Book Reviews

This week we are learning about the borderlanders: a collection of Scottish, Irish, and Scot-Irish people who had endured nearly 800 years of constant warfare which had left their homeland desolate and in ruin. Their culture emphasized self-reliance and defense of their home, hearth, and clan. This is the first nation in which we see the American dream as we understand it was being born. Freedom for all. A chance to start over not just as an individual or a family, but as a people. Unbound by the past that had haunted them for 800 years. And able to look to a future where they could decide their fate. Indeed, it is this lesson we should remember- America should the place where the past wrongs can be buried if we chose to. And in burying that past, we can choose to believe in a brighter future.

Hello and welcome back! This week on my series on my review of 11 American Nations by Colin Woodard, we are delving into the Midlands- a colony with what I think is the most interesting origin story. It is also a region that I think holds some pertinent lessons for us as a society. The lesson of the early Midlands is this; a society in which everyone does what is right in their own eyes is destined to fail. This sort of diversity of opinions, ideas, and standards is destined to end in collapse.

In this week's episode we delve into the reasons that each nation had to go to war or side with the British Empire. And then we take a little detour to discuss how these nations are still influencing politics and local governance today. Thank you so much for watching and for you patience in waiting for a new episode! Please don't forget to like and subscribe.

This week's episode focuses on the Deep South- a nation that originated in Barbados but sought control of South Carolina, Georgia, and other colonies. It was based on the aristocratic/oligarchy of English lords in Barbados and combined the concept of permanent slavery and gang labor (from South America) in order to become the most profitable colony in the New World. As we will see they took advantage not only of their slaves, but other English settlers, and American nations all in the name of power, control, and greed. If there is one take-a-way from this episode it is this: Aristocrats never come offering freedom- they often only ever come offering money and hoping you’ll be willing to exchange your freedom in return.

Hello and welcome back to the series on 11 American Nations by Colin Woodard. Today we are delving into the first colonial revolt which actually took place in the late 1680’s, not the 1770's. We're going to compare what actually happened with the narratives be are being told now. But before we even discuss that we're gonna have to take a little detour and discuss the 30 years war.

Today we discuss the first of the eleven American nations- El Norte. The people of this region, the nortenos, are descendants of the people of Central and Southern America as well as the Spanish settlers. Their ancient roots as well as their rugged and self-sustaining settlements makes them of special interest. For more information about the Aztec, Incan, or Pueblo peoples, I strongly encourage you to look up the current research going on in the Amazon using Light Detection and Ranging to discover new Incan cities. The National Geographic has several good pieces on this and the implications it has for ancient South American history. And for more information on the nortenos, please research their role in the Texan Revolution as well as the role they played politically in the1980's and 1990's in Mexico. Please be aware- this is no the last time we will see el Norte. They will be back in future episodes as we discuss their interactions with the other nations. This is just an introduction. And as always please hit the like button.

The introduction of the review of Colin Woodard's American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America. The book was eye opening and fascinating to me as it debunked the long standing myth that the United States was founded as one nation and has existed as a single nation throughout its history. Colin Woodard is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and George Polk Award winner for his works. He focuses on nonfiction and contributes to Politico and The Washington Post. His latest two books have focused on the founding of America and the struggle of the nation to find unity.

This weeks video discusses Yankeedom- a region that encompasses New England, Upstate New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. It is a region that stands in almost total opposition to the values and traditions of last week’s nation- Tidewater. Its settlers were hostile to landed aristocracy and the idea of noble privilege. In short, Yankeedom is historically a land of passion, revolution, and political zeal. Thanks for watching and don't forget to like the video.

Hello and welcome back! Today we are diving into New Amsterdam, a region that includes New York City and Northern New Jersey. It is a region that inherited its values of economic enterprise, freedom, and a tolerance of diversity from the United Provinces of the Netherlands. But, as we will see, its values conflict with both Yankeedom and Tidewater. Please don't forget to like and subscribe!

This weeks video discusses Tidewater- a region that encompasses Maryland, eastern Virginia, and eastern North Carolina. It s a area that has been historically dominated by aristocratic elites that base their rule on the idea of English manor life. As we will see, this had a negative impact on the nation's inhabitants.

In this episode, we discuss the settling of what is now Canada by the French. We focus on two characters, who hail from the same region but have very different dreams for a French colony due to their very different backgrounds.