American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence - Softcover

9780679779087: American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence
View all copies of this ISBN edition:
 
 
Pauline Maier shows us the Declaration as both the defining statement of our national identity and the moral standard by which we live as a nation. It is truly "American Scripture," and Maier tells us how it came to be -- from the Declaration's birth in the hard and tortuous struggle by which Americans arrived at Independence to the ways in which, in the nineteenth century, the document itself became sanctified.

Maier describes the transformation of the Second Continental Congress into a national government, unlike anything that preceded or followed it, and with more authority than the colonists would ever have conceded to the British Parliament; the great difficulty in making the decision for Independence; the influence of Paine's Common Sense, which shifted the terms of debate; and the political maneuvers that allowed Congress to make the momentous decision.

In Maier's hands, the Declaration of Independence is brought close to us. She lets us hear the voice of the people as revealed in the other "declarations" of 1776: the local resolutions -- most of which have gone unnoticed over the past two centuries -- that explained, advocated, and justified Independence and undergirded Congress's work. Detective-like, she discloses the origins of key ideas and phrases in the Declaration and unravels the complex story of its drafting and of the group-editing job which angered Thomas Jefferson.

Maier also reveals what happened to the Declaration after the signing and celebration: how it was largely forgotten and then revived to buttress political arguments of the nineteenth century; and, most important, how Abraham Lincoln ensured its persistence as a living force in American society. Finally, she shows how by the very act of venerating the Declaration as we do -- by holding it as sacrosanct, akin to holy writ -- we may actually be betraying its purpose and its power.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Review:
This is a well-written, well-researched, entertaining account of the creation of the United States' Declaration of Independence as well as an analysis of how the declaration has been enshrined as something of a sacred document (a place it did not always hold). Pauline Maier, a history professor at MIT, will no doubt surprise many readers with detective work demonstrating that Jefferson's Declaration of Independence was actually preceded by many local declarations, which have been generally overlooked by historians but which were published throughout the colonies and were well known in their day. American Scripture holds many surprises as it details Jefferson's drafting of the document, the editing process, and the varying regard with which the Declaration of Independence has been held in the past two centuries.
From the Publisher:
"Splendid. Maier skillfully traces the progress of the Declaration from political event to sacred text."--Washington Post
"Sharp and engaging...A meticulous exhumation of American history that is full of fascinating details and scintillating insights."--San Francisco Chronicle
"Gary Wills, stand aside. Pauline Maier has given us the freshest, best-informed historian's reading of the Declaration of Independence and its context that we have ever had. American Scripture enables us to see just how this sacred text was created, and the ways in which it was unique. It is a remarkable achievement!"
-- Richard D. Brown, University of Connecticut
"Pauline Maier renders unto Jefferson that which is Jefferson's, but she tells a much larger story. She shows what made the Declaration possible and necessary, considers its lineage, probes its genesis in a time of extreme turmoil, and reflects on its continuing living meaning, achieving all of this in very elegant prose."
-- Edward Countryman, Southern Methodist University
"Quite simply the fairest, fullest, and finest account ever written of how the Declaration of Independence happened."
-- Joseph J. Ellis, Mount Holyoke College
"Until I read Pauline Maier's remarkable new book, I thought I knew all I needed to know about the Declaration of Independence. But her deft, lively analysis punctures the received mythology and gives us an entirely original interpretation of our founding document."
-- J. Anthony Lukas, author of Common Ground

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

  • PublisherVintage
  • Publication date1998
  • ISBN 10 0679779086
  • ISBN 13 9780679779087
  • BindingPaperback
  • Edition number1
  • Number of pages336
  • Rating

Other Popular Editions of the Same Title

9780679454922: American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence

Featured Edition

ISBN 10:  ISBN 13:  9780679454922
Publisher: Knopf, 1997
Hardcover

Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace

Seller Image

Maier, Pauline
Published by Vintage (1998)
ISBN 10: 0679779086 ISBN 13: 9780679779087
New Soft Cover Quantity: 10
Seller:
booksXpress
(Bayonne, NJ, U.S.A.)

Book Description Soft Cover. Condition: new. Seller Inventory # 9780679779087

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 14.08
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Seller Image

Maier, Pauline
Published by Vintage (1998)
ISBN 10: 0679779086 ISBN 13: 9780679779087
New Softcover Quantity: 5
Seller:
GreatBookPrices
(Columbia, MD, U.S.A.)

Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 412088-n

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 12.53
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: US$ 2.64
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Stock Image

MAIER, PAULINE
Published by Penguin Random House (1998)
ISBN 10: 0679779086 ISBN 13: 9780679779087
New Softcover Quantity: > 20
Seller:
INDOO
(Avenel, NJ, U.S.A.)

Book Description Condition: New. Brand New. Seller Inventory # 0679779086

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 11.35
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: US$ 3.99
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Seller Image

Pauline Maier
ISBN 10: 0679779086 ISBN 13: 9780679779087
New Paperback Quantity: 1
Seller:
Grand Eagle Retail
(Wilmington, DE, U.S.A.)

Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. Pauline Maier shows us the Declaration as both the defining statement of our national identity and the moral standard by which we live as a nation. It is truly "American Scripture," and Maier tells us how it came to be -- from the Declaration's birth in the hard and tortuous struggle by which Americans arrived at Independence to the ways in which, in the nineteenth century, the document itself became sanctified.Maier describes the transformation of the Second Continental Congress into a national government, unlike anything that preceded or followed it, and with more authority than the colonists would ever have conceded to the British Parliament; the great difficulty in making the decision for Independence; the influence of Paine's Common Sense, which shifted the terms of debate; and the political maneuvers that allowed Congress to make the momentous decision.In Maier's hands, the Declaration of Independence is brought close to us. She lets us hear the voice of the people as revealed in the other "declarations" of 1776: the local resolutions -- most of which have gone unnoticed over the past two centuries -- that explained, advocated, and justified Independence and undergirded Congress's work. Detective-like, she discloses the origins of key ideas and phrases in the Declaration and unravels the complex story of its drafting and of the group-editing job which angered Thomas Jefferson.Maier also reveals what happened to the Declaration after the signing and celebration: how it was largely forgotten and then revived to buttress political arguments of the nineteenth century; and, most important, how Abraham Lincoln ensured its persistence as a living force in American society. Finally, she shows how by the very act of venerating the Declaration as we do -- by holding it as sacrosanct, akin to holy writ -- we may actually be betraying its purpose and its power. Reveals the origins of the Declaration's ideas and phrases, unravels the story of its drafting, and explores the implications of its treatment as a sacred text. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780679779087

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 19.49
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Stock Image

Pauline Maier
Published by Random House (1998)
ISBN 10: 0679779086 ISBN 13: 9780679779087
New Softcover Quantity: 3
Seller:
Books Puddle
(New York, NY, U.S.A.)

Book Description Condition: New. pp. 336. Seller Inventory # 26826739

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 17.07
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: US$ 3.99
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Stock Image

Maier, Pauline
Published by Vintage (1998)
ISBN 10: 0679779086 ISBN 13: 9780679779087
New Softcover Quantity: 1
Seller:
Books Unplugged
(Amherst, NY, U.S.A.)

Book Description Condition: New. Buy with confidence! Book is in new, never-used condition. Seller Inventory # bk0679779086xvz189zvxnew

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 26.51
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Stock Image

Maier, Pauline
Published by Vintage (1998)
ISBN 10: 0679779086 ISBN 13: 9780679779087
New Paperback Quantity: 1
Seller:
GoldenWavesOfBooks
(Fayetteville, TX, U.S.A.)

Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. New. Fast Shipping and good customer service. Seller Inventory # Holz_New_0679779086

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 22.52
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: US$ 4.00
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Stock Image

Maier, Pauline
Published by Vintage (1998)
ISBN 10: 0679779086 ISBN 13: 9780679779087
New Paperback Quantity: 1
Seller:
GoldBooks
(Austin, TX, U.S.A.)

Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. New Copy. Customer Service Guaranteed. Seller Inventory # think0679779086

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 26.93
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: US$ 4.25
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Stock Image

Pauline Maier
Published by Vintage Books (1998)
ISBN 10: 0679779086 ISBN 13: 9780679779087
New Paperback Quantity: 1
Seller:
Revaluation Books
(Exeter, United Kingdom)

Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. 304 pages. 8.00x5.75x0.75 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # __0679779086

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 20.34
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: US$ 12.62
From United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Seller Image

Maier, Pauline
Published by Vintage (1998)
ISBN 10: 0679779086 ISBN 13: 9780679779087
New Softcover Quantity: 5
Seller:
GreatBookPricesUK
(Castle Donington, DERBY, United Kingdom)

Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 412088-n

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 21.11
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: US$ 18.93
From United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

There are more copies of this book

View all search results for this book