Two American historians combine their research to provide intricate details of the three-way (four-way if you count the lesser influences of the French), multiple conflicts between the 1730s and 1780s that led to the United States Declaration of Independence. With borders and names of both states and countries that kept changing, it can be challenging to keep track of the geology. However, I did recall a few names of some well-known sites such as Tate’s Creek in Lexington, Ky, the Cumberland Gap in the Appalachian Mountains, Big Bone Lick and a few others. And many individuals such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington are featured.
The legendary Daniel Boone who never missed an opportunity to fight an Indian and survived many harrowing encounters with a confusing array of different tribes with unpronoucible names, is central to the story. There is excruciating detail of cruel punishments meted out on all sides, with a scalping a common practice. The numerous treaties signed between white men and Indians were relatively meaningless as no Indian chief spoke for more than a small fraction of the native population and the white men broke promises with impunity, taking over more and more Indian territory.
Some of the detailed punishments must be embellished. As a medical professional, I find it impossible to believe that one man is said to be still breathing after both hands were severed, and then both legs were amputated and he was scalped before « breathing his last » as he was thrown into a fire.
The misogyny of the era is striking with women confined to producing large families, even when the men were out on months-long hunting tours or raiding Native encampments.
This is an exhaustively detailed account that provides much more informaton than most readers could possibly need to know; a professional historian could use it as a reference work. But is also a reminder of the cruel treatment of our native brothers that continues.
3/5
Thanks, The Economist.
The Passionate Reader 