Disasters and Tragic Events: An Encyclopedia of Catastrophes in American History [2 volumes]: Mitchell Newton-Matza: ABC-CLIO

Disasters and Tragic Events

An Encyclopedia of Catastrophes in American History [2 volumes]

Disasters and Tragic Events

An Encyclopedia of Catastrophes in American History [2 volumes]

Description

From the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 to the Sandy Hook school massacre of 2012, this two-volume encyclopedia surveys tragic events—natural and man-made, famous and forgotten—that helped shape American history.

Tragedies and disasters have always been part of the fabric of American history. Some gave rise to reactions that profoundly influenced the nation. Others dominated public consciousness for a moment, then disappeared from collective memory. Organized chronologically, Disasters and Tragic Events examines these moments, covering both the familiar and the obscure and probing their immediate and long-term effects. Unlike other works that concentrate on a particular type of disaster, for example, weather- or medicine-related tragedies, this two-volume encyclopedia has no such limits. Its entries range from natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, to civic disturbances, environmental disasters, epidemics and medical errors, transportation accidents, and more. The work is a perfect supplement for history classes and will also prove of great interest to the general reader.

List of Entries,
Preface,
Acknowledgments,
Introduction: The Impact of Disasters and Tragic Events,
Chronology,
Volume 1: 1650–1943,
Volume 2: 1944–2012,
Primary Documents,
1. Indian Removal Act of 1830,
2. Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831),
3. Excerpts from The Confessions of Nat Turner (1831),
4. Fugitive Slave Act (1850),
5. Scott v. Sandford (1857),
6. The Post-Civil War Amendments: The Thirteenth (1865), Fourteenth (1868), and Fifteenth (1870) Amendments to the U.S. Constitution,
7. Testimony from the Haymarket Riot Trial (1886),
8. Account of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Flood (1889),
9. In re Debs (1895),
10. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896),
11. The Extinction of the Passenger Pigeon (1913),
12. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Rendezvous with Destiny" Speech Delivered before the Democratic National Convention (1936),
13. Excerpts from Eyewitness Accounts of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse (1940),
14. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation (1941),
15. Executive Order 9066 (1942),
16. Korematsu v. United States (1944),
17. Internal Security Act (McCarran Act) (1950),
18. Brown v. Board of Education (1954),
19. Warren Commission Report (1964),
20. President Richard M. Nixon's Resignation Speech (1974),
21. Portion of the Transcript of the Trial of Accused Oklahoma City Bomber Timothy McVeigh (1997),
22. USA PATRIOT Act (2001),
23. West Virginia Mine Safety Law (2012),
24. President Barack Obama's Remarks at the Sandy Hook Interfaith Prayer Vigil in Newtown, Connecticut (2012),
Bibliography,
Editor and Contributors,
Index,

Product details

Published	Mar 26 2014
Format	Pack - Printer Assembled
Edition	1st
Extent	856
ISBN	9781610691659
Imprint	ABC-CLIO
Illustrations	125 bw illus
Dimensions	Not specified
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing

Both the methodology and the writing are consistent throughout. Topics, though heavily slanted toward the 20th century, encompass a diversity of interests.

Booklist
This well-written, well-researched, and thorough resource is an excellent introduction to its topic. Recommended.

Choice
Each entry is thoughtful and written with insight into the connectivity of these events with other historical events. Numerous references throughout both volumes boost the teaching value of this publication, and the formatting makes it a pleasure to use as a handy reference guide.

Reference Reviews