Battle for the American Mind

The Battle for the American Mind brings together religion, politics, economics, science, and literature to present a compelling history of the American people. In this brief and entertaining book, noted historian Carl J. Richard argues that there have been three worldviews that have dominated American thought—theism, humanism, and skepticism. By clearly explaining what Americans believed, exploring why they did so, and showing how that impacted the nation's development, Richard presents a unique portrait of the United States—past and present.

Carl J. Richard is the author of several Rowman & Littlefield books including The Battle for the American Mind: A Brief History of a Nation's Thought (2006), Greeks and Romans Bearing Gifts: How the Ancients Inspired the Founding Fathers (2008), Why We're All Romans: The Roman Contribution to the Western World (2010), and The Founders and the Bible (2016). He is professor of history at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette.

Introduction Unit I: The Age of Theism Chapter 1: The Protestant Reformation: The Crucible of American Theism Chapter 2: Early American Protestantism Unit II: The Age of Humanism Chapter 3: The Rise of Modern Humanism Chapter 4: The Origins and Varieties of Republicanism Chapter 5: Economic Theories Chapter 6: Revivalism, Reform, and Romanticism in the Antebellum Period Unit III: The Age of Skepticism Chapter 7: The Rise of Modern Skepticism Chapter 8: Pragmatism Unit IV: The Age of Confusion Chapter 9: American Thought since World War II Bibliographical Suggestions