Shaping of America: A Geographical Perspective on 500 Years of History, Volume 1: Atlantic America 1492-1800

This entirely fresh interpretation of American history by a renowned historical geographer is the first in a projected threevolume series. Meinig here focuses on colonial America, examining how an immense diversity of ethnic and religious groups--Europeans, Africans, American Indians--ultimately created a set of distinct regional societies. Richly illustrated with more than forty specially prepared maps and contemporary illustrations, this volume prompts us to rethink the settling of North America.

"A story of the peopling of North America that is different, original, coherent, and altogether fascinating. It will be controversial but will be seen as a landmark in American historiography... A magisterial work." Howard R. Lamar, Yale University

"Would that more geographers dared to work at such a grand scale and wrote for such a wide readership in a way all literate persons can understand." G. Malcolm Lewis, Geographical Journal

"The Shaping of America is a welcome proof that it is still possible, in this country, to provide 'geographical perspective' on a grand scale. Meinig is a geographer with a deep interest in, and knowledge of, history, economy, political science and the arts. His work provides a sweeping, panoramic outlook on one of the most important events in human history: the conquest of the New World by Europeans and the multiple interactions, through three centuries. . . . Using an impressive number of original sources, Meinig offers a clear and concise exposition, complemented with a number of quite original graphs and illustrations... It should be required reading for any person--especially in politics or public life--who wants to understand the many forces and interests that shaped the United States and its neighbors in the New World." Carlos B. HagenLautrup, Los Angeles Times Book Review

"When I studied Texas seriously, I found D.W. Meinig's short, perceptive book, Imperial Texas, to be an excellent summary of things I vaguely knew, and a treasure of insights that I had not reached myself. Now he's tackling the whole country, and I expect equally fine results for his whole new series on America." James Michener

"A logically sustained, finely organized geographical interpretation of the initial three centuries of Europeanization of the portion of North America that became the United States. The book has the hallmarks of scholarship that we have come to expect from Meinig: fresh and innovative interpretations, methodological currency, and grand sweep... Meinig has produced in this book something that is unique in the American geographical literature. He is the first geographer to respond positively to the challenge of writing a synthesis of American history from a geographical perspective... An example of speculative scholarship at its best, a masterful addition to the geographical literature." Douglas R. McManis, Geographical Reviews

This study discusses how an immense diversity of ethnic and religious groups became sorted into a set of distinct regional societies in North America.