“Diversity” is not a new, foreign element in American life. It goes back to the earliest roots of the nation, when five distinct regions emerged along the Atlantic shore in the 17th century. This book explains how and why that happened, and with what consequences. Each region was marked by a different geography and economy, a different mix of people, and different sets of social expectations. Religion and politics varied sharply from one area to another. In each case the blend of ingredients also bore lines of tension that built up to a point of crisis: the Salem witch-craze in New England, for instance, or the Stono Rebellion of enslaved Africans in the Lower South. Out of these crises came reforms that set the five regions on their course to converge, eventually, in a new nation. But many of the old differences came along, making the young United States a rambunctious, often uneasy place, filled with quarrels and culture wars. That is, the United States today shows some remarkable similarities to times far away and forgotten. This book brings those times back to life in the hope that clearer memories might help us live better today.
Industry Reviews
"James Bratt has distilled a lifetime of study and teaching into this one Calvin Shorts. For an efficient, clear, balanced, readable-but above all, reliable-introduction to colonial American history, it is hard to imagine a better book."-Mark Noll, author In the Beginning Was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, 1492-1783
"James D. Bratt's American Roots offers a brisk, engaging review of the often grim realities of early America, and those realities' enduring significance in our national life. Readers will find Bratt a sure guide and a judicious interpreter of these controversial issues."
-Thomas S. Kidd, Distinguished Professor of History, Baylor University
"American Roots is a gem of a book. Instead of seeing "the American colonies" as a whole, author James Bratt shows how remarkably different the colonies' five main regions-New England, Middle Colonies, Chesapeake, Lower South and Back Country-were in their development and defining moments. Each put its unique stamp, for good and ill, on what it means to be an American today. This is one powerful little book, full of insights for Americans who want to know themselves and for anyone else who wants to understand Americans."
-Joel Carpenter, Nagel Institute, Calvin College
"This slim volume is at once a masterful primer on colonial America, a lively exemplar of historical thinking, and a pocket guide to understanding the tensions and ideals that created and continue to shape the American nation. Crisply written and chock full of colorful bits of wisdom and insight, Bratt's book is ideal for the classroom or for a quiet evening at home."
-Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author A New Gospel for Women: Katharine Bushnell and the Challenge of Christian Feminism
"I am really impressed with Jim's ability to pack so broad a story into so tight a package. The book covers a huge amount of ground in a manner that is unified, coherent, and accessible. It accomplishes its purpose admirably . . . . the introductory chapter explains a historians work in terms about as clear as he could make them to a high school student. I wish every student in the US-and most teachers-had a copy of this book just for this purpose alone."-Timothy D. Hall, Associate Dean and Professor of History, Central Michigan University
