First U.S. History Textbooks

This book offers a fresh, multidisciplinary analysis of American history textbooks published in the first half of the nineteenth century, focusing on the emergence of an American "origins" narrative prevalent in these works as well as the methods employed to convey this tale to readers. The themes addressed in this work are timely in light of current controversies over American history curriculum, the role of textbooks, and the idea of a common American narrative.

Barry Joyce is associate professor of history and the co-coordinator of the Social Studies Secondary Education Program at the University of Delaware.

Chapter 1: A People's Story Chapter 2: The Text is the Teacher Chapter 3: Mnemonics, Methods, and Memory: Organizing and Encoding the American Story Chapter 4: An American Character Chapter 5: Genesis: Emergence and Migrations Chapter 6: Apologetics: Why we are who we are Chapter 7: Slaying the Monster Chapter 8: The Narrative Divides Chapter 9: The Narrative Re-joined Conclusion: Who Will Write This Story?