The Keystone State; so nicknamed because it was geographically situated in the middle of the thirteen original colonies and played a crucial role in the founding of the United States; has remained at the heart of American history. Created partly as a safe haven for people from all walks of life; Pennsylvania is today the home of diverse cultures; religions; ethnic groups; social classes; and occupations. Many ideas; institutions; and interests that were first formed or tested in Pennsylvania spread across America and beyond; and continue to inform American culture; society; and politics. This book tells that story—and more. It recenters Pennsylvania in the American historical narrative.Pennsylvania: A History of the Commonwealth offers fresh perspectives on the Keystone State from an array of distinguished scholars who view the history of this Commonwealth critically and honestly; using the latest and best scholarship to give a modern account of Pennsylvania's past. They do so by emphasizing the evolution of Pennsylvania as a place and an idea. The book; the first comprehensive history of Pennsylvania in almost three decades; sets the Pennsylvania story in the larger context of national social; cultural; economic; and political development. Without sacrificing treatment of the influential leaders who made Pennsylvania history; the book focuses especially on the lives of everyday people over the centuries. It also magnifies historical events by examining the experiences of local communities throughout the state.Pennsylvania: A History of the Commonwealth is divided into two parts. Part I offers a narrative history of the Commonwealth; paying special attention to the peopling process (the movement of people into; around; and out from the state); the ways people defined and defended communities; the forms of economic production; the means of transportation and communication; the character; content; and consequences of people's values; and the political cultures that emerged from the kinds of society; economy; and culture each period formed and sustained. Part II offers a series of "Ways to Pennsylvania's Past"—nine concise guides designed to enable readers to discover Pennsylvania's heritage for themselves. Geography; architecture; archaeology; folklore and folklife; genealogy; photography; art; oral history; and literature are all discussed as methods of uncovering and understanding the past. Each chapter is especially attuned to Pennsylvania's place in the larger American context; and a Foreword; Introduction; and Epilogue to Part I explore general themes throughout the state's history. An important feature of the book is the large selection of illustrations—more than 400 prints; maps; photographs; and paintings carefully chosen from repositories across the state and beyond; to show how Pennsylvanians have lived; worked; and played through the centuries. This book is the result of a unique collaboration between Penn State Press and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC); the official history agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Together they gathered scholars from all over the Commonwealth to envision a new history of the Keystone State and commit their resources to make imagining and writing a new history possible.
#2233937 in Books 2014-05-30Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.10 x 6.00l; 1.32 #File Name: 0268044252392 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Full disclosure - I bought this book because my daughter ...By Kathleen WolfFull disclosure - I bought this book because my daughter wrote it and I wanted another copy to loan out to interested people.
