A Transaction Of Free Men: The Birth And Course Of The Declaration Of Independence - Couverture souple

Hawke, David Freeman

 
9780306803529: A Transaction Of Free Men: The Birth And Course Of The Declaration Of Independence
Couverture souple
ISBN 10 : 0306803526 ISBN 13 : 9780306803529
Editeur : Da Capo Press, 1989

Synopsis

The story of the Declaration of Independence--its genesis, drafting, ratification, and influence--is as complex as any great vision and realization. Did it merely sum up the prevailing thought of its day, or was it an advanced expression of uniquely American ideals? Were its signers aware of the Declaration's full revolutionary significance, or did they see it as the rationale for an economic dispute? Such questions face any historian of the period and require an extraordinary control of materials, a sensitive reading of character and text, and a lucid gift for recreating a time more than two centuries ago for scholars and general readers alike.

David Hawke possesses all of these qualities in abundance. His portraits of Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration, and John Adams, who led the fight for its adoption, are wonderfully complex and sound. As he says in his new introduction, "the main thesis [of the book] is that the Declaration could only have been written by Thomas Jefferson, not just because of his talent with words, but also because he, coming from an agrarian South, held ideas about society and government not shared by northerners." A double portrait of men who began as allies, became enemies, and at the end of their lives resolved their antagonism into deep respect and friendship, this book provides fascinating reading for anyone interested in the foundations of the American experiment.

Les informations fournies dans la section « Synopsis » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.

À propos de l?auteur

David Freeman Hawke, Professor Emeritus of American History at City University of New York, is the author of several books, including The Colonial Experience, In the Midst of Revolution, Benjamin Rush: Revolutionary Gadfly, and Nuts and Bolts of the Past: A History of American Technology.

Les informations fournies dans la section « A propos du livre » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.

Éditeur
Da Capo Press
Date d'édition
1989
Langue
anglais
ISBN 10 
0306803526
ISBN 13 
9780306803529
Reliure
Broché
Nombre de pages
306
Coordonnées du fabricant
non disponible
Personne responsable
non disponible