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Best US History Sources


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I'm looking to study US history, primarily but not exclusively the run up to the civil war. I want to get some older textbooks that pre-date PC culture, as well as other resources. What do you recommend?

Start with this:

 

https://www.bing.com/search?q=history+of+the+world+part+1&form=PRHPR1&mkt=en-us&httpsmsn=1&refig=cac9f69d929849f3b587ff95ca9e65b7&sp=1&filters=ufn%3A%22history+of+the+world+part+1%22+sid%3A%228dbabf01-0606-d390-23f4-94f99f98d099%22&qs=MB&pq=the+history+of+the+world+movie&sc=1-30&cvid=cac9f69d929849f3b587ff95ca9e65b7

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I'm looking to study US history, primarily but not exclusively the run up to the civil war. I want to get some older textbooks that pre-date PC culture, as well as other resources. What do you recommend?

Boom!

 

I majored in history with my expertise in early American history through civil war

 

I'm a book with all my notes and lectures

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Boom!

 

I majored in history with my expertise in early American history through civil war

 

I'm a book with all my notes and lectures

good. maybe we can chat some here.

 

since slavery was the cause for the civil war, at what point before did the southern states become fully dependent on the slaves to make their economy fiscally sound?

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good. maybe we can chat some here.

 

since slavery was the cause for the civil war, at what point before did the southern states become fully dependent on the slaves to make their economy fiscally sound?

First

 

Are there any restrictions to what I can and cannot say?

 

I definitely couldn't discuss politics or stuff like this over at BBMB

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First

 

Are there any restrictions to what I can and cannot say?

 

I definitely couldn't discuss politics or stuff like this over at BBMB

on this board there are no restrictions, as long as you do not personally attack anyone or cross the lines of common sense morality - aka post nudity, violent or disgusting photos or memes, and anything common sense.

 

but, just for the record i was being sarcastic. whenever the civil war is brought up, espcially and when somehow on the main board it becomes about how slavery was the only reason for the civil war - which i was mocking.

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on this board there are no restrictions, as long as you do not personally attack anyone or cross the lines of common sense morality - aka post nudity, violent or disgusting photos or memes, and anything common sense.

 

but, just for the record i was being sarcastic. whenever the civil war is brought up, espcially and when somehow on the main board it becomes about how slavery was the only reason for the civil war - which i was mocking.

Cool

 

Because I didn't want to correct you that it was more states rights and not slavery lol

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The only rule of PPP is there are no rules.

 

Of course there are rules, the primary being - don't be an idiot.

 

People do get banned from here for being outright racists/supremacists or for threatening other posters.

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Pre-PC would be before the great movement that changed everything, the Civil Rights Movement which led to a re-writing of much of the history of the nation. Still, there were some great histories written before then. Carl Sandburg's books on Lincoln are just amazing, if somewhat hero worshippy, but still excellent reads. I would highly recommend James McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom, it might not be what you like but its good to read things you don't want to agree with. He is one of the greatest historians of our time. If you want something from a southerner, try Jefferson Davis' autobiography, which I found interesting but funny in parts. Read Frederick Douglass's autobiography, it is an amazing book on slavery. Can't call that pc! You can join any number of civil war related message boards and you can get tons of resources, opinions, and arguments from all over. Very very informed people from all points of view write on them. Here is just one: http://civilwartalk.com/Many other southerners wrote memoirs after the war, you might like those. Teddy Roosevelt wrote history books you might enjoy and the Bancroft award is named after the historian who wrote in the 19th century. Washington Irving is an old and very good historian, too. He wrote a long bio on George Washington. One guy who was not a historian but wrote contemporary accounts of America in the past was the guy who created Delaware Park, Frederick Law Olmstead, he traveled through the south in the 1850's and wrote all about it. Just a treasure!

 

I really don't go to libraries anymore myself, not since Amazon.com came around, but just head to the American history section and look for the older books, if its a good library they will have some great books still there. Some names you might want to look up -- not sure if you will like them, but just to throw them out there: Allan Nevins who wrote for decades before and after the civil rights movement, Page Smith who you really might like a lot and wrote on everything and my new favorite historian, though he is a military historian and wrote about the war itself is Stephen Sears. Another great is Bruce Catton, who wrote about the war.

 

Hope that's helpful.

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I'm looking to study US history, primarily but not exclusively the run up to the civil war. I want to get some older textbooks that pre-date PC culture, as well as other resources. What do you recommend?

 

The best tangible history source (stretch your timeline a tad) is to spend decent time reading up on and then go to Gettsyburg National Battlefield, take the 2-3 hour personal guided tour, marvel at the real dimensions of the featured peach orchard, that "hill" that one man rallied troops to defend against a major Rebel charge, the concept of fitting everyone in there along with all the horses... the monuments of the Southern states with as much accepted belligerency as they could carve in stone.

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The best tangible history source (stretch your timeline a tad) is to spend decent time reading up on and then go to Gettsyburg National Battlefield, take the 2-3 hour personal guided tour, marvel at the real dimensions of the featured peach orchard, that "hill" that one man rallied troops to defend against a major Rebel charge, the concept of fitting everyone in there along with all the horses... the monuments of the Southern states with as much accepted belligerency as they could carve in stone.

Cemetery Hill where Weidrich's Battery fought on day two. Germans from Buffalo who fought for the Union and had the Confederates get into their guns only to be fought off. I have not been there since 2003 and its time I went back!

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Cemetery Hill where Weidrich's Battery fought on day two. Germans from Buffalo who fought for the Union and had the Confederates get into their guns only to be fought off. I have not been there since 2003 and its time I went back!

 

Even as a Canadian I had periods of standing there in awe for minutes at a time trying to cram that many into the dimensions of the battlefield, and the ghosts of Picketts Charge.

 

Vets tell me the only thing that surpassed going here is the fields memorials of France for WW1 and 2....

 

As well, visit Arlington for more tangible history, and there's good parking (except on obvious days when there won't be) and take the Metro down to DC for more visits. I do this every 4 or so years, starting with Gettysburg.

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Even as a Canadian I had periods of standing there in awe for minutes at a time trying to cram that many into the dimensions of the battlefield, and the ghosts of Picketts Charge.

 

Vets tell me the only thing that surpassed going here is the fields memorials of France for WW1 and 2....

 

As well, visit Arlington for more tangible history, and there's good parking (except on obvious days when there won't be) and take the Metro down to DC for more visits. I do this every 4 or so years, starting with Gettysburg.

Pickett's Charge is holy land! So many great historical places to visit and the numbers are growing. Every city has a great museum it seems.

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Pickett's Charge is holy land! So many great historical places to visit and the numbers are growing. Every city has a great museum it seems.

 

Also the US has so many pockets of Impressionist and 20th century art, have come across small collections of Braques and Picasso and other greats without fanfare in remote areas.

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