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America: The Last Best Hope Volume I (1492-1914)
Please note that Volume I also includes interviews with author Dr. Bennett at the beginning and end of the book.
Interview with author William J. Bennett
Introduction to America The Last Best Hope Volume I
Chapter 1: Westward the Course (1492-1607)
Chapter 1, Introduction, Section I a. Columbus: “The Christ Bearer”
Chapter 1, Section I b. Columbus: “The Christ Bearer” (continued)
Chapter 1, Section I c. Columbus: “The Christ Bearer” (continued)
Chapter 1, Section I d. Columbus: “The Christ Bearer” (continued)
Chapter 1, Section II a. The Scramble for Empire
Chapter 1, Section II b. The Scramble for Empire (continued)
Chapter 1, Section II c. The Scramble for Empire (continued)
Chapter 1, Section III a. The Rise of England
Chapter 1, Section III b. The Rise of England (continued)
Chapter 2: A City Upon a Hill (1607-1765)
Chapter 2, Introduction, Section I a. Coming to America
Chapter 2, Section I b. Coming to America (continued)
Chapter 2, Section I c. Coming to America (continued)
Chapter 2, Section II a. The Great Migration
Chapter 2, Section II b. The Great Migration (continued)
Chapter 2, Section III. Expanding English Rule
Chapter 2, Section IV. Britain and France: Conflict for a Continent
Chapter 2, Section V. Religious and Intellectual Awakenings
Chapter 2, Section VI a. Britain and France: The Final Conflict
Chapter 2, Section VI b. Britain and France: The Final Conflict (continued)
Chapter 3: The Greatest Revolution (1765-1783)
Chapter 3, Introduction and Section I a. Stamping Out Unfair Taxes
Chapter 3, Section I b. Stamping Out Unfair Taxes (continued)
Chapter 3, Section I c. Stamping Out Unfair Taxes (continued
Chapter 3, Section I d. Stamping Out Unfair Taxes (continued)
Chapter 3, Section II a. A Total Separation
Chapter 3, Section II b. A Total Separation (continued)
Chapter 3, Section II c. A Total Separation (continued)
Chapter 3, Section III a. “The Shot Heard ‘Round The World”
Chapter 3, Section III b. “The Shot Heard ‘Round The World” (continued)
Chapter 3, Section III c. “The Shot Heard ‘Round The World” (continued)
Chapter 3, Section III d. “The Shot Heard ‘Round The World” (continued)
Chapter 3, Section IV a. A Continental War
Chapter 3, Section IV b. A Continental War (continued)
Chapter 3, Section IV c. A Continental War (continued)
Chapter 3, Section V. The French Alliance
Chapter 3, Section VI a. “The World Turned Upside Down”
Chapter 3, Section VI b. “The World Turned Upside Down” (continued)
Chapter 3, Section VII. A Dangerous Peace
Chapter 4: Reflection and Choice: Framing the Constitution (1783-1789)
Chapter 4, Introduction, Section I a. A Critical Period
Chapter 4, Section I b. A Critical Period (continued)
Chapter 4, Section I c. A Critical Period (continued)
Chapter 4, Section II a. “The Great Little Madison”
Chapter 4, Section II b. “The Great Little Madison” (continued)
Chapter 4, Section II c. “The Great Little Madison” (continued)
Chapter 4, Section II d. “The Great Little Madison” (continued)
Chapter 4, Section III a. The Struggle for Ratification
Chapter 4, Section III b. The Struggle for Ratification
Chapter 5: The New Republic (1789-1801)
Chapter 5, Introduction, Section I a. “The Sacred Fire of Liberty”
Chapter 5, Section I b. “The Sacred Fire of Liberty” (continued)
Chapter 5, Section II. Madison’s Bill of Rights
Chapter 5, Section III a. “A Host in Himself”: Hamilton’s New System
Chapter 5, Section III b. “A Host in Himself”: Hamilton’s New System (continued)
Chapter 5, Section III c. “A Host in Himself”: Hamilton’s New System (continued)
Chapter 5, Section IV a. Hurricane Genet
Chapter 5, Section IV b. Hurricane Genet (continued)
Chapter 5, Section IV c. Hurricane Genet (continued)
Chapter 5, Section V a. A Long and Difficult Farewell
Chapter 5, Section V b. A Long and Difficult Farewell (continued)
Chapter 5, Section VI a. War, Peace, and Honest John Adams
Chapter 5, Section VI b. War, Peace, and Honest John Adams (continued)
Chapter 5, Section VI c. War, Peace, and Honest John Adams (continued)
Chapter 5, Section VII a. The Revolution of 1800
Chapter 5, Section VII b. The Revolution of 1800 (continued)
Chapter 6: The Jeffersonians (1801-1829)
Chapter 6, Introduction, Section I a, “An Empire For Liberty”
Chapter 6, Section I b. “An Empire For Liberty” (continued)
Chapter 6, Section I c. “An Empire For Liberty” (continued)
Chapter 6, Section I d. “An Empire For Liberty” (continued)
Chapter 6, Section II. Lewis & Clark: “The Corps of Discovery”
Chapter 6, Section III a. Plots, Trials, and Treason
Chapter 6, Section III b. Plots, Trials, and Treason (continued)
Chapter 6, Section III c. Plots, Trials, and Treason (continued)
Chapter 6, Section IV. “A Splendid Misery”: Jefferson’s Last Years
Chapter 6, Section V a. “Mr. Madison’s War”
Chapter 6, Section V b. “Mr. Madison’s War” (continued)
Chapter 6, Section V c. “Mr. Madison’s War” (continued)
Chapter 6, Section VI a. The Battle of New Orleans
Chapter 6, Section VI b. The Battle of New Orleans (continued)
Chapter 6, Section VII. “An Era of Good Feeling”
Chapter 6, Section VIII. The Missouri Compromise
Chapter 6, Section IX. The Monroe Doctrine
Chapter 6, Section X. “A Corrupt Bargain”: The Election of 1824
Chapter 6, Section XI. “Is it the Fourth?”: Adams and Jefferson Die
Chapter 7: Jackson and Democracy (1829-1849)
Chapter 7, Introduction, Section I a. From Caucus to Raucous: The Election of 1828
Chapter 7, Section I b. From Caucus to Raucous: The Election of 1828 (continued)
Chapter 7, Section I c. From Caucus to Raucous: The Election of 1828 (continued)
Chapter 7, Section II. The Peggy Eaton Affair
Chapter 7, Section III a. John C. Calhoun: The Cast-Iron Man
Chapter 7, Section III b. John C. Calhoun: The Cast-Iron Man (continued)
Chapter 7, Section IV a. “Our Federal Union: It Must Be Preserved!”
Chapter 7, Section IV b. “Our Federal Union: It Must Be Preserved!” (continued)
Chapter 7, Section IV c. “Our Federal Union: It Must Be Preserved!” (continued)
Chapter 7, Section V a. The Tragedy of Indian Removal
Chapter 7, Section V b. The Tragedy of Indian Removal (continued)
Chapter 7, Section VI. Jackson’s War on the Bank
Chapter 7, Section VII. “Old Man Eloquent”
Chapter 7, Section VIII. “Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too!”
Chapter 7, Section IX. Great Harry of the West
Chapter 7, Section X a. Reannexing Texas and Reoccupying Oregon
Chapter 7, Section X b. Reannexing Texas and Reoccupying Oregon (continued)
Chapter 7, Section XI a. “The Halls of Montezuma”
Chapter 7, Section XI b. “The Halls of Montezuma” (continued)
Chapter 8: The Rising Storm (1849-1861)
Chapter 8, Introduction, Section I a. California and the Compromise of 1850
Chapter 8, Section I b. California and the Compromise of 1850 (continued)
Chapter 8, Section I c. California and the Compromise of 1850 (continued)
Chapter 8, Section II a. Railroads and Reform
Chapter 8, Section II b. Railroads and Reform (continued)
Chapter 8, Section II c. Railroads and Reform (continued)
Chapter 8, Section III a. “Bleeding Kansas”
Chapter 8, Section III b. “Bleeding Kansas” (continued)
Chapter 8, Section III c. “Bleeding Kansas” (continued)
Chapter 8, Section IV. Dred Scott
Chapter 8, Section V a. Lincoln Meets Douglas
Chapter 8, Section V b. Lincoln Meets Douglas (continued)
Chapter 8, Section VI. John Brown and Harpers Ferry
Chapter 8, Section VII a. The Election of 1860
Chapter 8, Section VII b. The Election of 1860 (continued)
Chapter 8, Section VII c. The Election of 1860 (continued)
Chapter 9: Freedom’s Fiery Trial (1860-1863)
Chapter 9, Introduction, Section I a. Secession Winter (1860-61)
Chapter 9, Section I b. Secession Winter (1860-61) (continued)
Chapter 9, Section II a. Fort Sumter: The Circle of Fire
Chapter 9, Section II b. Fort Sumter: The Circle of Fire (continued)
Chapter 9, Section III a. “A People’s Contest”: The Civil War Begins
Chapter 9, Section III b. “A People’s Contest”: The Civil War Begins (continued)
Chapter 9, Section IV. “One War at a Time”: The Trent Affair
Chapter 9, Section V a. 1862: “Year of Jubilee”
Chapter 9, Section V b. 1862: “Year of Jubilee” (continued)
Chapter 9, Section V c. 1862: “Year of Jubilee” (continued)
Chapter 9, Section V d. 1862: “Year of Jubilee” (continued)
Chapter 9, Section V e. 1862: “Year of Jubilee” (continued)
Chapter 9, Section VI a. Emancipation: “Forever Free”
Chapter 9, Section VI b. Emancipation: “Forever Free” (continued)
Chapter 9, Section VI c. Emancipation: “Forever Free” (continued)
Chapter 10: A New Birth of Freedom (1863-1865)
Chapter 10, Introduction, Section I a.Gettysburg: The Confederacy’s High-Water Mark
Chapter 10, Section I b. Gettysburg: The Confederacy’s High-Water Mark (continued)
Chapter 10, Section I c. Gettysburg: The Confederacy’s High-Water Mark (continued)
Chapter 10, Section I d. Gettysburg: The Confederacy’s High-Water Mark (continued)
Chapter 10, Section I e. Gettysburg: The Confederacy’s High-Water Mark (continued)
Chapter 10, Section II a. The Agony of Abraham Lincoln
Chapter 10, Section II b. The Agony of Abraham Lincoln (continued)
Chapter 10, Section III a. “Long Abraham A Little Longer”
Chapter 10, Section III b. “Long Abraham A Little Longer” (continued)
Chapter 10, Section III c. “Long Abraham A Little Longer” (continued)
Chapter 10, Section IV a. The Union Victorious
Chapter 10, Section IV b. The Union Victorious (continued)
Chapter 10, Section IV c. The Union Victorious (continued)
Chapter 11: To Bind Up the Nation’s Wounds (1865-1877)
Chapter 11, Introduction, Section I. Pass in Review
Chapter 11, Section II a. Thunder on the Borders: South and North
Chapter 11, Section II b. Thunder on the Borders: South and North (continued)
Chapter 11, Section III a. Reconstruction and Renewal
Chapter 11, Section III b. Reconstruction and Renewal (continued)
Chapter 11, Section III c. Reconstruction and Renewal (continued)
Chapter 11, Section III d. Reconstruction and Renewal (continued)
Chapter 11, Section IV. Impeachment
Chapter 11, Section V a. “Let Us Have Peace”
Chapter 11, Section V b. “Let Us Have Peace” (continued)
Chapter 11, Section V c. “Let Us Have Peace” (continued)
Chapter 11, Section VI. A Tragic Divorce in Freedom’s Ranks
Chapter 11, Section VII. The Spirit of 1876
Chapter 11, Section VIII a. A Dangerous Dispute
Chapter 11, Section VIII b. A Dangerous Dispute (continued)
Chapter 12: An Age More Golden Than Gilded? (1877-1897)
Chapter 12, Introduction, Section I. A Gilded Age?
Chapter 12, Section II a. Reform, Roosevelts, and Reaction
Chapter 12, Section II b. Reform, Roosevelts, and Reaction (continued)
Chapter 12, Section III a. Grover Cleveland: “Tell the Truth!”
Chapter 12, Section III b. Grover Cleveland: “Tell the Truth!” (continued)
Chapter 12, Section IV. The Golden Door
Chapter 12, Section V a. Winning the West
Chapter 12, Section V b. Winning the West (continued)
Chapter 12, Section VI. A Social Gospel
Chapter 12, Section VII a. “A Cross of Gold”
Chapter 12, Section VII b. “A Cross of Gold” (continued)
Chapter 12, Section VII c. “A Cross of Gold” (continued)
Chapter 12, Section VII d. “A Cross of Gold” (continued)
Chapter 12, Section VII e. “A Cross of Gold” (continued)
Chapter 12, Section VIII. “From the New World”
Chapter 13: The American Dynamo--Shadowed by War (1897-1914)
Introduction, Section I a. “ A Splendid Little War”
Chapter 13, Section I b. “A Splendid Little War” (continued)
Chapter 13, Section I c. “A Splendid Little War” (continued)
Chapter 13, Section I d. “A Splendid Little War” (continued)
Chapter 13, Section II a. Rough Rider Politics
Chapter 13, Section II b. Rough Rider Politics (continued)
Chapter 13, Section III a. TR in the White House
Chapter 13, Section III b. TR in the White House (continued)
Chapter 13, Section III c. TR in the White House (continued)
Chapter 13, Section IV a. TR and the Square Deal
Chapter 13, Section IV b. TR and the Square Deal (continued)
Chapter 13, Section V a. Wielding the Big Stick
Chapter 13, Section V b. Wielding the Big Stick (continued)
Chapter 13, Section V c. Wielding the Big Stick (continued)
Chapter 13, Section VI. The Taft Interlude
Chapter 13, Section VII. Unsinkable, Unthinkable
Chapter 13, Section VIII. A Bull Moose on the Loose: The Election of 1912
Chapter 13, Section IX a. Woodrow Wilson and the New Freedom
Chapter 13, Section IX. b Woodrow Wilson and the New Freedom (continued)