Old Dominion, New Commonwealth: A History of Virginia, 1607–2007 - Hardcover

Heinemann, Ronald L.; Kolp, John G.; Parent Jr., Anthony S.; Shade, William G.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0813926092 ISBN 13: 9780813926094

Publisher: University of Virginia Press, 2007

Synopsis

"On the morning of 26 April 1607, three small ships carrying 143 Englishmen arrived off the Virginia coast of North America, having spent four months at sea.... All hoped for financial success and perhaps a little adventure; as it turned out, their tiny settlement eventually would evolve from colony into a prominent state in an entirely new nation." So begins Old Dominion, New Commonwealth: A History of Virginia, 1607-2007 and the remarkable story behind the founding not only of the state of Virginia but of our nation. With this book, the historians Ronald L. Heinemann, John G. Kolp, Anthony S. Parent Jr., and William G. Shade collaborate to provide a comprehensive, accessible, one-volume history of Virginia, the first of its kind since the 1970s.

In seventeen narrative chapters, the authors tackle the four centuries of Virginia’s history from Jamestown through the present, emphasizing the major themes that play throughout Virginia history―change and continuity, a conservative political order, race and slavery, economic development, and social divisions―and how they relate to national events. Including helpful bibliographical listings at the end of each chapter as well as a general listing of useful sources and Websites, the book is truly a treasure trove for any student, scholar, or general-interest reader looking to find out more about the history of Virginia and our nation. Timed to coincide with the 2007 quadricentennial, Old Dominion, New Commonwealth will stand as a classic for years to come.

About this title

About the Author:

Ronald L. Heinemann is Professor Emeritus of History at Hampden-Sydney College. John G. Kolp, now retired, was Professor of History at the United States Naval Academy. Anthony S. Parent Jr. is Associate Professor of History at Wake Forest University. William G. Shade is Professor Emeritus of History at Lehigh University.

Review:

A splendid narrative.

(Weekly Standard)

"For decades, we have lacked a modern account of Virginia’s rich, tumultuous, and consequential history, which has shaped so much of our nation’s past. Now we have it. In the hands of these four authors, the Old Dominion’s story unfolds with compelling force.

(Nelson D. Lankford, editor of the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography)

"Passing the narrative baton as gracefully as an Olympic relay team, Heinemann, Kolp, Parent, and Shade carry students and general readers on a brisk run through four eventful centuries of Virginia history. From Captain John Smith to Governor Tim Kaine, Old Dominion, New Commonwealth presents the political history of Virginia in the context of economic and social change from colonization to globalization.

(Jon Kukla, author of Mr. Jefferson’s Women and A Wilderness So Immense: The Louisiana Purchase and the Destiny of America)

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Virginia Press
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0813926092
• ISBN 13: 9780813926094
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 412