Making Maine : statehood and the War of 1812 / Joshua M. Smith.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Smith, Joshua M., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Statehood (American politics).

Maine--History--War of 1812.

Maine.

Maine--Politics and government--1775-1865.

Massachusetts--History--War of 1812.

Massachusetts.

Massachusetts--Politics and government--1812-1815.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xii, 312 pages) : maps

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Amherst, Massachusetts : University of Massachusetts Press, [2022]

Biography/History:

"Joshua M. Smith is director of the American Merchant Marine Museum."--Provided by publisher.

Summary:

"After the Revolutionary War ended, the new American nation grappled with a question about its identity: Were the states sovereign entities or subordinates to a powerful federal government? The War of 1812 brought this vexing issue into sharp relief, as a national government intent on waging an unpopular war confronted a populace in Massachusetts that was vigorously opposed to it. Maine, which at the time was part of Massachusetts, served as the battleground in this political struggle. Joshua M. Smith recounts an innovative history of the war, focusing on how it specifically affected what was then called the District of Maine. Drawing on archival materials from the United States, Britain, and Canada, Smith exposes the bitter experience of Maine's citizens during that conflict as they endured multiple hardships, including starvation, burdensome taxation, smuggling, treason, and enemy occupation. War's inherent miseries, along with a changing relationship between regional and national identities, gave rise to a statehood movement that rejected a Boston-centric worldview in favor of a broadly American identity."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction

"An exceedingly dirty and nasty people"

War comes to Maine

"A mongrel breed of soldier"

War afloat

"Wicked war"

"Hampden races"

"One against another"

Yankee confusion

Winter of discontent

Après la guerre

Partings.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 239-296) and index.

Description based on online resource (viewed Dec 4, 2023) publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

Other Format:

Print version: Smith, Joshua M. Making Maine

ISBN:

9781613769799

1613769792

9781613769805

1613769806

OCLC:

1334947631