Challenging the Myths of US History by Marc Egnal - 9780520402454

Challenging the Myths of US HistorySeven Short Essays on the Past and Present\nAuthor(s): Marc Egnal\nFormat: Hardback\nPublisher: University of California Press, United States\nImprint: University of California Press\nISBN-13: 9780520402454, 978-0520402454\nSynopsis\nBeyond a takedown of the traditional narrative of US history, this sharp and accessible book teaches readers how to read history with a critical eye.\n\nAccording to textbooks, the media, and politicians of all stripes, the story of the United States is one of steady progress toward a \""more perfect union.\"" In this narrative, ideals of liberty and freedom explain the Revolution and the Civil War and drove racial progress. Similarly, foreign policy, if marked by stumbles, has been largely well-intentioned.\n\nIn seven pithy and provocative essays, historian Marc Egnal challenges this account. He argues that wealthy individuals who were set on economic and territorial expansion shaped the American narrative. The seven es.