Routledge Historical Americans
About the Book Series
Routledge Historical Americans is a series of short, vibrant biographies that illuminate the lives of Americans who have had an impact on the world. Each book includes a short overview of the person’s life and puts that person into historical context through essential primary documents, written both by the subjects and about them. A series website supports the books, containing extra images and documents, links to further research, and where possible, multi-media sources on the subjects. Perfect for including in any course on American History, the books in the Routledge Historical Americans series show the impact everyday people can have on the course of history.
Format for each book:
- These will be books of about 5-6 chapters.
- The first chapter places the person in context and allows the author to write about the historical period and the formation of the person’s character.
- The middle chapters are about the formation of the person as an adult and their contribution to the world (the ‘why we should care’ part).
- The last chapter would be their retirement and/or summary of their life, perhaps touching on some of the historiography.
- The document section is the final section, with about 8-10 good documents from a variety of types of sources both (if possible) by the person and about them.
- Length will be around 75,000-80,000 words plus the sources.
- Website materials will include links to further research, extra documents/images, and any multi-media available about the person.
John Winthrop: Founding the City Upon a Hill
1st Edition
By Michael Parker
October 15, 2013
Puritan politician, lawyer, and lay theologian John Winthrop fled England in 1630 when it looked like Charles I had successfully blocked all hopes of passing Puritan-inspired reforms in Parliament. Leading a migration, he came to New England in the hopes of creating an ideal Puritan community...
Harry S. Truman: The Coming of the Cold War
1st Edition
By Nicole L. Anslover
September 26, 2013
Harry S. Truman presided over one of the most challenging times in American history—the end of World War II and the onset of the Cold War. Thrust into the presidency after Franklin D. Roosevelt died in office, Truman oversaw the transition to a new, post-war world in which the United States wielded...
Thurgood Marshall: Race, Rights, and the Struggle for a More Perfect Union
1st Edition
By Charles L. Zelden
May 09, 2013
Thurgood Marshall was an Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court from 1967 to 1991. He was the first African American to hold that position, and was one of the most influential legal actors of his time. Before being appointed to the Supreme Court by President Lyndon Johnson, Marshall was a lawyer...
Frederick Douglass: Reformer and Statesman
1st Edition
By L. Diane Barnes
August 27, 2012
Frederick Douglass was born a slave in Talbot County, Maryland, in February, 1818. From these humble beginnings, Douglass went on to become a world-famous orator, newspaper editor, and champion of the rights of women and African Americans. He was the most prominent African American activist of the ...
Woody Guthrie: Writing America's Songs
1st Edition
By Ronald Cohen
July 03, 2012
Woody Guthrie is the most famous and influential folk music composer and performer in the history of the United States. His most popular song, "This Land is Your Land" has become the country's unofficial national anthem, known to every school child since the 1960s. His influence exceeded the realm ...