Routledge From Confederation to Nation: The Early American Republic, 1789-1848

In the era of the Early Republic, Americans determined the meaning of their Revolution and laid the foundation for the United States’ later emergence as a world power. This book provides students with an explanation of the major events and developments of one of the most important periods in American History. Focusing on the years between the Revolution and the Civil War, From Confederation to Nation presents a narrative of the era’s political history along with discussions of the significant social and cultural changes that occurred across the Union’s first six decades. Taking a broad approach which examines economic changes, religious influences, political reform, cultural challenges, and racial and gender inequalities in the Early Republic, Atkins’ text is useful for a vast array of critical perspectives. From Confederation to Nation presents an accessible introduction to the Early American Republic that offers readers a solid foundation for more advanced study. Review Jonathan Atkins' history of the Early Republic provides readers with a clearly written survey focused on a time of American political giants, men such as Jackson, Calhoun, Clay, Polk, and Webster, to name only a few. As Atkins demonstrates, that era's severe political partisanship holds important lessons for us today. -Mark R. Cheathem, author of Andrew Jackson, Southerner This concise narrative traces the remarkable transformation of a loose confederation of thirteen states into a continental nation. Atkins focuses on politics but never loses sight of the broader social and economic changes and human struggles that accompanied America’s growth. It is a wonderful introduction to the Early Republic. -Daniel Dupre, author of Transforming the Cotton Frontier: Madison County, Alabama, 1800―1840 Jonathan Atkins has produced an excellent survey of the early American republic. Confederation to Nation treats important but divergent subjects with an ease that makes the narrative flow seamlessly from topic to topic. This well-organized and skillfully written history traces how states with diverse interests were gradually transformed into a nation by the forces of political nationalism. Atkins focused on the country’s evolving political culture as it pertains to the concepts of federalism and republicanism without ignoring other important issues like women’s history, religious movements, and the place that minority groups occupied in American society. This book is rich in detail and authoritative in tone. It is a great introductory text for anyone interested in learning more about the United States in its formative years, and it would be especially useful for college classes. I highly recommend Confederation to Nation.-Timothy D. Johnson, author of A Gallant Little Army: The Mexico City Campaign About the Author Jonathan Moore Atkins is Professor of History at Berry College, in Mt. Berry, Georgia, USA.