Union: The Struggle to Forge the Story of United States Nationhood

Here it comes another great work by Colin Woodward. This is the third book and it can be read as a triad on American history together with his two other books: Nations and American Character. It shows how the narrative of a Union was created in the United States through the events intermingled in the life of George Bancroft, William Gilmore Simms, Frederick Douglass, Woodrow Wilson and Frederick Turner. The book is interesting for anybody that would like to dig better into American history and try to understand how the narrative of America was built. Greatly written!

Another tour de force from Colin Woodard. Having read his previous books, American Nations and American Character, I was familiar with his thesis that different areas of the United States developed based on the predominant cultures of the people who settled those areas. In Union, Woodard shows what happens when there is a clash between those cultures. By using biographical sketches of historians and authors he shows that the military victory of the North in the Civil War was undermined by the cultural and political victories of the South in the decades that followed, culminating in the election of possibly our most racist president ever, Woodrow Wilson. With all the upheaval currently happening in our society, Union is a must read for those who want to understand more about the history of this country.

The author is interested in analyzing how American nationhood emerged from a country manifesting so many regions, states, and self-images. He follows this theme beginning with the early 19th century. He develops these different views of nationhood by focusing primarily upon 7 individuals--historians, a slavery opponent, regional historians, and a couple of presidents. This approach does require the reader to keep all these folks organized and separated, but I found it worked out well although it did generate 70 usually short chapters.First up is the dominant historian of the period, George Bancroft (1800-1891). Bancroft felt god had assigned a special responsibility to America, including manifest destiny and redeeming humanity. This view became predominant due to his extensive historical publications. Bancroft is an interesting fellow and the author devotes the most space to his biography and writings. William Gilmore Simms (1806-1870) is the second figure examined. A South Carolina product, Simms was first a successful novelist, but later became a leading regional historian where he downgraded the harshness of slavery and painted a pretty picture of life in the South. He strongly supported secession.The third figure, Frederick Douglas (1818-1895), was born a slave but escaped to become a leading abolitionist, author, and civil rights advocate. I found these chapters particularly welcome, since I knew little about Douglass personally. Abe Lincoln (1809-1865) is examined through his campaign oratory and his debates with Senator Douglas where he advocated gradual emancipation. John Brown also makes a brief appearance as we approach the Civil War. Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924) is extensively examined from his youth in the South until his death. This material is particularly important currently as Wilson is being charged with manifold racism. The charges appear to be valid.The two final actors are as interesting as they are different. Frederick Jackson Turner (1861-1932) is the progenitor of the Frontier Thesis, that attributed much of American character to the western movement of the Frontier. Turner was famous, but other historians argued that regionalism, not the frontier, should play that role. The final individual is Thomas Dixon, Jr. (1864-1946) who wrote the novel upon which the famous "Birth of a Nation" film was based. That film, which came out during Wilson's first term, implanted forever a picture of Reconstruction which adversely characterized African-Americans as incompetent to govern themselves, and as justifying the appearance of the Klan to clean things up. Many of these stereotypes have endured to the present day, unfortunately.The book is a good way to learn a lot of history and how these folks generated a variety of impacts. The author has included some suggested readings for those interested in probing further into these individuals and their collective historical impact. Quite an interesting read, especially as to Wilson.

The author does a great job of weaving the complicated intersectional ideas and idealism as conveyed through the leading "thought leaders" of their times. I learned a heck of a lot about these leaders and how they shaped thoughts and ideas into the confused and divided narratives we face today. After having read the author's previous (and also excellent "American Nations"), I found the writing style here to be more entertaining and thought provoking. Not to mention how timely, given the national discussions on Race and the progenitors of the movements that are sparking the conversations we are having right now.

This book is much better than the average history book, but was not quite as engaging to me as American Nations and American Character. Nevertheless, I learned a great deal about Frederick Douglass and Woodrow Wilson, and I was motivated to purchase Douglass's autobiographies after reading it.