About the book
In The Age of the Borderlands, acclaimed historian Andrew C. Isenberg offers a new history of manifest destiny that breaks from triumphalist narratives of US territorial expansion. Isenberg takes readers to the contested borders of Spanish Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, California, Texas, and Minnesota at critical moments in the early to mid-nineteenth century, demonstrating that the architects of American expansion faced significant challenges from the diverse groups of people inhabiting each region. In other words, while the manifest destiny paradigm begins with an assumption of US strength, the government and the agents it dispatched to settle and control the frontier had only a weak presence.
Tracing the interconnected histories of Indians, slaves, antislavery reformers, missionaries, federal agents, and physicians, Isenberg shows that the United States was repeatedly forced to accommodate the presence of other colonial empires and powerful Indigenous societies. Anti-expansionists in the borderlands welcomed the precarity of the government’s power: the land on which they dwelled was a grand laboratory where they could experiment with their alternative visions for American society. Examining the borderlands offers an understanding not just about frontier spaces but about the nature of the early American state—ambitiously expansionist but challenged by its native and imperial competitors.
Editions of The Age of the Borderlands
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469685052
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469683843
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469685076
- PDF
- ISBN 9781469687308
- PDF
- ISBN 9781469685069
Read an Excerpt
In The Age of the Borderlands, acclaimed historian Andrew C. Isenberg offers a new history of manifest destiny that breaks from triumphalist narratives of US territorial expansion. Isenberg takes readers to the contested borders of Spanish Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, California, Texas, and Minnesota at critical moments in the early to mid-nineteenth century, demonstrating that the architects of American expansion faced significant challenges from the diverse groups of people inhabiting each region. In other words, while the manifest destiny paradigm begins with an assumption of US strength, the government and the agents it dispatched to settle and control the frontier had only a weak presence.
Tracing the interconnected histories of Indians, slaves, antislavery reformers, missionaries, federal agents, and physicians, Isenberg shows that the United States was repeatedly forced to accommodate the presence of other colonial empires and powerful Indigenous societies. Anti-expansionists in the borderlands welcomed the precarity of the government’s power: the land on which they dwelled was a grand laboratory where they could experiment with their alternative visions for American society. Examining the borderlands offers an understanding not just about frontier spaces but about the nature of the early American state—ambitiously expansionist but challenged by its native and imperial competitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Age of the Borderlands about?
In The Age of the Borderlands, acclaimed historian Andrew C. Isenberg offers a new history of manifest destiny that breaks from triumphalist narratives of US territorial expansion. Isenberg takes readers to the contested borders of Spanish Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, California, Texas, and Minnesota at critical moments in the early to mid-nineteenth century, demonstrating that the architects of American expansion faced significant challenges from the diverse groups of people inhabiting each region. In other words, while the manifest destiny paradigm begins with an assumption of US strength, the government and the agents it dispatched to settle and control the frontier had only a weak presence.
Tracing the interconnected histories of Indians, slaves, antislavery reformers, missionaries, federal agents, and physicians, Isenberg shows that the United States was repeatedly forced to accommodate the presence of other colonial empires and powerful Indigenous societies. Anti-expansionists in the borderlands welcomed the precarity of the government’s power: the land on which they dwelled was a grand laboratory where they could experiment with their alternative visions for American society. Examining the borderlands offers an understanding not just about frontier spaces but about the nature of the early American state—ambitiously expansionist but challenged by its native and imperial competitors.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Age of the Borderlands?
History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas
Where can I read a sample of The Age of the Borderlands?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469685052
How long is The Age of the Borderlands and how many pages does it have?
The Age of the Borderlands has 304 page(s)
Is The Age of the Borderlands part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series The David J. Weber Series in the New Borderlands History
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Age of the Borderlands?
Andrew C. Isenberg
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Age of the Borderlands is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469685052) and ebook(ISBN 9781469683843) and ebook(ISBN 9781469685076) and pdf(ISBN 9781469687308) and pdf(ISBN 9781469685069)
Where can I buy The Age of the Borderlands online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy The Age of the Borderlands from below
Where can I buy The Age of the Borderlands?