American Republics: A Continental History of the United States 1783-1850

The United States of America: A Fragile Nation's Formative Period is a must-read for anyone interested in the complex and tumultuous history of this great nation.

With a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian at the helm, this book offers a fresh perspective on the early years of America, one that challenges traditional narratives of a confident young nation marching towards its destiny.

Instead, readers are presented with a more nuanced and internally divided union of states, contending with European empires, independent republics, and Native peoples for control of North America. The book sheds light on the darker aspects of American history, including the growth of the system of slavery, the violent removal of Native peoples, and the bitter party divisions that pitted elites against democratic populists.

Through vivid miniatures of key characters, readers are given a personal glimpse into the lives of figures like Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Margaret Fuller. The political drama is brought to life through high-stakes negotiations between Jackson, Adams, Clay, Calhoun, and Webster, as they grapple with issues of slavery, the economy, Indian removal, and national expansion.

Taylor's elegant history offers a comprehensive and engaging account of this pivotal period in American history, one that will leave readers with a deeper understanding of the complexities and challenges faced by the United States as it expanded across the continent.