The Power of Words is a two-volume collection of primary-source documents that features a balance of social and political history. The text invites readers to use its wide range of material in developing their own interpretations of American History. In an innovative organization, the selections in each chapter move from the general to the specific, from the political to the personal, and from the public sphere to the private.
Using a sample historical document, the introduction invites students to "do" history by learning how to interpret the document. By showing students how each document represents a particular perspective, the introduction prepares students to critically read and interpret the documents in this collection.
The documents include not only the declarations of powerful leaders and presidents, but also the voices of their critics - the common men and women whose lives were changed by the power of words. Documents range from travelers' journals to presidential addresses, offering different, and often conflicting, views of the historic events that have shaped our country. The goal is to show how the American past is not a story of consensus, but one of often conflicting perspectives.
Back to main page
J. Burton Anderson, Whitewash Y2K
Stephen Frances, Hate is for the Hunted
Herbert Gold, Fathers
Fletcher Knebel - Charles W. Bailey II, Seven days in May
Dale Brown, Silver Tower
Michael L. Hadley, U-boats against Canada
T.H. Breen, The Power of Words
How to save Youtube videos?
Book Database 2008 Webmaster: realexistenz@extra.hu