Colonial America: Essays in Politics and Social Development

Rating:
Summary: An Essay Collection for Professional Historians
Review: Colonial America : Essays in Politics and Social Development is a collection of essays concerning the British colonies in North America. The essays present the latest research from colonial historians working on a broad range of topics, from Cornelia Hughes Dayton's examination of abortion and gender roles in colonial Connecticut to Alfred Crosby's analysis of the impact of introduced Europan diseases on Native Americans.

This is not an easy read. The articles are dense, heavily footnoted, and packed with very specific information. Most of the authors assume that the reader comes to this volume already knowing a good deal about colonial history. For example, an article on the Bayard Treason Trial in New York takes it for granted that we already know about the Dutch history of New York, Leisler's rebellion, and the colonial court system.

MAny of the articles are brilliant, and this volume is a great example of the very latest historical scholarship in the field. But these essays are by historians writing for other historians. This is not an introduction to colonial history for the general reading public.

Rating:
Summary: An Essay Collection for Professional Historians
Review: Colonial America : Essays in Politics and Social Development is a collection of essays concerning the British colonies in North America. The essays present the latest research from colonial historians working on a broad range of topics, from Cornelia Hughes Dayton's examination of abortion and gender roles in colonial Connecticut to Alfred Crosby's analysis of the impact of introduced Europan diseases on Native Americans.

This is not an easy read. The articles are dense, heavily footnoted, and packed with very specific information. Most of the authors assume that the reader comes to this volume already knowing a good deal about colonial history. For example, an article on the Bayard Treason Trial in New York takes it for granted that we already know about the Dutch history of New York, Leisler's rebellion, and the colonial court system.

MAny of the articles are brilliant, and this volume is a great example of the very latest historical scholarship in the field. But these essays are by historians writing for other historians. This is not an introduction to colonial history for the general reading public.