WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT The Transformation of America, 1815-1849, Parts 1 & 2

Patrick Cullen ably narrates this extensive audiobook. His unadorned reading style mirrors author Howe's thesis that the historian's task is to explain the past, not to judge it. While the institution of slavery hangs over this era like a toxic cloud, the listener is reminded that the antebellum arguments for state rights versus a powerful national government resonate today. During this crucial period, from the end of the War of 1812 to the election of Zachary Taylor in 1848, the nation experienced unparalleled westward expansion, as well as revolutions in transportation and communications. Andrew Jackson towered over the political landscape, and Jackson's protégé, James K. Polk, presided over the greatest expansion of American territory and forever redefined the power of the executive branch of our government. A.D.M. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2009]