by T. J. Stiles
First published 1994
This anthology gathers pivotal texts that shaped America from its founding through the civil rights era. The collection opens with the nation's founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, then moves through crucial moments in American political discourse. George Washington's farewell warnings about political divisions appear alongside Abraham Lincoln's wartime addresses. Chief Joseph's surrender speech represents Native American perspectives on westward expansion. Franklin D. Roosevelt's words guide the nation through economic depression and world war. Martin Luther King Jr's speeches conclude the volume with calls for racial justice and equality. Together, these primary sources trace America's ongoing struggle to fulfill its democratic promises. The book offers readers direct access to the voices that defined pivotal moments in the nation's political and social evolution.
Genres: history, anthologies, non-fiction, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-non-fiction, primary-sources
Setting: America, United States
Period: 19th Century, 20th Century, Civil Rights Era, Founding Era
296 pages · Paperback · Berkley Trade