THE STORY OF AMERICAN STATEHOOD

by Dana Lee Thomas ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 12, 1961

A book like Thomas' must, of course, be divided more or less evenly among all the states, or it fails to live up to the implications of its title. However, since it is the first general overview of the statehood picture to appear since Alaska and Hawaii were added to the ranks, it is rather a pity that these two areas, so rich in material, were not alotted a bit more space than, say, California, already so well known. Albeit briefly, Thomas does fit the newcomers into their proper places within the framework of his subject. His purpose is to describe the legal and practical means by which the federal union came about. He relates the technicalities of territorial organization, settlement and interim forms of government, demonstrations of popular sympathy for statehood, and the differences in procedure that characterized the entry of each state. He explains why the proprietor of Sutter's Fort was violently against statehood for California, and why Hawaii was not brought into the union until Alaska had entered. The writing is not complex, and intermediate students should be able to follow it without difficulty, yet the presentation is sufficiently stimulating to hold the general reader's attention.

Pub Date: May 12, 1961

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Wilfred Funk

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1961

Categories: NONFICTION