This epic history compares the empires built by Spain and Britain in the Americas, from Columbus’s arrival in the New World to the end of Spanish colonial rule in the early nineteenth century. J. H. Elliott, one of the most distinguished and versatile historians working today, offers us history on a grand scale, contrasting the worlds built by Britain and by Spain on the ruins of the civilizations they encountered and destroyed in North and South America.
No era in American history has been more fascinating to Americans, or more critical to the ultimate destiny of the United States, than the colonial era. Between the time that the first European settlers established a colony at Jamestown in 1607 through the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the outlines of America's distinctive political culture, economic system, social life, and cultural patterns had begun to emerge.
America stands at a dramatic crossroads: Massive banks and corporations wield disturbing power. The huge income gap between the 1% and the other 99% grows visibly wider. Astounding new technologies are changing American lives. Conflicts over U.S. military interventionism, the environment, and immigration dominate public debate. Sound familiar? You might be surprised to know that these headlines were ripped, not from today’s newspaper, but from newspapers over 100 years ago. These and other issues that characterize the early 21st century were also the hallmarks of the transformative periods known as the Gilded Age (1865-1900) and the Progressive Era (1900-1920).
This is the first comprehensive history of America's involvement in the Middle East from George Washington to George W. Bush. Drawing on thousands of government documents and personal letters, this book reconstructs the diverse and remarkable ways in which Americans have interacted with this alluring yet often hostile land. Covering over 230 years of history, "Power, Faith, and Fantasy" is an indispensable work for anyone interested in understanding the roots of America's Middle East involvement today.
"Sometimes I wake at night in the White House and rub my eyes and wonder if it is not all a dream." - Grover Cleveland For over two centuries, the capital of America has been located in Washington, D.C. And among all the iconic landmarks and monuments associated with the city, nothing provides symbolism quite like the White House, the primary residence and office of the president. The instantly recognizable exterior, and its location, have ensured that the White House is associated as the main seat of power in the world's most powerful country.
