COLONIAL NEW YORK

by Gardell Dano Christensen ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 15, 1969

This is the second series of colonial histories to kick off this spring but since the first four volumes of the Crowell-Collier project were not uniform in nature or quality, it's futile at this point to try to compare the two. This is a dry reprise of events--exploration, settlement, succession of governors, military engagements--that devotes only a little attention to how life was lived and almost none to the emergence of home rule and its attendant conflicts. In that sense, it has some use as history per se, little significance as the history of a colony. The Flushing remonstrance is omitted entirely, as is any reference to religious freedom; neither is there any word of local self-government. ""Jacob Leisler, the captain of the guard, was now in charge"" is all that is said of a popular uprising; the continued existence of his assembly and its conflicts with the British governor are also ignored. Probably the fullest treatment is accorded engagements during the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars. It's not a particularly interesting book, being neither vivid nor incisive: whether it's better than nothing for now is up to librarians in New York.

Pub Date: March 15, 1969

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Nelson

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1969

Categories: NONFICTION