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Bezig met laden... William Gilpin : Western Nationalistdoor Thomas L. Karnes
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Meld je aan bij LibraryThing om erachter te komen of je dit boek goed zult vinden. Op dit moment geen Discussie gesprekken over dit boek. William Gilpin was the first governor of the Colorado Territory, during the early days of the Civil War. He was a key figure in the settlement of Oregon and of Colorado, both through participation in setting up government services in both, and through very successful promotion of emigration. He was an effective lobbyist for the interests of the territories, and a ceaseless promoter through his books, journalism, and oratory. He was a skilled cavalry officer, fighting in the Seminole and Mexican Wars, and his provision of troops from Colorado in the Civil War was instrumental in keeping the Confederacy out of most of the West. This account of his life and adventures is thorough and well-supported. The literary style is clear and fluid, though a little humdrum. At times it seemed to me somewhat too detailed, and the narrative sometimes faltered through lack of documentation for portions of Gilpin's life and career. Recommended for those interested in the Great Plains, and the histories of Denver and especially Kansas City. (Also of the Willamette Valley in Oregon and the San Juan Valley in Colorado). ( ) geen besprekingen | voeg een bespreking toe
William Gilpin (1815?1894) has been called ?America?s first geopolitician.? Regarded today as both scientist and quack, Gilpin was in his own time a recognized authority whose maps were accepted by Congress as the most accurate available, and his description of trails and land in the West were read by pioneer and scientist alike as inspiration and guide. His writings first introduced to the American public the treasures of the Great Plains (to Gilpin probably belongs the credit for introducing this well-known term) and the mountain plateaus of the Rockies. He advertised the future of the lush valleys of Oregon and the mineral riches that, he was sure, the American West contained. Gilpin was a cultured, educated man; his studies and his hours of lonely observation on many trips across the American prairies had resulted in the theory?in part true, in part fallacious?about the importance of the Mississippi Valley to world trade and world peace. To his contemporaries and a few later historians he was ?a man of rare genius and advanced thought, a prophet and pioneer of civilization,? ?one of the wonderful and gifted men of the age, and to him are the citizens of the Republic, in general, and the West, in particular, immeasurably indebted.? In this biography Thomas L. Karnes traces the life of William Gilpin from the quiet comfort of his wealthy Quaker boyhood home through an exciting and turbulent career as Indian fighter, pioneer, newspaper editor, explorer, land promoter, and first governor of Colorado Territory. But throughout his varied career there was one task to which Gilpin was always devoted: he was a publicizer of the West, first in letters to family and friends; then in newspaper articles, books, and speeches; and finally in reports that became part of the Congressional Record and that influenced the actions of Presidents. Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
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Google Books — Bezig met laden... GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)978.8History and Geography North America Western U.S. ColoradoLC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde:
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