Troutbirder II

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Friday, November 29, 2019

The pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West




Pulitzer Prize–winning historian David McCullough rediscovers an important and dramatic chapter in the American story—the settling of the Northwest Territory by dauntless pioneers who overcame incredible hardships to build a community based on ideals that would come to define our country.

As part of the Treaty of Paris, in which Great Britain recognized the new United States of America, Britain ceded the land that comprised the immense Northwest Territory, a wilderness empire northwest of the Ohio River containing the future states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. A Massachusetts minister named Manasseh Cutler was instrumental in opening this vast territory to veterans of the Revolutionary War and their families for settlement. Included in the Northwest Ordinance were three remarkable conditions: freedom of religion, free universal education, and most importantly, the prohibition of slavery. In 1788 the first band of pioneers set out from New England for the Northwest Territory under the leadership of Revolutionary War veteran General Rufus Putnam. They settled in what is now Marietta on the banks of the Ohio etc. etc. river

McCullough chose a small number of people who provided the leadership in this vast settlement of the Northwest Territories. They might not be so well known in the broader scope of American history but as he wrote the communities that evolved were based on the ideals that would come to define our country. For example those who lobbied the Congress of the United States then based at the very beginning in New York City that slavery not be allowed in the new territories and states. Or that public education schools and universities following the New England model would be nurtured and supported by land grants based on federal. As people flooded by the thousands into the Ohio River Valley and also came from overseas a new world was being created for settlement and trade. Trade up and down the river and even worldwide with new technologies changing transportation dramatically like steam engines and so on. It was mostly all new to me and as McCullough often does he made it personal and very interesting I definitely recommend it.

 

 

 

 

 

8 comments:

  1. I like history and this sounds interesting.

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  2. Hi Ray - I remember David McCullough from somewhere ... so at some stage I might well get out one of his books to learn more - he's obviously an excellent historian. Thanks for this and hope that you're able to have a peaceful Thanksgiving - cheers Hilary

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  3. I must read this. Another brilliant piece of the Northwest Territory, in my opinion, was the building blocks of government, the smallest unit of which was townships. No other form of government in this country is so close to the people it represents.

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  4. Hi Ray
    Isn't it odd and interesting how sometimes history seems to have taken a back step....I mean we think of 'history' as progress: we do one or two things, then do something else, and....progress. That doesn't seem to be the case, does it.
    Looks like good book. Hope you're well.
    Mike

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  5. This does sound an interesting chapter of American history. A good author makes all the difference. Thanks for the suggestion! No worries about your wayward comment last month and thanks for today's update. I one upped you: I actually forgot about book group and had to scramble to post a review of Stacey Lee's historical novel, which is now up.

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  6. I was a history major in college. My emphasis for US history was the Civil War, but I also picked Mexican history and the High Middle Ages for my other two areas of emphasis. I know why I picked the first two, the last one I can't remember why, but it was interesting. - Margy

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  7. Well, you've certainly influenced my reading! Hence my review of nonfiction, history this month! :) Thank you, Ray, for your interesting reviews!

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