The Battle for the American Mind: A Brief History of a Nation's Thought

by Carl J. Richard

Overview

The Battle for the American Mind brings together religion, politics, economics, science, and literature to present a compelling history of the American people. In this brief and entertaining book, noted historian Carl J. Richard argues that there have been three worldviews that have dominated American thought—theism, humanism, and skepticism. Theists put their faith in God, humanists in man, and skeptics have faith in neither god nor man. Each worldview has had an epoch of domination, leading to the present "Age of Confusion" where theists, humanists, and skeptics battle one another for control of American hearts and minds.

By clearly explaining what Americans believed, exploring why they did so, and showing how that impacted the nation's development, Carl J. Richard presents a unique portrait of the United States—past and present.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742571242
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	10/08/2004
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	376
File size:	557 KB

About the Author

Carl J. Richard is professor of history at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. He is the author of The Founders and the Classics and Twelve Greeks and Romans Who Changed the World. He lives in Broussard, Louisiana.
Carl J. Richard is the author of several Rowman&Littlefield books including The Battle for the American Mind: A Brief History of a Nation's Thought (2006), Greeks and Romans Bearing Gifts: How the Ancients Inspired the Founding Fathers (2008), Why We're All Romans: The Roman Contribution to the Western World (2010), and The Founders and the Bible (2016). He is professor of history at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Unit I: The Age of Theism
Chapter 1: The Protestant Reformation: The Crucible of American Theism
Chapter 2: Early American Protestantism
Unit II: The Age of Humanism
Chapter 3: The Rise of Modern Humanism
Chapter 4: The Origins and Varieties of Republicanism
Chapter 5: Economic Theories
Chapter 6: Revivalism, Reform, and Romanticism in the Antebellum Period
Unit III: The Age of Skepticism
Chapter 7: The Rise of Modern Skepticism
Chapter 8: Pragmatism
Unit IV: The Age of Confusion
Chapter 9: American Thought since World War II
Bibliographical Suggestions

Editorial Reviews

Succinct, incisive and selective, Carl Richard provides an engaging historical orientation to American intellectual life and its European antecedents.

Daniel Walker Howe

The author had a good thematic approach.

George Cotkinn Historical Review

An ambitious and original book. Instead of 'explaining' America from the perspective of gender, race, class, economics or some other social science, Richard talks about the influence of worldviews on the development of the United States and so casts an interesting light on the development of America from its European origins through the colonial period, the Founding and down to today.

E. Christian Kopff

Carl J. Richard's The Battle for the American Mind is a provocative, well-written interpretation of American intellectual history 'for general readers' that is designed to further discussion of ideas rather than answer all scholarly questions.. .. The book would be a solid assignment for undergraduates and an informative study for the general reader, Richard's intended audience.

Journal of Southern History - Adam L. Tate

The author had a good thematic approach.

American Historical Review - George Cotkin

The author had a good thematic approach.
— George Cotkin, California Polytechnic State University

American Historical Review

Carl J. Richard's The Battle for the American Mind is a provocative, well-written interpretation of American intellectual history 'for general readers' that is designed to further discussion of ideas rather than answer all scholarly questions. . . . The book would be a solid assignment for undergraduates and an informative study for the general reader, Richard's intended audience.
— Adam L. Tate, Clayton State University

The Journal Of Southern History

Carl J. Richard's The Battle for the American Mind is a provocative, well-written interpretation of American intellectual history 'for general readers' that is designed to further discussion of ideas rather than answer all scholarly questions. . . . The book would be a solid assignment for undergraduates and an informative study for the general reader, Richard's intended audience.
— Adam L. Tate, Clayton State University

Journal Of Southern History

The author had a good thematic approach.
— George Cotkin, California Polytechnic State University

The American Historical Review