Flag

Flag
Author: Marc Leepson
Publisher: Macmillan
Total Pages: 494
Release: 2007-04-01
Genre: History
ISBN: 1429906472

Flag: An American Biography is a vivid narrative that uncovers little-known facts and sheds new light on the more than 200-year history of the American flag. The thirteen-stripe, fifty-star flag is as familiar an American icon as any that has existed in the nation's history. Yet the history of the flag, especially its origins, is cloaked in myth and misinformation. Flag: An American Biography rectifies that situation by presenting a lively, comprehensive, illuminating look at the history of the American flag from its beginnings to today. Journalist and historian Marc Leepson uncovers scores of little-known, fascinating facts as he traces the evolution of the American flag from the colonial period to the twenty-first century. Flag sifts through the historical evidence to--among many other things--uncover the truth behind the Betsy Ross myth and to discover the true designer of the Stars and Stripes. It details the many colorful and influential Americans who shaped the history of the flag. "Flag," as the novelist Nelson DeMille says in his preface, "is not a book with an agenda or a subjective point of view. It is an objective history of the American flag, well researched, well presented, easy to read and understand, and very informative and entertaining." "Our love for the flag may be incomprehensible to others, but at least we now have a comprehensive guide to its unfolding."--The Wall Street Journal

Washington D.C.

Washington D.C.
Author: Thomas J. Carrier
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Total Pages: 132
Release: 1999
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780738500492

When it was passed in 1789, the Constitution set out the boundaries not only for a new government but for a new capital city as well. At the time, the new District of Columbia covered 5,000 acres, dominated by marshland on the south, pastureland on the area that is now the Mall, farms near the White House and Capitol Hill, and undeveloped woods throughout. Covering Capitol Hill, the Mall, the Old Downtown area, the Ellipse, Lafayette Square, and Foggy Bottom, this engaging photographic history and walking tour documents how the Federal City grew from farmland to world capital. Striking images and detailed captions tell the fascinating stories behind many of the famous and the not so famous buildings and monuments that cover the D.C. landscape, from Union Station and the Capitol to the White House and the Watergate Hotel and many important sites in between.

Long May She Wave

Long May She Wave
Author: Kit Hinrichs
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2013-06-11
Genre: History
ISBN: 0307816737

From one of the world's leading graphic designers comes a stunning tribute to America's most enduring icon-the Stars and Stripes.The Revolutionary Congress resolved in 1777 that "the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white, that the Union be 13 white stars in a blue field representing a new constellation." Since that time, the American flag has been raised high in wartime triumph and peacetime celebration; burned in fervent protest; sewn lovingly onto quilts, caps, pillows, and bags; appropriated by the commercial sphere to sell goods as varied as cigars, and designer clothing, and rock-and-roll albums; and faithfully honored every 4th of July to celebrate America's independence. This collection of more than 3,000 Stars and Stripes artifacts ranges from Civil War-era banners and Native American braided moccasins to an early 20th-century "friendship" kimono and original flag art by several of the world's leading designers. In its deluxe format with over 500 illustrations, LONG MAY SHE WAVE gives wide berth to the flag in all its manifestations, and the result is a stunning visual history of America'¬?s most treasured symbol.Full-color throughout, with over 500 illustrations in a deluxe 11 x 14-inch volume-LONG MAY SHE WAVE is the perfect gift for folk-art appreciators, history buffs, and collectors.Features the 3,000-piece exhibit that was displayed at the American Institute of Graphic Arts and the San Jose Museum of Art in 2000. From toy soldiers to collectable spoons, cigar blankets to historic flags—the breadth of the collection is unrivaled.For a list of appearances by this author, check out our Calendar of Events.

Betsy Ross and the Making of America

Betsy Ross and the Making of America
Author: Marla R. Miller
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
Total Pages: 479
Release: 2010-04-22
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1429952377

A “first-rate” biography of the seamstress and patriot and a vivid portrait of life in Revolutionary-era Philadelphia: “Authoritative and engrossing” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). Finalist, Cundill Prize in History Betsy Ross and the Making of America is the first comprehensively researched and elegantly written biography of one of America’s most captivating figures of the Revolutionary War. Drawing on new sources and bringing a fresh, keen eye to the fabled creation of “the first flag,” Marla R. Miller thoroughly reconstructs the life behind the legend. This authoritative work provides a close look at the famous seamstress while shedding new light on the lives of the artisan families who peopled the young nation and crafted its tools, ships, and homes. Betsy Ross occupies a sacred place in the American consciousness, and Miller’s winning narrative finally does her justice. This history of the ordinary craftspeople of the Revolutionary War and their most famous representative “reinvigorate[es] a timeworn American icon by placing her firmly into historical and social context [and] illuminates the significant role that ordinary citizens—especially women—played in the birth of the new nation” (Booklist). “An engaging biography.” —The New York Times Book Review “Fascinating.” —Cokie Roberts, New York Times–bestselling author of Founding Mothers “A stupendous literary achievement. It’s not easy to accurately write about a real folk legend. Miller does so with historical accuracy, vivid descriptive language, and an encyclopedic knowledge of her subject.” —Douglas Brinkley, New York Times–bestselling author of The Wilderness Warrior

Independence Hall in American Memory

Independence Hall in American Memory
Author: Charlene Mires
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
Total Pages: 369
Release: 2015-11-04
Genre: History
ISBN: 0812204239

Independence Hall is a place Americans think they know well. Within its walls the Continental Congress declared independence in 1776, and in 1787 the Founding Fathers drafted the U.S. Constitution there. Painstakingly restored to evoke these momentous events, the building appears to have passed through time unscathed, from the heady days of the American Revolution to today. But Independence Hall is more than a symbol of the young nation. Beyond this, according to Charlene Mires, it has a long and varied history of changing uses in an urban environment, almost all of which have been forgotten. In Independence Hall, Mires rediscovers and chronicles the lost history of Independence Hall, in the process exploring the shifting perceptions of this most important building in America's popular imagination. According to Mires, the significance of Independence Hall cannot be fully appreciated without assessing the full range of political, cultural, and social history that has swirled about it for nearly three centuries. During its existence, it has functioned as a civic and cultural center, a political arena and courtroom, and a magnet for public celebrations and demonstrations. Artists such as Thomas Sully frequented Independence Square when Philadelphia served as the nation's capital during the 1790s, and portraitist Charles Willson Peale merged the arts, sciences, and public interest when he transformed a portion of the hall into a center for natural science in 1802. In the 1850s, hearings for accused fugitive slaves who faced the loss of freedom were held, ironically, in this famous birthplace of American independence. Over the years Philadelphians have used the old state house and its public square in a multitude of ways that have transformed it into an arena of conflict: labor grievances have echoed regularly in Independence Square since the 1830s, while civil rights protesters exercised their right to free speech in the turbulent 1960s. As much as the Founding Fathers, these people and events illuminate the building's significance as a cultural symbol.

The Wartime Sisters

The Wartime Sisters
Author: Lynda Cohen Loigman
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Total Pages: 376
Release: 2019-01-22
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1250140722

For fans of Lilac Girls, the next powerful novel from the author of Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist The Two-Family House about two sisters working in a WWII armory, each with a deep secret. "Loigman’s strong voice and artful prose earn her a place in the company of Alice Hoffman and Anita Diamant, whose readers should flock to this wondrous new book." —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan’s Tale "The Wartime Sisters shows the strength of women on the home front: to endure, to fight, and to help each other survive.” —Jenna Blum, New York Times and international bestselling author of The Lost Family and Those Who Save Us Two estranged sisters, raised in Brooklyn and each burdened with her own shocking secret, are reunited at the Springfield Armory in the early days of WWII. While one sister lives in relative ease on the bucolic Armory campus as an officer’s wife, the other arrives as a war widow and takes a position in the Armory factories as a “soldier of production.” Resentment festers between the two, and secrets are shattered when a mysterious figure from the past reemerges in their lives. "One of my favorite books of the year." —Fiona Davis, national bestselling author of The Dollhouse and The Masterpiece "A stirring tale of loyalty, betrayal, and the consequences of long-buried secrets.” —Kristina McMorris, New York Times bestselling author of The Edge of Lost and Sold on a Monday

A Patriot's History of the United States

A Patriot's History of the United States
Author: Larry Schweikart
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 1373
Release: 2004-12-29
Genre: History
ISBN: 1101217782

For the past three decades, many history professors have allowed their biases to distort the way America’s past is taught. These intellectuals have searched for instances of racism, sexism, and bigotry in our history while downplaying the greatness of America’s patriots and the achievements of “dead white men.” As a result, more emphasis is placed on Harriet Tubman than on George Washington; more about the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II than about D-Day or Iwo Jima; more on the dangers we faced from Joseph McCarthy than those we faced from Josef Stalin. A Patriot’s History of the United States corrects those doctrinaire biases. In this groundbreaking book, America’s discovery, founding, and development are reexamined with an appreciation for the elements of public virtue, personal liberty, and private property that make this nation uniquely successful. This book offers a long-overdue acknowledgment of America’s true and proud history.

America by Heart

America by Heart
Author: Sarah Palin
Publisher: Harper Collins
Total Pages: 306
Release: 2010-11-23
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0062026860

In the fall of 2009, with the publication of her #1 national bestselling memoir, Sarah Palin had the privilege of meeting thousands of everyday Americans on her extraordinary 35-city book tour. Inspired by these encounters, her new book, America By Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag, celebrates the enduring strengths and virtues that have made this country great. Framed by her strong belief in the importance of family, faith, and patriotism, the book ranges widely over American history, culture, and current affairs, and reflects on the key values—both national and spiritual-that have been such a profound part of Governor Palin’s life and continue to inform her vision of America’s future. Written in her own refreshingly candid voice, America By Heart will include selections from classic and contemporary readings that have moved her-from the nation’s founding documents to great speeches, sermons, letters, literature and poetry, biography, and even some of her favorite songs and movies. Here, too, are portraits of some of the extraordinary men and women she admires and who embody her deep love of country, her strong rootedness in faith, and her profound love and appreciation of family. She will also draw from personal experience to amplify these timely (and timeless) themes—themes that are sure to inspire her numerous fans and readers all across the country.

America's National Historic Trails

America's National Historic Trails
Author: Karen Berger
Publisher: Rizzoli Publications
Total Pages: 322
Release: 2020-10-13
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 0847868850

An inspirational bucket list for hikers, history buffs, armchair travelers, and all those who wish to walk in the hallowed footsteps of American history. 2020 GOLD WINNER OF THE FOREWORD INDIES AWARD IN HISTORY 2021 NATIONAL OUTDOOR BOOK AWARD WINNER From the battlefields of the American Revolution to the trails blazed by the pioneers, lands explored by Lewis and Clark and covered by the Pony Express, to the civil-rights marches of Selma and Montgomery, this is the official book of the country's 19 National Historic Trails. These trails range from 54 miles to more than 5,000 and feature historic and interpretive sites to be explored on foot and sometimes by paddle, sail, bicycle, horse, or by car on backcountry roads. Totaling 37,000 miles through 41 states, our entire national experience comes to life on these trails--from Native American history to the settlement of the colonies, westward expansion, and civil rights--and they are beautifully depicted in this large-format volume.