History books - afterthoughts

You may have noticed that all the books I've listed in my previous post, apart from the last one, are very early colonial American history, mostly covering the founding of the first permanent colonies. This is by no means the only time period I'm interested in, as I am interested in all American History pre-1900 (I may get onto 20th century at some point but see that is a whole different area). I'm attempting to be somewhat chronological in my reading, starting off with the really early stuff in the 1600's and then working my way forwards. I leaped forward quite a lot in the last book I read, to 1776, but intend to go back to early 1700's and possibly some 1600s stuff too. Before I leave the early beginnings altogether, I'd quite like to read about John Winthrop and the Puritan migration to New England from 1630, and also the founding of Pennsylvania. The problem is, not all of what I want to read about has the easier to read 'popular history' books. The ones in the middle are ok, but then you get to the dry academic texts that contain loads of information, but can be not much fun to read. History should be fun and interesting I think!

 

Anyway, that's enough for now. I should be posting my summation of the American Revolution as and when I get around to it (though in my reading I'm still only upto 1776!). Also might branch out on the blog into a bit of geography soon too!

Some American History books

In case you haven't noticed, I have a particular interest in American History and have read a few books on the subject recently, which I've listed below.

 

'Mayflower' by Nathaniel Philbrick - This is an excellent history of the Pilgrim's journey to the new world, and the first 50 years of the Plymouth colony. It ends with the nasty 'King Philip's War' between the Native Americans and the European colonists.

 

'Savage Kingdom' by Benjamin Woolley - The story of the founding of Jamestown, the first successful English colony in America. This is a cracking history book and very detailed too.

 

'Big Chief Elizabeth' by Giles Milton - Elizabethan attempts to colonise America including the 'lost colony' of Roanoake. A fascinating history, with the final chapters covering the founding of the Jamestown colony (though in much less detail than Savage Kingdom).

 

'Mayflower Bastard' by David Lindsay - The story of the life of Richard More one of the 'first comers' who aged 5 travelled to the New World on the Mayflower in 1620. He lived a long life, and witnessed the Salem Witch trials in 1690. The book is written by one of his descendants, and while the writing style is flawed it's a fascinating story.

 

'The Island at the Centre of the World' by Russell Shorto - A history of the founding of New York (New Amsterdam as it was then), taking the history up to the time the English took the colony over from the Dutch in the 1660's. A superbly written history.

 

'1776' by David MCCullough - A history of 1776,  a crucial year in the American Revolution. It switches from the generals leading the war to the ordinary soldiers, using lots of eyewitness accounts, letters, journals etc. It includes lots of extracts from solider's writings which gives a refreshing view of the war, rich in imagery and detail. A great book, but I wish it carried on through 1777, 1778 etc. up until the end of the war!

 

I've got a few books waiting to be read, and a few more that I'm looking at buying. There's so much to read and so little time! I will do another update on the books I've read soon, when I've read some more.

Founding of New York

As some of you will know (and some of you won't), New York was formerly New Amsterdam, as it was originally a Dutch colony. The story of the founding of the city can be summarised by describing the four men who had the biggest impact on the formative years of the colony.



Henry Hudson - Hudson was an explorer who was determined to find a passage through the Arctic to the orient (Asia). He never managed it, but at he inadvertantly discovered New York. He was working for the Dutch at the time, hence the Dutch staked their claim on the colony.



Peter Minuit - Peter Minuit was one of the early West India Company's governors of the colony. He was a competent governor, who 'bought' the island of Manhattan from a native tribe for goods worth 60 guilders, the equivalent of $24. He was unfairly sacked from his post, and later went on to found New Sweden on behalf of the Swedish government (thus becoming a thorn in the side of future governors of New Netherland).



Adriaen Van Der Donck - A new generation Dutch lawyer, schooled in the new legal and philosophical principles of the age (educated at Leiden University, the Harvard of its day, while Rene Descartes was there). After qualifying as a lawyer, he went seeking a job to challenge him. He got a job for Kiliaen van Rensselaer, an Amsterdam diamond merchant, who had made his own fiefdom within New Netherland. Van Der Donck took the job of lawman, overseeing van Rensselaer's domain. Later he left the role and gained his own land in New Amsterdam. He became actively involved in the political life of the colony and was the instrumental figure in reducing the power of the West India company governor and gaining power and influence for the settlers of New Netherland. His success was almost complete when war broke out between Holland and England, causing the Dutch government to leave some power in the hands of the West India company to aid in the defence of New Netherland. Van Der Donck was eventually forbidden to practice law or politics in the colony, and retired to his own lands in New Netherland.

Peter Stuyvesant - Peter Stuyvesant was the last governor of New Netherland before it was taken over by the English. He was the political enemy of Adriaen Van Der Donck and believed that the West India Company, through him, should have all the power in the colony. He did however effectively defend the colony for many years against the British, Native Americans and others, while at the same time helping New Amsterdam to flourish commercially, and later politically. Through the buildings he helped build and the institutions he helped found, the Dutch colony had a lasting impact on New York and America as a whole.

EGGHEADS!!!

Yesterday I was in London for the filming of the TV show 'Eggheads' at the BBC. Unfortunately my team didn't win, however at least we didn't embarrass ourselves. I'd love to talk all about it, but unfortunately I'm not allowed to publish anything about it without the permission of the production company, 12 Yard - this includes online blogs I think. I think I can speak very generally however.

Eggheads, for those who haven't seen it, is a quiz show on BBC2 where five quiz experts (past winners of Brain of Britain, Mastermind, 15 to 1 etc.) take on a team of challengers. There are 8 categories, only 4 of which are used each show, with a final round made up of general knowledge questions. Because the initial rounds pitch you individually against the experts, it is very difficult. I got talking to the eggheads, in particular Kevin and Daphne, and it was really interesting. These were people who craved knowledge of any kind, there job was to know stuff. I loved the idea of that, and wish I had a job like that. Alas, my job only requires me to know stuff about tax!

So my eggheads experience has increased my desire to learn new things and expand my knowledge. Maybe I'll have another shot at a tv quiz sometime and do better. I may also write a quiz or two myself, something I've thought about doing for a while now. Maybe I'll even post them on here...

More 1600s interesting people

Thomas Hooker - in 1636 left Massachusetts to found a colony in Hartford, Connecticut. Only 7 years after Puritans first arrived in America I think.

Christina Adolphus - monarch of Sweden in 1600s, considered to be one of the most "cosmopolitan and intellectually nimble monarchs in European History" by Russell Shorto.

Peter Minuet - The man who bought Manhattan for $24 (see previous post). One of the early governors of New Amsterdam, and one of the more able. Was unfairly dismissed from his post and sent back to Amsterdam. Returned sometime later to found a Swedish colony on Dutch territory.

More history

I've been watching the first episode of Simon Schama's History of Britain, and also am reading 'Island at the Centre of the World' by Russell Shorto. A few things of interest to read more about and research

Britain

The Venerable Bede - considered the father of English history. Lived around 700AD. Wrote a book on English history up to that date, with an obvious religious slant. Also wrote scientific papers, theology, philopsophy etc.

Alfred the Great - King of Wessex, only English king called 'Great'. First man to unite the majority of England under one rule. Sent to Rome early on in his life, travelled a bit, came back to England to rule, push back the Vikings etc. Sounds a very interesting man.

Skara Brae - The stone age settlement on Orkney. Mentioned it before, but looks very interesting.

America

So far, English explorer Henry Hudson discovered the Hudson River and site of New York, while working for the Dutch. The Dutch set up a colony, a few houses, a fort on Manhatten. Broadway is pretty much what was the main Indian track/path through Manhattan in the earliest days of the colony. The site is strategically very advantageous. Navigable river (by portage) through hundreds of miles into the interior (and ultimately to Lake Erie, Mississipi etc.) Peter Minuit 'buys' Manhattan off the native Indians for the 19th century equivalent of $24. Indians have different concept of land ownership though. They see this as right for Dutch to use land and ally themselves with the Indian tribe who 'sold' it them. Dutch colony not run especially well in the early days. Also sound like quite a dissolute lot (see page 120-124). Right from the early days, the English dispute the Dutch claims on the colony, saying since Henry Hudson was English that the colony belongs to them, and the fact that earlier English settlers in Virginia laid claim to all the East coast!

More in due course.

Crannogs, Priest Holes and D H Lawrence!

Some weeks I hardly seem to learn anything, other times I'm learning and discovering so much that I can't possibly document it all, so I will have to stick to the things that are most interesting to me. Today I'm going to focus on three little snippets, all originating from different sources.

Crannogs - I read about this in the June 2007 issue of BBC History magazine. In prehistoric and early historic times, people sought to protect their homes from attack by invaders, rival tribes and other nasties - the most common example of this is the castle. However in Scotland, many people instead constructed a crannog. This was essentially a small building which was built in the middle of a loch, raised up out of the water on tall stakes buried into the loch bed. These homes were connected to land by gangways that were easily defended, often including a drawbridge that could be pulled up to disconnect them from the mainland. None have survived as they were made of wood, which has rotted in the thousands of years since. The evidence for these constructions - including some of the timbers and other artifacts - can sometimes be found buried in the peat underneath lochs. On Loch Tay in Perthshire (a Loch which evidence suggests had at least 30 crannogs at one time), one has been faithfully recreated using only original crafts and materials.

Priest Holes - I came across priest holes last night while watching 'How we made Britain' with David Dimbleby on BBC1 (a great programme, the 2nd of 6 episodes - I missed the first due to being on holiday). Starting in Elizabethan times and following the reformation under Henry VIII, Catholicism was outlawed, and many priests and ordinary catholics were put to death. Catholics had to practise their faith in secret, and priests were often smuggled from one home to another, trying to stay ahead of the priest-finders. Priest holes were built into many Catholic houses at the time - hidey holes artfully concealed in the home. Nicholas Owen was one of the most famous builder of priest holes, going from home to home building the priest holes, each one unique. He would never reveal the secret of the priest holes to anyone else. Sometimes the authorities would spend weeks searching a suspect house looking for these priest holes (with the priest starving and struggling for air inside), pulling up floor boards and panels but often never finding them. Nicholas Owen was executed on the rack following the gunpowder plot.

Interesting parallels can be drawn between this, and hideouts on the 'underground railroad' in America, smuggling slaves to safety before and during the US civil war. I know next to nothing about the underground railroad, something I imagine I will correct as I continue my reading about American history. However I read about it in a David Baldacci novel of all things, where one of the characters discovers a hideout in an old civil war era ranch, used to hide slaves as they were smuggled to the safety of the northern states.

D H Lawrence - I listened to another of Alistair Cooke's 'Letter from America' broadcasts this evening. It was an early broadcast describing Cooke's first meeting with an American Indian in Sante Fe in 1933. I've only ever come across D H Lawrence for his controvertial book 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' however it seems he was very interested in native American Indians, and later in his life he went to live with them and effectly became a native. He wrote many essays and possibly some stories/novels about the American Indians. Apparently he is better known in America for being an artist too. I may read more about him soon, he sounds a rather interesting man.

That's all for now, more soon.