book easily could have been titled "7 Events that Make America Come Alive for You." The selections, for instance, the Dred Scott Decision (chapter 2) and the Reagan presidency (chapter 6), all are placed in historical perspective (and not necessarily a conservative one). As stand-alone articles, each chapter is accurate and analytical. As a whole, they form a stirring history, not only of what made America America, but what made it great. Read it and get it into the hands of your students if you can.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted June 24, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 15, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 4, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 11, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted July 10, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 3, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted April 13, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 4, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 3, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted July 21, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 29, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted March 4, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 5, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 2, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 3, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 6, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 13, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 4, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
The bestselling author of A Patriot's History of the United States examines some of the pivotal-yet mostly ignored-moments that shaped our history.
Every schoolchild is taught the great turning points in American history, such as Gettysburg, Pearl Harbor, the Kennedy assassination, and 9/11. But other, equally significant events have altered our destiny without being understood-or even widely noticed.
Acclaimed conservative historian Larry ...