Welcome to the Virginia History Blog. Titles selected for book reviews are taken from the bibliographies of scholarly, peer reviewed Virginia history surveys. Titles related to the topic and recent publications by authors are also included.
Additional books are chosen from those reviewed in the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, the Journal of Southern History and the Journal of American History.
After the books are reviewed in the Blog, they are redistributed among historical eras at The Virginia Historian.com: (1) Early and Late Colonial 1600-1763, (2) Revolution-Constitutional-New Nation 1750-1824, (3) Antebellum, Civil War-Reconstruction 1820-1883, (4) Gilded Age, New South, 20th Century 1880-present.
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The 1800s Industrialization of Virginia
Four books offer an introduction to Virginia’s industrialization throughout the 1800s. The first as an introduction is “Tredegar Iron Works” by Nathan Vernon Madison in a short popular history spanning the antebellum period into the 1920s. Richmond’s first railroad was built to transport Midlothian coal and the second volume on Virginia industry is “Old Dominion,...
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Civil War Home Front Virginia
For those interested in the political and social history of Civil War home front Virginia, four books are recommended. Unionists, Secessionists, free blacks and slaves are studied in “Old Southampton”, from the sectional crisis through the conflict and into Reconstruction. The black Virginian experience in the Civil War, whether slave or free, for blue or...
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Civil War Battles in Virginia
The Civil War in Virginia, for those interested in political and social history, can be introduced with four books from the battlefield, the naval war and amphibious operations, motives of the fighting men, and Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. Battle Cry of Freedom is perhaps the best single volume of the Civil War that places...
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Virginia’s “Federal” or “Ratifying” Convention
Three important books survey the U.S. Constitution’s ratification process for Virginia historians. “The Fate of the Revolution: Virginians Debate the Constitution” is a 204 page book which conveys the immediate contingency of a patriot-founder generation aroused and consumed by the question of nationhood and governance for their posterity. The issues resonate to this day. “Ratification:...
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Renting Enslaved Laborers in Virginia, At Sea, and Across the South
“Slaves for Hire” surveys the practice of renting enslaved laborers in Antebellum Virginia, “Black Jacks” looks at rented slaves and free blacks in seafaring roles across the 18th and 19 centuries, and “Divided Mastery” looks at the common practices of slave hiring throughout the entire South, especially in the Antebellum period. Slaves for Hire Slaves...
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Why End Direct Election of U.S. Senators?
The Washington Post reported a resurfacing of the idea to repeal the 17th amendment to allow state legislature election of U.S. Senators. The American Legislative Exchange Council, ALEC, a libertarian corporate-funded think tank, in Section 3. of their model Amendment proposal would have U.S. Senators subject to recall by state legislatures at any time, rather than holding...
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July 4th, 2017 in Virginia History
This 4th of July, the Virginia Historical Society will host a Naturalization Ceremony for U.S. citizens following completion of its education program for U.S. citizenship. This year, one hundred candidates from nearly 50 countries will participate. That brings to mind the early role of immigrants that was of such importance, 19th century Midwestern states awarded state...
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Virginia Gerrymandering and the U.S. Supreme Court
The case before the U.S. Supreme Court on partisan gerrymandering may not be directly relatable to Virginia’s Congressional, State Senate and General Assembly districts. The emergency redrawing of Virginia’s Congressional Districts last year were directed due to racial discrimination by the General Assembly, the current case is related to partisan redistricting that effectively disenfranchises 10-20...
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Favorite Websites for Virginia History
Virginia Historical Society — home of the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, you can take a virtual tour of the exhibit, The Story of Virginia” at the Exhibition menu tag, and search VHS collections at the Collections and Resources menu tag. Membership includes a subscription to the Virginia Magazine. Virginia History Series In-depth looks at Virginia...
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Why “The Virginia Historian”?
I begin a blog to make Virginia history accessible to those interested in relating the state and their community to United States history. The Virginian political community are the residents represented in the General Assembly of the Old Dominion. That gives us a platform of 400 years to explore. See Research Guides at The Virginia...
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