Children of the Western Plains
The Nineteenth-Century Experience
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Ivan R Dee, Inc
Published:18th Aug '03
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
On December 7, 1828, Lewis Bissell Dougherty was born at Cantonment Leavenworth, the military post of the Missouri River. For the rest of his life, Dougherty carried a footnote to his name: he was one of the first white children to be born in Kansas. These "first" children came to be celebrated as white America's first steps onto the Western frontier. In Children of the Western Plains, Marilyn Holt rescues the experience of children from the usual adult perspectives on Western history. Her book is the first in a new series that will emphasize the experience of children during different times and at different locales in the American past. The books will be abundantly illustrated with black-and-white photographs and drawings. They will take advantage of primary source materials, reminiscences, documents, and secondary works in telling the story of American children throughout the nation's history. In Ms. Holt's book, she explores what life was like for youngsters who lived on the Great Plains in nineteenth-century frontier life. She is especially interested in how they were raised, how they were influenced by their environment, and what sort of independence they experienced while growing up. Her chapters address a breadth of experiences and perceptions: why families came to the Great Plains and where they decided to settle; how families and communities were organized for education, work, and play; how health care, accidents, and mortality affected childhoods; and what children experienced outside the home. As much as possible, she lets the children speak for themselves. This is their story. With 25 black-and-white photographs.
This work is a welcome addition to the small but growing collection of scholarly books about children of the Western Frontier. * Library Journal *
She continues to skillfully give readers valuable information on the roles played by children in the American West. -- Robert W. Richmond
Thick with vivid details and personal accounts. -- Laurie Winn Carlson
Well-researched...vivid. -- Gerald W. McFarland
...Meticulous, yet accessible...a terrific resource for research and curriculum support... * Booklist *
A deeply researched book. The book provides an abundance of information about 19th century children's experiences on the Great Plains that is a valuable addition to historical knowledge. Recommended. * CHOICE *
She provides plenty of historical background information while zeroing in on the subject at hand—how children were affected. -- Robin Farrell Edmunds * Manhattan Mercury *
You will be amazed at the depth of frontier hardship, freedom and joy. * Utica Source *
Holt’s account of child life on the Plains is well written and beautifully illustrated. * Nebraska History *
This type of cultural history provides a useful balance to the statistics and plans of academics and policy officials... * The Region *
...Provides plenty of historical background while zeroing in on the subject at hand—how children were affected. * Foreword Reviews *
Every reader will find issues that resonate with his or her own experiences and interests.... A clear success. * Journal of Social History *
Holt...creates a vivid picture of what life was like for the children of the first European and African-American immigrants. * The Dallas Morning News *
...A worthwhile addition to the growing collection of literature about youngsters in the nineteenth-century American West. * Great Plains Quarterly *
By restoring children to the saga of the plains, Holt does indeed broaden the perspective of place. -- Gail Didonato * South Dakota History *
Holt's work is a well-written and compact study of an important topic in Western history. * Journal of the West *
Holt carves out her own territory and brings her own insights...There is much to be commended in this book. * North Dakota History: Journal Of The Northern Plains *
ISBN: 9781566635400
Dimensions: 234mm x 157mm x 24mm
Weight: 508g
256 pages