Dunstable Free Public Library

Give me liberty, a history of America's exceptional idea, Richard Brookhiser

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 265-278) and index

index present

non fiction

Give me liberty

bibliography

1089490011

Richard Brookhiser

a history of America's exceptional idea

An award-winning historian recounts the history of American liberty through the stories of twelve essential documents. Nationalism is inevitable: It supplies feelings of belonging, identity, and recognition. It binds us to our neighbors and tells us who we are. But increasingly-from the United States to India, from Russia to Burma-nationalism is being invoked for unworthy ends: to disdain minorities or to support despots. As a result, nationalism has become to many a dirty word. In Give Me Liberty, award-winning historian and biographer Richard Brookhiser offers up a truer and more inspiring story of American nationalism as it has evolved over four hundred years. He examines America's history through twelve documents that made the United States a new country in a new world: a free country. We are what we are because of them; we stay true to what we are by staying true to them.Americans have always sought liberty, asked for it, fought for it; every victory has been the fulfillment of old hopes and promises. This is our nationalism, and we should be proud of it

Introduction -- Minutes of the Jamestown general assembly -- Flushing remonstrance -- Trial of John Peter Zenger -- Declaration of Independence -- Constitution of the New-York Manumission Society -- Constitution -- Monroe doctrine -- Seneca Falls declaration -- Gettysburg address -- The new Colossus -- Cross of gold speech -- Arsenal of democracy fireside chat -- Tear down this wall speech -- Conclusion