The Patriot's History Reader: Essential Documents for Every American [Paperback]

Larry Schweikart (Author), Michael Allen (Author), Dave Dougherty (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 28, 2011

An original collection of the most influential documents in American history, from the bestselling author of A Patriot's History of the United States.

Since 2005, A Patriot's History of the United States has become a modern classic for its defense of America as a unique country founded on principles of justice, equality, and freedom for all.

The Patriot's History Reader continues this tradition by going back to the original sources-the documents, speeches, and legal decisions that shaped our country into what it is today.

The authors explore both oft-cited documents-the Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, and Roe v. Wade--as well as those that are less famous. Among these are George Washington's letter to Alexander Hamilton, which essentially outline America's military strategy for the next 150 years, and Herbert Hoover's speech on business ethics, which examines the government's role in regulating private enterprise.

By helping readers explore history at its source, this book sheds new light on the principles and personalities that have made America great.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for A Patriot's History of the United States:
''This book has taught me more about our history than any I've read in years. A Patriot's History of the United States should be required reading for all Americans.'' -- Glenn Beck
''A fluid account of America from the discovery of the continent up to the present day.'' --Wall Street Journal --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

About the Author

Larry Schweikart is the co-author of A Patriot's History of the United States: From Columbus's Great Discovery to the War on Terror, and is a professor of history at the University of Dayton. He has written more than 20 books on national defense, business, and financial history.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Sentinel Trade (June 28, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595230785
• ISBN-13: 978-1595230782
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 1 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #100,004 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Allen, Professor of History at the University of Washington, Tacoma, was born and raised in Ellensburg, Washington. After serving with the U.S. Marines in Vietnam, he graduated with a BA, MA, and Ph.D. from Central Washington State College, University of Montana, and University of Washington. He has published five books and taught at Tennessee Tech, Deep Springs College, Eastern Montana College, and UW Tacoma. He lives in Ellensburg and Tacoma with his three children, Jim, Davy, and Caroline. Photo by Jill Carnell Danseco, ©2009, University of Washington Tacoma.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Collection of Documents July 17, 2011

By Shogun Len

Format:Paperback

A Patriot's History of the United States is to a traditional view of American History, what the People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn is to left wing revisionist history. Both books are highly readable but take very different views of American History. Both books are what they are, very good histories with very strong opinion and in my opinion work best side by side and make for great debate and conversation. An honest educator, will tell readers about what these books are. Unfortunately, many assign Zinn's A People's History without giving the background of Zinn's revisionist borderline communist view. With that aside, The Patriot's History of the United States is a great text and in my opinion an essential text. The document book, containing a number of very good and useful primary sources as recent as President Obama's speech in Cairo. The book contains 55 primary sources and some excellent commentary introducing the document. For those people with kids or any student stuck reading a boring generic college or high school textbook, and in my opinion the problem with those books is not liberal bias, its no bias, no controversy, nothing interesting, they are just boring, I recommend getting A Patriot's History and then supplementing the text with this document book. For those homeschooling this is a great option too. For all Americans these documents are important, for students the skills of reading and interpreting a primary source is important. I highly recommend this collection.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read either as a companion to "The Patriot's History" or studying on its own merits. July 25, 2011

By Craig Matteson HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

I am a big fan of Schweikart and Allen's "The Patriot's History of the United States" and urge you to get a copy and read it A Patriot's History of the United States: From Columbus's Great Discovery to the War on Terror. What a clearer view you will have of our history and its founding and the path the country followed to get to the present day. Far from working from a present bias and selecting events from history to support that agenda, they start with the views of the Founders and what they thought they were trying to accomplish and tells the story of how each subsequent generation continued or altered that Founding Vision. The authors are also quite clear about competing visions and how supporters have tried to supplant the founding vision. Sometimes these competing views were successful and at other times they were not. Heaven knows that our present government bears LITTLE resemblance in scope or philosophy to the government formed and created by Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, and others. The most beautiful aspect of that book, however, is that it doesn't countenance the modern Progressive conceit that America is the malignancy that is the source of all the world's ills that other histories do - most notably the execrable "A People's History of the United States" by Zinn.

Whenever we read a history we should never take things at face value. We should use the history as a guide to dig up other sources, preferably the source documents the author used in writing the history. This will help us not only check out the author's point of view, we can see a bit deeper into the ideas the history presents to us.... While important documents of American History can be found on the web, this excellent book provides not only many important documents (some of them edited to provide the relevant portions to the History's discussion of them) but also some context so the student can get some additional background about the document and its importance in American History. For those documents that have been trimmed down (they could not provide, for example, all of Paine's "Common Sense"), you can easily find the complete documents and check for yourself if the editing changes the meaning of the documents. I do not believe they do.

Here you will find not only many famous documents from the Founding, but also vital documents such as Dred Scott, Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education and the 1964 Civil Rights Act. You will find documents from the Civil War, WWI, and WWII. The most recent documents star with Carter's so-called "malaise" speech of 1979, Reagan's 1984 speech "Our Noble Vision", Bush's speech in the National Cathedral after 9/11, Kelo v. New London, and Barack Obama's "A New Beginning" from 2009.

This is a great companion to "The Patriot's History", but it is also a useful book of important documents worth reading in its own right. I encourage you to get a copy and read it. If you study these documents with its companion history, all the better.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Saline, MI Read more ›

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding history May 12, 2012

By jim henderson

Format:Paperback

This is one of the best histories of the United States I have read, and I ended up reading it cover to cover. Very engaging and accurate and it couches events in the context and thought of the day. Makes much more sense that way. Keep this one as a reference as books that relate the real history of this country are becoming difficult to find. Head and shoulders above the conveniently mythological volumes passed off as history now. Teaches the true story of our greatness!

5.0 out of 5 stars Every citizen should read this June 11, 2013

By P. Street

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Bought this for my mom - she loves it!! So much information regarding U.S. history and politics. It should be required reading in public school.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Historic American Documents In One Book January 8, 2012

By PatriotUSA

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The Patriot's History Reader: Essential Documents for Every American
A Patriot's History of the United States: From Columbus's Great Discovery to the War on Terror
"The Patriot's History Reader: Essential Documents for Every American," is a companion book to the original "A Patriot's History of the US." Both books were written by Larry Schweikart, et al. The first book, "A Patriot's History of the United States," is an excellent, comprehensive history book. Unlike many history books, it is not biased or "politically correct." The second book ("The Patriot's History Reader") contains The Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, letters between the Founders, Supreme Court cases' opinions, speeches by Presidents Washington, Lincoln, Reagan, et al--the texts of documents described in the first book. Both books together can be used effectively as student textbooks (middle school and high school levels) and as library reference books. They are also enjoyable to read without being course requirements. Together, the accurate, well-written books are well-liked gifts appropriate for readers age 12 years-adult.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Patriot History Reader October 28, 2011

By Carol D. Theuriet

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

For those wanting to read documents of early history this book is outstanding. Includes the Constitution that should be on every American's bookshelf.