Good colonial history books?

I've always been a big Western & Central European history buff. In the process, American history fell to the wayside, and I'd like to delve a little deeper. By colonial history, I'm referring to a time frame from 1700 thru the War of 1812 (I guess this makes it colonial/early U.S. history). The books don't have to be works of popular history; suggestions on scholarly tomes are just fine. A gentleman recently recommended to me Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy. Has anyone read it?

Originally Posted by Connemara

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I've always been a big Western & Central European history buff. In the process, American history fell to the wayside, and I'd like to delve a little deeper.

By colonial history, I'm referring to a time frame from 1700 thru the War of 1812 (I guess this makes it colonial/early U.S. history). The books don't have to be works of popular history; suggestions on scholarly tomes are just fine.

A gentleman recently recommended to me Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy. Has anyone read it?


American Colonies by Alan Taylor for an overview of the colonial period, A Leap in the Dark by John Ferling for the Revolution and early republic periods.

There are also a lot of great biographies of the Founding Fathers and other figures from this period - my favorite is Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.

Originally Posted by Connemara

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I've always been a big Western & Central European history buff. In the process, American history fell to the wayside, and I'd like to delve a little deeper.

By colonial history, I'm referring to a time frame from 1700 thru the War of 1812 (I guess this makes it colonial/early U.S. history). The books don't have to be works of popular history; suggestions on scholarly tomes are just fine.

A gentleman recently recommended to me Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy. Has anyone read it?

I also have a huge fascination with pre-USA history in the new world. I've read Six Frigates, and thought it was very entertaining. The author is extremely knowledgeable, and I learned a lot of things that were pretty cool.

The Great Upheaval: America and the Birth of the Modern World 1788-1800, by Jay Wink. I'm currently reading it, and I have to say it appears to be one of the best works of narrative history to come along in quite some time. Very informative and gripping. I've been reading chapters at a time. One benefit from your perspective may be that it connects what happened in America from 1788-1800 to developments in France, Russia, and other parts of Europe at the same time -- thus providing a way into early American history for someone more educated in European history, as well as giving a more holistic picture of both (in that remarkable 12-year span, of course). This is the first place I ever read of John Paul Jones, the hero of the colonial navy, serving under Catherine the Great in a war against the Ottoman Empire. Fascinating stuff.

Given your pro-British sympathies I have little hesitation recommending Redcoats and Rebels: The American Revolution Through British Eyes by Christopher Hibbert.

I'd suggest The Boisterous Sea of Liberty by S. Mintz and D. Davis as a more traditional history text with a educational guide that's helpful to those new to the period; Letters of the Republic by Michael Warner offers a view of colonial history through the new technology of the printing press and how it created the call for revolution. If you want more on regional differences, race and class, feel free to PM me and I'll get you a list.

Originally Posted by life_interrupts

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I'd suggest The Boisterous Sea of Liberty by S. Mintz and D. Davis as a more traditional history text with a educational guide that's helpful to those new to the period; Letters of the Republic by Michael Warner offers a view of colonial history through the new technology of the printing press and how it created the call for revolution. If you want more on regional differences, race and class, feel free to PM me and I'll get you a list.

Could you list them on here? I'm definitely interested as well, and I'm sure there are more than just Conne and myself.

American Aurora. It's been a while, but I recall A.J. Languth's Patriots being good.

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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Could you list them on here? I'm definitely interested as well, and I'm sure there are more than just Conne and myself.
I'll pull together a list and put it up in the next day or so.

I would start earlier if I were you. There is a book called "Mayflower" by Nathaniel Philbrick that's a great history of the early New England settlement, relations with Native Americans, etc. There's another bookm called "Albion's Seed" by David Hacett Fischer that deals with the four major migrations from Europe that founded the country. It gives you a real feel for the uniqueness of New England versus Virginia versus the Delaware Valley, etc. in terms of culture, politics, social interaction, religion, even architecture. Starting with colonization will give you a much better appreciation of the events of the Revolutionary period. You might also want to brush up on the French and Indian War, and from there move on to "A Leap In the Dark", recommended by another poster above. It's a great book and generally starts a little earlier than most histories of the Revolution do.

As someone else posted, Chernow's biography of Hamilton is excellent. Getting an understanding of history via biography is different and a good refresher between reading more traditional histories.

In addition to having great taste in cigars, the previous poster suggested another book, the Chernov book on Hamilton. Alex H. might be our most interesting founding father. More to consider: Material Life in America 1600-1860 by R. Blair St. George: dispels so many myths about what day-to-day life was like for the average person. Myne Own Ground: Race and Freedom on Virginia's Eastern Shore, by T.H. Breen and S. Innes: Looks at the point of division in society for the races and how it didn't have to turn out the way it did. Benjamin Franklin, by Gaustad. A relatively quick but precise read on a Herculean figure in US history. Love and Hate in Jamestown, by David Price looks at the first English settlement in North America and the story John Smith and Pocahontas. It makes you wonder why the Indians would continue to help the English after a while. More to follow. . . .

If you'd like a quick read about the American Revolution, 1776 by David McCullough is a good way to start.

I'm going to read some of the books suggested here over the summer but I'd like to get a few more titles. Any help?

how do you like your books? a dramatized account? straight textbook style history? biography?

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