Free Downloads 1812: The War That Forged A Nation
Although frequently overlooked between the American Revolution and the Civil War, the War of 1812 tested a rising generation of American leaders; unified the United States with a renewed sense of national purpose; and set the stage for westward expansion from Mackinac Island to the Gulf of Mexico. USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides," proved the mettle of the fledgling American navy; Oliver Hazard Perry hoisted a flag boasting, "Don't Give Up the Ship"; and Andrew Jackson's ragged force stood behind it's cotton bales at New Orleans and bested the pride of British regulars. Here are the stories of commanding generals such as America's double-dealing James Wilkinson, Great Britain's gallant Sir Isaac Brock, Canada's heroine farm wife Laura Secord, and country doctor William Beanes, whose capture set the stage for Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner." During the War of 1812, the United States cast off its cloak of colonial adolescence and - with both humiliating and glorious moments - found the fire that was to forge a nation.This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.
Paperback: 392 pages
Publisher: Harper Perennial; Reprint edition (October 4, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0060531134
ISBN-13: 978-0060531133
Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.9 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (110 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #243,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #23 in Books > History > Military > War of 1812 #2239 in Books > History > Military > United States #9920 in Books > History > Americas > United States
1812: The War That Forged A Nation, by Walter R. Borneman, is a comprehensive, if somewhat superficial, look at the war that gave the United States a national identity, even as it ended in essentially a stalemate. Borneman is mostly known for history books dealing with the western United States, and he even mentions in his Acknowledgements how this book seems to be out of his field. However, Borneman maintains that the war set the United States on a course that would result in the western expansion that is his bread and butter, and thus deserves to be looked at more closely. It's a very interesting book that covers the entire war that tells everything that happened, though it doesn't quite go into as much detail as I would have liked.Borneman sets the stage for the war by discussing the relations between Great Britain and the United States in the first decade of the 1800s, including one of the main reasons for the United States to go to war: the impressments of American sailors into British naval service on the high seas. The United States was still considered an extremely minor power and was bullied by pretty much everybody. While the French didn't impress sailors, they did do other things, and some hawks in the American government actually advocated going to war with both Britain and France! One other reason for the war, not as popularly known, was that many westerners wanted to steal Canada out from under Great Britain while they were distracted by Napoleon on the continent. They didn't see any reason why Canada shouldn't be part of the United States, by force if necessary.Thus, the war drums were beaten, and war was declared.
The War of 1812 is often passed over very quickly in American history class because it is supposedly neither very interesting nor important. Walter Borneman seems to have taken exception to this idea and has set about to show his readers just how interesting and important this war was. His writing style and his ability to guide the reader along through a maze of events and people in a clearly understandable way help him to accomplish his first goal. I think however, that he may have overreached on the importance of the war, at least when it comes to national unity.Borneman writes much like a novelist and his prose keeps the story of this conflict going in a quick paced and highly engaging manner. He is in fact, a little too conversational at times and although I did find this to be a little distracting it wasn't a big problem at all. The most amazing aspect of Mr. Borneman's writing style is that he manages to tie all of the action into the bigger picture with what appears to be very little effort. This is no small feat when one considers that this was a war that was pretty much divided into at least five separate little wars that were connected only tenuously to each other. Add to that the several Indian Nations involved, most of which sided with the British but not all, and one tribe that divided up and fought each other and one has the makings of a convoluted mess. Borneman somehow manages to tie it all together without getting his readers completely lost and on top of that he keeps it interesting. Not only interesting I might add, but fascinating.Borneman's main contention is that the War of 1812 made the United States into a confident and united nation.
1812: The War That Forged a Nation Famous People of the War of 1812 (Documenting the War of 1812) William Henry Harrison and the Conquest of the Ohio Country: Frontier Fighting in the War of 1812 (Johns Hopkins Books on the War of 1812) The Nation's Health (Nation's Health (PT of J&b Ser in Health Sci) Nation's Healt) Jefferson and Hamilton: The Rivalry That Forged a Nation The Blood of Heroes: The 13-Day Struggle for the Alamo - and the Sacrifice That Forged a Nation The War of 1812: Conflict for a Continent (Cambridge Essential Histories) The War of 1812 Ships of Oak, Guns of Iron: The War of 1812 and the Forging of the American Navy The Darkest Day: The Washington-Baltimore Campaign During the War of 1812 St. Lawrence County in the War of 1812:: Folly and Mischief (Military) James Callaway In The War Of 1812: Letters, Diary And Rosters Union 1812: The Americans Who Fought the Second War of Independence In Fire Forged: Worlds of Honor #5 Gandhi & Churchill: The Epic Rivalry that Destroyed an Empire and Forged Our Age Forged by Fire Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts: Secrets and Recipes for the Home Baker Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire The United States Army : 1812-1815 (Men-At-Arms Series, 345) A Book Forged in Hell: Spinoza's Scandalous Treatise and the Birth of the Secular Age
