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Narratives Of Empire
The ''Narratives of Empire'' series is a heptalogy of historical novels by American author Gore Vidal, published between 1967 and 2000, which chronicle the dawn-to-decadence history of the " American Empire"; the narratives interweave the personal stories of two families with the personages and events of U.S. history. Despite the publisher's preference for the politically neutral series-title "American Chronicles", Vidal preferred the series title "Narratives of Empire". The seven novels can be read in either historical or publication order without losing narrative intelligibility. Books ''Burr'' (1973) Though ''Burr'' (1973) is the second book published in the series, it is first chronologically, taking place in 1775–1808, 1833–1836, and 1840. In the novel, set during the politically contentious era of the Jackson administration, an elderly and active Aaron Burr recounts his experiences of the Revolutionary War and America's Founding Fathers to a young law clerk sec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Burr (novel)
''Burr: A Novel'' is a 1973 historical novel by Gore Vidal that challenges the traditional Founding Fathers iconography of United States history, by means of a narrative that includes a fictional memoir by Aaron Burr, in representing the people, politics, and events of the U.S. in the early 19th century. It was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1974. ''Burr'' is chronologically the first book of the seven-novel series '' Narratives of Empire'', with which Vidal examined, explored, and explained the imperial history of the United States; chronologically, the six other historical novels of the series are '' Lincoln'' (1984), ''1876'' (1976), ''Empire'' (1987), '' Hollywood'' (1990), '' Washington, D.C.'' (1967), and '' The Golden Age'' (2000). Description ''Burr'' portrays the eponymous anti-hero as a fascinating and honorable gentleman, and portrays his contemporary opponents as mortal men; thus, George Washington is an incompetent military officer, a general who l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Washington
George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot forces to victory in the American Revolutionary War against the British Empire. He is commonly known as the Father of the Nation for his role in bringing about American independence. Born in the Colony of Virginia, Washington became the commander of the Virginia Regiment during the French and Indian War (1754–1763). He was later elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, and opposed the perceived oppression of the American colonists by the British Crown. When the American Revolutionary War against the British began in 1775, Washington was appointed Commanding General of the United States Army, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. He directed a poorly organized and equipped force against disciplined British troops. Wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Samuel Swartwout
Samuel Swartwout (November 17, 1783 – November 21, 1856) was an American soldier, merchant, speculator, and politician. He is best known for his role in the Swartwout-Hoyt scandal, in which he was alleged to have embezzled $1,222,705.09 during his tenure as Collector of the Port of New York. Early life Swartwout was born in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York on November 17, 1783. He was one of seven children born to Abraham Swartwout (1743–1799) and Maria (née North) Swartwout. Along with his brothers John Swartwout and Brigadier General Robert Swartwout, Samuel was a close ally of Aaron Burr in his early career in New York State politics. He remained close to Burr throughout the latter's life, and was his traveling companion on several long trips. Career Swartwout was an active participant in Burr's venture in the West and in the conspiracy trial that resulted from it. According to historian Thomas Perkins Abernethy, "Several members of the Swartwout fam ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Cullen Bryant
William Cullen Bryant (November 3, 1794 – June 12, 1878) was an American romantic poet, journalist, and long-time editor of the '' New York Evening Post''. Born in Massachusetts, he started his career as a lawyer but showed an interest in poetry early in his life. In 1825, Bryant relocated to New York City, where he became an editor of two major newspapers. He also emerged as one of the most significant poets in early literary America and has been grouped among the fireside poets for his accessible and popular poetry. Early life and education Bryant was born on November 3, 1794, in a log cabin near Cummington, Massachusetts; this home of his birth is commemorated with a plaque. He was the second son of Peter Bryant (August 12, 1767 – March 20, 1820), a physician and later a state legislator, and Sarah Snell (December 4, 1768 – May 6, 1847). The genealogy of his mother traces back to passengers on the '' Mayflower'', including John Alden (1599–1687), his wife Prisci ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Helen Jewett
Helen Jewett (born Dorcas Doyen;The trial of Richard P. Robinson for the murder of Helen Jewett. New York City, 1836 In American state trials / John D.Lawson, editor pp 426-487 Wilmington, Del. : Scholarly Resources, 1972 October 18, 1813 – April 10, 1836) was an American prostitute in New York City who was brutally murdered. One of her regular clients, Richard P. Robinson, was tried and sensationally acquitted of her murder. Jewett's murder and Robinson's subsequent trial was one of the first sex scandals to receive detailed press reporting, notably in the ''New York Herald''. Public opinion was divided between those who felt that Jewett had deserved her fate, and others claiming that Robinson had escaped justice through powerful connections. Early history Jewett was born Dorcas Doyen into a working-class family in Temple, Maine. Her father was an alcoholic; her mother died when Jewett was young. From the age of 12 or 13, Jewett was employed as a servant girl in the home of C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Leggett (writer)
William Leggett (April 30, 1801 – May 29, 1839) was an American poet, fiction writer, and journalist. Life William Leggett's father was Major Abraham Leggett, who served in the Continental Army from 1776–1783. Modern-day Leggett Street in The Bronx is named after Abraham. William's mother, Catherine Wiley (1784–1839) of New Rochelle, was Major Leggett's second wife. The couple had 9 children, of which William was the 8th. Leggett attended Georgetown College in 1815–16. In 1819, after his father's business failed, he moved with his family to Edwardsville, Illinois. In late 1822, he returned to New York to take up a naval commission as a midshipman. He served in the United States Navy in the West Indies and Mediterranean. In January 1825, Leggett was imprisoned by his captain for dueling on duty. Several months later, a court martial convicted him of several offenses. His sentence of dismissal from the navy was reduced to time served, but he resigned his commission ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before Presidency of Andrew Jackson, his presidency, he rose to fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses of the U.S. Congress. Jacksonian democracy, His political philosophy became the basis for the History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party. Jackson's legacy is controversial: he has been praised as an advocate for working Americans and Nullification crisis, preserving the union of states, and criticized for his racist policies, particularly towards Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans. Jackson was born in the colonial Carolinas before the American Revolutionary War. He became a American frontier, frontier lawyer and married Rachel Donelson Jackson, Rachel Donelson Robards. He briefly served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, representing Tennessee. After resigning, he served a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren ( ; ; December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862) was the eighth president of the United States, serving from 1837 to 1841. A primary founder of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as Attorney General of New York, New York's attorney general and United States Senator, U.S. senator, then briefly as the ninth governor of New York before joining Andrew Jackson's administration as the tenth United States secretary of state, minister to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom, and ultimately the eighth vice president of the United States, vice president from 1833 to 1837, after being elected on Jackson's ticket in 1832 United States presidential election, 1832. Van Buren won the presidency in 1836 United States presidential election, 1836 against divided Whig opponents. He lost re-election in 1840 United States presidential election, 1840, and failed to win the Democratic nomination in 1844 United States presidential el ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Davy Crockett
Colonel (United States), Colonel David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American politician, militia officer and frontiersman. Often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier", he represented Tennessee in the United States House of Representatives and fought in the Texas Revolution. Crockett grew up in East Tennessee, where he gained a reputation for hunting and storytelling. He was made a colonel in the militia of Lawrence County, Tennessee, and was elected to the Tennessee state legislature in 1821. In 1827, he was elected to the U.S. Congress where he vehemently opposed many of the policies of President Andrew Jackson, especially the Indian Removal Act. Crockett's opposition to Jackson's policies led to his defeat in the 1831 elections. He was re-elected in 1833, then narrowly lost in 1835, prompting his angry departure to Texas (then the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas, Tejas) shortly thereafter. In early 1836, he took part in th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alexander McDougall
Alexander McDougall (1732 9 June 1786) was a Scottish-born American seaman, merchant, a Sons of Liberty leader from New York City before and during the American Revolution, and a military leader during the Revolutionary War. He served as a major general in the Continental Army, and as a delegate to the Continental Congress. After the war, he was the president of the first bank in the state of New York and served a term in the New York State Senate. Early life McDougall was born on the Isle of Islay, in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland in the summer of 1732. He was one of the five children of Ranald and Elizabeth McDougall. In 1738 the family emigrated to New York as part of a party led by a British Army veteran, Captain Lachlan Campbell. Campbell had described fertile land available near Fort Edward, but when they arrived in New York City, they discovered that Lachlan had been awarded a patent for about and expected them to become tenants to his estate. Ranald withdrew and fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Monroe
James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American Founding Father of the United States, Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. He was the last Founding Father to serve as president as well as the last president of the Virginia dynasty. He was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party, and Presidency of James Monroe, his presidency coincided with the Era of Good Feelings, concluding the First Party System era of American politics. He issued the Monroe Doctrine, a policy of limiting European colonialism in the Americas. Monroe previously served as Governor of Virginia, a member of the United States Senate, U.S. ambassador to France and Britain, the seventh secretary of state, and the eighth secretary of war. During the American Revolutionary War, he served in the Continental Army. Monroe studied law under Thomas Jefferson from 1780 to 1783 and subsequently served as a List of delegates to the Continental Congress, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dolley Madison
Dolley Todd Madison (née Payne; May 20, 1768 – July 12, 1849) was the wife of James Madison, the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. She was noted for holding Washington social functions in which she invited members of both political parties, essentially spearheading the concept of bipartisan cooperation. Previously, founders such as Thomas Jefferson would only meet with members of one party at a time, and politics could often be a violent affair resulting in physical altercations and even duels. Madison helped to create the idea that members of each party could amicably socialize, network, and negotiate with each other without violence. By innovating political institutions as the wife of James Madison, Dolley Madison did much to define the role of the President's spouse, known only much later by the title First Lady—a function she had sometimes performed earlier for the widowed Thomas Jefferson. Madison also helped to furnish the newly constructed W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
