A Great and Rising Nation - (American Beginnings, 1500-1900) by Michael A Verney (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In the conventional wisdom, the young United States was weak, with no international posture or military. But as Michael Verney shows, early American naval expeditions, often characterized as merely exploratory, were fundamentally imperialist. These expeditions circled the globe and were backed by a wide range of domestic constituencies, including people who wanted to promote America as an evangelical beacon, a lucrative node in the slave trade, or the base of a conventional empire. Verney shows that early Americans-Hamiltonians and Jeffersonians, militarists and pacifists, abolitionists and slaveholders-all agreed that the country had an interest in showing the world its power"--

Book Synopsis

A Great and Rising Nation illuminates the unexplored early decades of the United States' imperialist naval aspirations.

Conventional wisdom holds that, until the Spanish-American War of 1898, the United States was a feeble player on the world stage, with an international presence rooted in commerce rather than military might. Michael A. Verney's A Great and Rising Nation flips this notion on its head, arguing that early US naval expeditions, often characterized as merely scientific, were in fact deeply imperialist. Circling the globe from the Mediterranean to South America and the Arctic, these voyages reflected the diverse imperial aspirations of the new republic, including commercial dominance in the Pacific World, religious empire in the Holy Land, proslavery expansion in South America, and diplomatic prestige in Europe. As Verney makes clear, the United States had global imperial aspirations far earlier than is commonly thought.

Review Quotes

"Verney's thoughtful selection of expeditions and organization such that each expedition-centered chapter reveals something broader about race, gender, religion, or political economy in the early republic make this book eminently assignable."-- "American Historical Review"

"With A Great and Rising Nation, Verney demonstrates that he is a formidable young scholar. While detailing the conduct of naval explorations is essential to this study, those matters are merely the means to a greater end for Verney. He has written a book that casts new light on familiar problems and gives greater depth to an understanding of the prevailing social and cultural impulses found in antebellum America." -- "International Journal of Naval History"

"Verney provides a strong foundation for future scholarship. His work invites further study into the role of scientific networks in shaping early American foreign policy, the environmental consequences of naval exploration, and the intricate connections between domestic politics and global ambitions in the early republic. As questions about American power and global responsibility remain central to contemporary discourse, Verney's exploration of these early formations offers valuable insights that resonate with today's debates about America's role in the world. A Great and Rising Nation is a significant addition to the fields of early American history, naval studies, and the history of US global engagement."-- "Journal of Pacific History"

"A Great and Rising Nation showcases thorough research, up-to-date historiography, and well-written prose. As a strong work of scholarship with no notable weaknesses, it should easily find a place on the shelves of scholars of maritime history and the early republic. The transnational nature and goals of the expeditions means that scholars in diverse fields may also find individual chapters useful. With compelling prose, gripping anecdotes, and clear ties to the broader themes and narrative of US history, the book could be assigned to students and be read by a broader audience."-- "H-Water"

"In addition to describing the progress and specific events of each expedition, Verney vividly relates each one to the sweeping social, political, and economic changes that characterized the antebel­lum United States."-- "Naval War College Review"

"This rich and engaging book situates American naval exploration and science in the period between the War of 1812 and the Civil War, an era that re-shaped and popularized American political life, and greatly extended the territorial sway of the Imperial Republic, acquiring a Pacific coastline in the process. . . . Verney brings his expertise on the domestic political dimension to bear on the genesis, conduct and reception of five of the 17 naval expeditions of the period, emphasizing the divergent aims and ambitions of those who sponsored, supported and conducted oceanic missions."-- "Naval Review"

"Using official expedition reports, popular sources reacting to expeditions, and a wealth of historiography, the author demonstrates that exploring expeditions became a vessel in which various antebellum interests competed for political legitimacy. His thorough seventy pages of notes and clear definition of terms makes A Great and Rising Nation easy for readers to follow. Verney poses new questions concerning the relationship of American empire, race, religion, gender, and the US Navy, all while including non-American voices in the study of these overseas expeditions. This book would be an excellent addition to the library of any North American, maritime, or global historian."-- "Northern Mariner"

"While establishing itself as a continental power, the early American Republic asserted itself in the international sphere through a series of scientific expeditions aimed at expanding the country's economic influence. In A Great and Rising Nation, Verney recounts how the various military expeditions accomplished not only their stated intentions but also the unstated goal of expanding US influence at a time when European interests dominated global economic systems. . . Recommended."-- "Choice"

"A Great and Rising Nation is an important addition to the scholarship of the antebellum navy, especially the period between 1830 and 1860, which has been sorely underexplored."-- "H-Net Reviews"

"A Great and Rising Nation shows how naval exploration became both mass entertainment and a popular instrument of imperial power in the early American republic. This marvelous new study combines thrilling accounts of early US exploring expeditions from Fiji to the Arctic with an important argument about the relationship of domestic political process and empire building."-- "Amy S. Greenberg, Pennsylvania State University"

"Beginning in the early nineteenth century, the American Navy played a key role in extending the scope and reach of American influence in the world. Venturing to distant regions, the Navy engaged in a wide range of scientific, humanitarian, and political missions. Compelling and original, A Great and Rising Nation transforms our understanding of the origins and meaning of American imperialism."-- "Rosemarie Zagarri, George Mason University"

"Elegant, erudite, and adventurous, A Great and Rising Nation takes readers on a remarkable global voyage with the US Navy's antebellum exploring expeditions. Crisply written and featuring a memorable cast of characters, this is a must-read for anyone interested in the early American republic, naval history, and the history of American empire."-- "Gautham Rao, American University"

"With its expansive narrative and sophisticated, penetrating insights, A Great and Rising Nation makes a genuine contribution to our understanding of the early American republic and its relationship to the wider world."-- "Brian Rouleau, Texas A&M University"

About the Author

Michael A. Verney is assistant professor of history at Drury University.