1898 : The Birth of the American Century - Hardcover

Traxel, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0679454675 ISBN 13: 9780679454670

Publisher: Knopf, 1998

Synopsis

In this remarkable evocation of the American past, David Traxel chronicles the extraordinary events of 1898--a year without rival in United States history for its extravagant adventure and far-reaching significance. Displaying a rare combination of graceful writing and authoritative scholarship, 1898 examines the lives of politicians and homemakers, outlaws and reformers, in telling the story of America's metamorphosis from a rural, isolationist society into a commanding presence on the world stage.

Traxel's account centers upon his vivid portrayal of America's first foray into international military affairs, the Spanish-American War. Spurred on by the yellow journalism of Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst, the United States entered a war that garnered the nation Puerto Rico and the Philippines, and initiated the ascension of a little-known assistant secretary of the navy, Theodore Roosevelt. But while the Rough Riders were capturing the nation's attention abroad, bloody battles were occurring within the nation's own borders. Coal workers and company guards fought in Illinois, while racial conflict led to bloodshed in North Carolina, and in Minnesota the last battle between Native Americans and the U.S. Army resulted in the defeat of government troops. Radical advances in technology led to less violent but equally important changes, as the production of the first gasoline-powered car heralded a new era, and the first million-dollar advertising campaign (for Uneeda Biscuits) revealed the growing importance of marketing for a country in the midst of urbanization.

Twelve months of confusion, contradiction, and crisis constituted this watershed year, and David Traxel has woven together these disparate strands into a rich tapestry of political unrest, domestic upheaval, and social change. An important contribution to the nation's cultural history, 1898 is a fascinating account of the definitive year that foretold the American Century.

About this title

About the Author

David Traxel received his B.A. in history from the University of California, Berkeley, and earned his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He has been the recipient of Fulbright, Smithsonian, and National Endowment for the Humanities fellowships, and is the author of An American Saga: The Life and Times of Rockwell Kent. Currently at work on a biography of the American journalist Richard Harding Davis, Traxel lives with his wife, Rosemary, in Philadelphia.

From the Back Cover

Praise for David Traxel's 1898

"1898 is narrative history at its absolute finest. It's an enthralling saga of American Dynamism and Social Darwinism propelling our nation forward into the twentieth century."                                        
--Douglas Brinkley, Director, The Eisenhower Center for American Studies

"A lively survey, rich with anecdotal material, of the year that witnessed the combustion of forces that were to make America a dominant power."
--Kirkus Reviews

From the Inside Flap

rkable evocation of the American past, David Traxel chronicles the extraordinary events of 1898--a year without rival in United States history for its extravagant adventure and far-reaching significance. Displaying a rare combination of graceful writing and authoritative scholarship, 1898 examines the lives of politicians and homemakers, outlaws and reformers, in telling the story of America's metamorphosis from a rural, isolationist society into a commanding presence on the world stage.<br><br>Traxel's account centers upon his vivid portrayal of America's first foray into international military affairs, the Spanish-American War. Spurred on by the yellow journalism of Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst, the United States entered a war that garnered the nation Puerto Rico and the Philippines, and initiated the ascension of a little-known assistant secretary of the navy, Theodore Roosevelt. But while the Rough Riders were capturing the nation's attention abroad, bloody battles were occurr

Reviews

The year 1898 is remembered in the U.S. as "one of those rare years [that] changed the course of American history." Traxel (An American Saga: The Life and Times of Rockwell Kent) has a flair for the good story and the telling anecdote that he puts to skillful use as he reviews the year's high points. They include the creation of the five-borough City of New York; the Great Blizzard; the sinking of the Maine during the Spanish-American War; the triumph of Teddy Roosevelt (the prototype of the modern politician); the creation of the National Biscuit Company (the prototype of the modern marketing empire); the great newspaper circulation wars between Hearst and Pulitzer; a cruel coal miners' strike; one of the last Indian battles; the emergence of John Muir and the conservation movement; and the beginnings of an overseas American empire in Hawaii and the Philippines. Traxel's footnotes indicate that his sources are rarely firsthand, but he is as proficient a name-dropper as he is a storyteller, and we hear about Edison, Ford, Frank Baum, Gifford Pinchot, Frederick Taylor, Clara Barton, Stephen Crane, Dewey (both the admiral and the educator) and William Jennings Bryan. And 1898 is presented as the year that marked the end of the old WASP America and the beginnings of a new America full of Catholics, Jews, blacks and all the social and ethical issues faced by a country that has suddenly become an international power. The year may not have been as tidy a turning point as Traxel portrays it, but his account of it is certainly entertaining to read. Photos.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A narrative history of the watershed year of 1898, when a previously self-absorbed, isolationist America suddenly turned outward, becoming an exuberant player on the world stage. Traxel (An American Saga, 1980) argues persuasively that during 1898 the US advanced from being viewed as a country of sharp-dealing businessmen with a second-rate military to acknowledgment as a respected member of the imperialists' club. This was in large part because of Americas swift victory in the Spanish-American War. There were, however, other elements at work. By 1898 a number of industries began to turn outward in search of new, large markets for American goods. American technology, after a period of experimentation following the Civil War, had hit its stride. The work of Edison, Ford, Taylor (the father of assembly-line efficiency), Armour, Westinghouse, and many others profoundly (and permanently) altered American life. Admiral Mahans persuasive study, The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, published in 1890, reshaped American thinking about the military, arguing that a great nation needed foreign markets, and that the competition for such markets would be won by the nation with the most efficient naval power. These were matters well understood by Theodore Roosevelt, the first modern president and the man who spurred the creation of a new American fleet. At the same time, on the homefront, many women were leaving the security (and restrictions) of the home to pursue higher education, jobs, and, of course, the right to vote. Unions, their growth spurred by often atrocious working conditions, found themselves in pitched battles with corporations. At the same time reformers (such as Jane Addams in Chicago), achieved a new visibility in American life, initiating crusades for better housing, better education, and job safety. A lively survey, rich with anecdotal material, of the year that witnessed the combustion of the forces that were to make America a dominant power. (8 photos, not seen) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

The year 1898 was pivotal in U.S. history, and Traxel has the ability to make history come alive. This match of subject and writer results in a dynamic narrative of that milestone 12-month period. This was, of course, the year that the U.S. fought a war with Spain, and from that brief but resonant struggle gained entry onto the stage of world powers and became a holder of colonial possessions. "It was," the author posits, "the first and necessary step in making the twentieth century the American Century." Not only does Traxel recapture the incidents and situations that led to war with Spain and the events of the conflict itself, but he also tastes the whole tenor of American life as the nineteenth century was giving way to the twentieth, including social mores, economic conditions, and scientific and technological advances. From President William McKinley to Rough Rider Teddy Roosevelt to newspaperman William Randolph Hearst, the reader gains an intimacy with all the major participants of 1898. Brad Hooper

The year 1898 stands out as one pivotal to American history and, to a lesser extent, world history. Each of these books by two independent scholars emphasizes the ways in which that year's events set the stage for the 20th century. Corry's overview of domestic and international politics draws clear connections between European imperial rivalries and the Spanish-American War but merely glances at equally important events in Asia that do not quite fit into the chronological framework. George Dewey's triumph at Manila Bay was part of a larger American push across the Pacific toward Asia: the events of 1898 had global ramifications. Culling stories, testimony, and documents from a wide range of printed sources and existing studies, Corry's narrative occasionally takes on the appearance of a scrapbook but offers a useful point of departure. Somewhat more engrossing is Traxel's lively account of American society and politics during these same 12 months. The Spanish-American War and its heroes, including Teddy Roosevelt, take center stage, but Traxel offers an insightful glimpse into the making of modern America, complete with the growth of large corporations, advancements in technology, and labor strife. Those taking a bow include Admiral Peary, Clara Barton, W.E.B. DuBois, and Geronimo. Traxel leaves the reader to draw comparisons with today's end-of-century challenges and dilemmas, suggesting that 100 years may not be all that long ago. In any case, there is more than the Maine for us to remember about the year that, Traxel claims, gave birth to the American century.?Brooks D. Simpson, Arizona State Univ., Tempe
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Knopf
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0679454675
• ISBN 13: 9780679454670
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 365