A Complete History of the United States of America
Philadelphia: William T. Amies, ND, circa 1878. Four volumes bound in two quarto volumes, paginated xiv, 540; viii, 540; viii, 568; x, 590, xxxviii pages. In matching period full brown leather bindings with elaborate blind-stamped and gilt decoration, all edges gilt, and marbled endpapers. Illustrated with nearly one hundred finely executed steel engravings after original paintings. An extensive and richly illustrated history of the United States by Jesse Ames Spencer, continued by noted American historian and antiquarian Benson John Lossing. This monumental four-volume work traces the development of the American nation from the earliest European voyages of exploration, the discovery of the New World, and the establishment of the thirteen colonies through the American Revolutionary War, the founding of the United States, and the political and military events of the nineteenth century. Particular attention is devoted to Colonial America, the struggle for independence from Great Britain, the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, George Washington and the Continental Army, the adoption of the Constitution, and the establishment of the federal government. The narrative continues through the presidencies of the early republic, the War of 1812, territorial expansion, the Mexican-American War, the growing sectional tensions over slavery, and the American Civil War, including the conflict between the Union and Confederacy and the subsequent period of Reconstruction. Throughout, the authors examine the lives and accomplishments of prominent American statesmen, presidents, military commanders, and other influential historical figures, alongside the political, social, and economic developments that shaped the nation. Illustrated with nearly one hundred finely executed steel engravings after original paintings, including portraits of distinguished Americans, historical scenes, and important events, the work combines substantial historical scholarship with the elaborate pictorial presentation characteristic of nineteenth-century American publishing. A comprehensive example of historical Americana, offering a fascinating contemporary perspective on the colonial, Revolutionary, and Civil War eras of American history. Some slight rubbing and wear, a few scuffs, minor discoloration, else in very good condition. Item #670
Price: $600.00