American Warfare in the Pre-Civil War Era

The colonists arrived in America anticipating conflict; they arrived with the prior knowledge that they would have to fight and defend themselves. As they pushed the frontier, they were willing to resort to almost any method of warfare, no matter how ruthless. They did not engage in large state-sponsored wars for the purpose of controlling enemy governments, but fought for survival in a new land. Violence thus became an essential part of early American history. Although violence is an integral part of all types of warfare, there is value in studying American military history. By comprehending the past, we can at least begin to comprehend the development of our nation's military forces on the domestic and international level.

There are many prisms through which one can view warfare in the pre-Civil War era. Rather than examining specific battles or simply giving the reader a rundown of events for memorization, this book focuses on the underlying military, social, and political factors that shaped early American warfare and drove the development of our nation's military tradition. Discussions include the following topics:

1. The Development of Warfare in North America, and Colonial Struggles for North American Domination

2. The Military Mores of American Colonial Forces, British Regulars, and Native Americans

3. Political and Ideological Perspectives on the Revolutionary War

4. A Hessian Soldier's View of the Revolutionary War

5. How Pragmatic Was American Warfare in the Revolutionary War?

6. The Transformation of the Navy

7. Shaping of National Interest after the Revolutionary War

8. America in the Mexican-American War

9. The Foundation for Overseas Commerce and Territorial Expansion

10. Topics for Further Study and Debate

The book is suitable for history interested readers looking for thought provoking topics, but not having a lot of time; and for teachers preparing the class for critical thinking about historical events, and how they have come to affect current affairs. More books with focus on domestic and international military history will be forthcoming in this new series titled, A 59-Minute Perspective.