From Confederation to Nation

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