When thirteen colonies declared their independence from the British government in 1776 they had no clear vision about what they would do once the apparent shackles of the British monarchy were shattered. What did it mean for them to create a new nation? It’s a complicated and fascinating story—a story that resonates all the way up to the present time—today Americans are still divided over what, exactly, this new nation.
Professor Benjamin E. Park’s new book is called American Nationalisms: Imagining Union in the Age of Revolutions, 1783-1833. We talks about competing notions of American nationalism in this episode.
About the Guest
Benjamin E. Park received his PhD from the University of Cambridge and is an assistant professor of history at Sam Houston State University. His scholarship focuses on the religious, political, and cultural history of America between the Revolution and Civil War, often within an Atlantic context.
Transcript
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