America's Hidden History LP: Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women, and Forgotten Founders Who Shaped a Nation

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

America's Hidden History LP: Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women, and Forgotten Founders Who Shaped a Nation

3.4 of 5 stars 3.40 · rating details · 615 ratings · 153 reviews

Kenneth C. Davis, author of the phenomenal New York Times bestseller Don't Know Much About History, presents a collection of extraordinary stories, each detailing an overlooked episode that shaped the nation's destiny and character. Davis's dramatic narratives set the record straight, busting myths and bringing to light little-known but fascinating facts from a time when t...more

Paperback, Large Print, 368 pages

Published June 3rd 2008 by HarperLuxe (first published April 22nd 2008)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Marian Apparitions Are Real by Kevin A Cook

Coast to Coast Am

88th out of 92 books — 7 voters

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

Understanding History

62nd out of 152 books — 41 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 1,312)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jan 07, 2009 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: american-history

This is an excellent book. Davis writes in a clear, engaging, narrative style, with purpose and focus. His purpose here is to tell more about the foundations of the United States, from its European beginnings as small colonial outposts up to and including the need for the Constitution. Many people with a passing knowledge of history will know parts of these stories, but Davis includes a pleasing amount of detail for interest, without getting bogged down.

Here is what is in the book: A brief syno...more This is an excellent book. Davis writes in a clear, engaging, narrative style, with purpose and focus. His purpose here is to tell more about the foundations of the United States, from its European beginnings as small colonial outposts up to and including the need for the Constitution. Many people with a passing knowledge of history will know parts of these stories, but Davis includes a pleasing amount of detail for interest, without getting bogged down.

Here is what is in the book: A brief synopsis of the union of Ferdinand and Isabella and the purging of Muslims and Jews from Spain. The stories of the first Spanish and French settlements in and around Florida, their religious rivalries and brutalities. The dynamics of the Protestant settlers around Massachusetts and the Indians who lived there and found their land constantly encroached upon by the fecund settlers and immigrants. The causes of King Philip's War. Another look at embargoed, occupied Boston and the leaders of the Revolution there. The economic forces that bound together the common people with the colonial elite (briefly) that made the Revolution possible, and the consequences of having those interests diverge after the Revolution.

There are brief but interesting biographical sketches in the book as well: Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, a Spaniard who survived in the wilderness of the American south for years. Hannah Dustin, who escaped being kidnapped by American Indians. Anne Marbury Hutchinson, a mother, pioneer, lay-preacher, heretic, widow, and finally victim of an Indian, who lived in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York. George Washington, a brave but initially rash social climber who started the French and Indian War and had a huge financial stake in the Revolution. Benedict Arnold, rash but brave, fighting valiantly to capture and secure the route between Canada and Boston, and led astray through frustration of his personal ambition. James Wilson, a financier of the revolution who was twice caught up by a populist mob, member of the supreme court while in debtor's prison, who died a broke and broken man.

Fascinating. To me, one of the most important aspects of the Revolution that was illuminated was the extent to which British balking at the expense of defending the American colonies after the French and Indian War, coupled with founding fathers hunger for huge profits in land speculation (Washington, Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, and others are all mentioned as having their financial ambitions thwarted by the British needing to pull back their defenses a bit), helped to create the conflict. There is nothing wrong with either of those positions, of course, but it is easier to get on your enlightenment-era, freedom and human-rights high horse when there is money to be made. (less)

like 4 likes · see review

Nov 22, 2011 Asails F rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: american-history

A compilation of short stories that I enjoyed. The most important concerning the world sitation 11/22/2011 is called Lafayette's Sword.

A story about Shay's rebellion which tried to take over the Springfield Mass. Armoury. The rich and gentried based in Boston and other cities tried to stop this group of war heroes and landowners - small farmers. These landowners were abused by laws that sent them to debtors prisons and resulted in their loss of property. One should read the rest of the story.

It...more

like 3 likes · see review

Jul 28, 2008 Jack rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book is a very good read. A wealth of little know facts of American history covering, basically, 6 events - from the Spanish conquest of America to the second revolution that almost derailed the great experiment in democracy (Shay's Rebellion).

The author Kenneth Davis present the story behind the story - what your history books didn't tell you.

For instance, forget the ax and the cherry tree ... When George Washington was a young man - long before the American Revolution - he was the comman...more

like 4 likes · see review

Feb 05, 2009 Bill rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

Interesting popular history of six events in american history. The author makes an effort to tie early american history to religious fundamentalism, and by extension to contemporary muslim fundamentalism, but I leave it to you to decide how effective the argument is. Enjoyable read for casual history buffs, but perhaps a little fragmented.

like · see review

Mar 13, 2011 Wisteria Leigh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

#26[America's Hidden History], [[Kenneth C. Davis]][return]In a short story non-fiction format, Davis has researched historical events that he claims were either misrepresented, omitted or overlooked when history was written into textbooks. Everyone knows� the famous words of Paul Revere and his famous ride through the countryside. But what did he really say? Davis knows and he corrects this part of our misrepresented history in his book, America� s Hidden History. [return]He writes of women lik...more

like · see review

Nov 25, 2012 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

According to this book, when George Washington was in his early 20's, he was in command of a small group of Virginians. He happened across a French diplomatic mission and, against explicit orders, he attacked, and massacred the mission. This event started the seven-year long French-Indian War, which ultimately cost the lives of 850,000 soldiers.

Benedict Arnold was a good, strong officer in the fledgling American army during the Revolutionary War. But he was continually turned down for promotions...more

like · see review

Aug 07, 2012 Stig rated it 4 of 5 stars

A very interesting look at some episodes in American history which are often retold in a more, shall we say, idealized way. I was familiar with much of the content in a general way, but I have to admit that I was surprised to learn that young George Washington began his military career with an unprovoked and unauthorized attack on a party of French soldiers - which included a diplomat with a message to the British, no less! - and that most of the surviving French prisoners were massacred by Wash...more

like · see review

May 09, 2011 Jonny99 rated it 3 of 5 stars

More history than revelation. Kenneth C. Davis forged a career by reporting actual history rather than the sanitized propaganda-laden tales told in your average grammar school history book. Often these more bloody, messy tales of actual lives of historical figures lead you to respect them more given they had to earn their place through trial and error rather than seeming to be divinely driven to greatness as most historian would have it. Davis’s ”America’s Hidden History…” focuses on the foundin...more More history than revelation. Kenneth C. Davis forged a career by reporting actual history rather than the sanitized propaganda-laden tales told in your average grammar school history book. Often these more bloody, messy tales of actual lives of historical figures lead you to respect them more given they had to earn their place through trial and error rather than seeming to be divinely driven to greatness as most historian would have it. Davis’s ”America’s Hidden History…” focuses on the founding of colonies after 1610 through the founding of the country just before 1800. Much of the early part of the book deals with wars with native American when they could still truly have been called wars as opposed to the later massacres such as The Battle of Wounded Knee. This section will seem flat to all but the ardent history buff although some general impressions such as how close the native peoples of North America came to at least delaying the eventual loss of their land to European settlers.

A second far more interesting section turns common views of two revolutionary figures exactly 90 degrees by presenting George Washington as an arguable war criminal as an early 20’s English soldier and Benedict Arnold as America’s greatest rebel at least until he sold out to the British. The story of Washington’s unprovoked attacked on a French detachment during a period of official detent is the more engaging of the two and ultimately the reader winds up respecting the man more for having gone through a period of immaturity when he made some serious mistakes. The Arnold story also results in more respect for the figure although his ultimate enlisting on the British side does limit just how patriot he can be portrayed.

The final act covers the debates and deliberation of the founding fathers and likely will not be that surprising to those have tried to get agreement on say, lunch. Obviously, founding a nation could not have been that smoothly carried out. In short, probably a better book for the junior historian than the general reader and one that rewards skipping around and reading the good parts.

(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Sep 13, 2009 Mary rated it 3 of 5 stars

Read quickly while in the process of reading The Real George Washington- and I got the impression that he was not really all that impressed with George Washington. I really don't like it when people tend to put others on such high pedestal that they become "demi-gods" but I am more offended when people try to normalized them back again by pointing out in the worst possible light that they had faults. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams (founders), Abraham Lincoln- these were all just...more

like 1 like · see review

Feb 24, 2011 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fic

Did you know that, when America was new, Vermont used to be a haven for rebels? Have you ever "read the riot act" to anyone? Have you ever seen the statue of Benedict Arnold in Saratoga, NY? What woman was the first to have a statue of her own? Kenneth C. Davis, who deserves the nation's thanks for presenting our history in an interesting, palatable way, includes all of the above, and much more, in America's Hidden History. It's interesting to contemplate that the father of our country and our m...more

like 1 like · see review

Mar 06, 2012 John rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm trying to decide whether books like this are good or bad and I guess I'm going with good. The thing that bothers me is that these are not "untold" tales- as Davis makes very clear in this book, he is simply reading actual academic history books, taking interesting minutia out of them, and writing that minutia down in his own book. I do that to my friends all the time, but I just tell them the trivia, I don't make my own book out of it. And it really just amounts to trivia. Davis implies that...more

like 1 like · see review

Feb 27, 2011 Judy rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book chronicles little known stories in American History from the initial Spanish colonization to the inauguration of George Washington in 1789. For example, Queen Isabella apparently recommended that Columbus take hogs along on his voyages as a mobile protein source. The problem was that the swine may have been responsible for spreading many of the diseases that ravaged the Native Americans. And while most Americans have a picture of Pilgrims and Native Americans sitting down for a peacefu...more

like · see review

Feb 10, 2010 Sandra Strange rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history-and-nonfiction

I would guess that Davis's purpose in this book is to show the reality beyond the legends of the US's beginnings. This book tells intriguing and very real details behind the first Spanish settlements in Florida; the stories of Hannah Dustin, captive of Indians who slew her child; of Ann Hutchinson's real rebellion against other Puritan settlers; of George Washington's formative 20's and his injudicious actions that began a world war; of the reality of Benedict Arnold's heroism in the Revolution...more

like · see review

Sep 03, 2009 David Bales rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 52-books-in-52-weeks

Interesting book about tidbits of "hidden history" (and some not so hidden) from the 16th to the eighteenth centuries. It starts with the failed French Protestant colony of Fort Caroline,(massacred by the Spanish in 1564) on the coast of what is now northern Florida and the Puritans in Massachusetts (who kicked out Anne Hutchison for her "free thinking" in 1634) and ending with several chapters on the American Revolution and the aftermath, leading to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. There...more

like 2 likes · see review

Feb 24, 2009 Nanosynergy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, nonfiction, reviewed, 2009read

Interesting collection of stories about 6 events in American history that were not covered in school for most people. Davis has a palatable style of presenting history to a wider audience. However, one of the book's major themes is that religious adherents, particularly Christian, are the cause of most of the history's atrocities. I found this continual whine tedious and unoriginal. Clearly Davis has an axe to grind.

I like this trend of history books written to pull more people into reading hist...more

like · see review

Aug 11, 2011 Jeff Rosendahl rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Interesting stories that are not in the history books covering the periods 1469-1789 in American history. Thought it was a good book for giving "forgotten" background information for the Revolution and Pre-Revolutionary times. I'd read another by this author. But the best part is this paragraph in the intro: "The eight-hundred-pound gorilla sitting squarely in the center of this story is religion...this volatile mixture of fearful ignorance and righteous certitude allows one group to demonize an...more

like · see review

Oct 13, 2009 Timothy Fitzgerald rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

This was a fun read. I breezed through it after having just completed some pretty heavy reading on the World Wars 1 and 2, followed by the Cold War. This resonated with me partly because the content often focused on Boston or other New England cities or towns. I wonder if the material would have been as interesting without the local ties?
This book really just profiles a handful of people from the 1500s through the signing of the Constitution in the late 1700s. Its focus is their long forgotten (...more

like · see review

Jun 28, 2009 Drick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

Those who love Howard Zinn's People's History of the American People will enjoy this book. this book only coverse the period of US History before and up to the writing of constitution and contains stories of unkonwn persons whose lives were quite influential in their time, but in many ways who were villified or forgotten: Hannah Dustin, Anne Hutchinson, Benedict Arnold, James Schey of Shey's Rebellion, and so on. The book is written in an a story telling manner and is a goog read. Perhaps the mo...more

like 1 like · see review

Apr 17, 2013 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: most readers, especially history buffs

Recommended to Holly by: no one

Shelves: light-reading, non-fiction

No great revelations here. There's some demythologising of George Washington, some devillainizing of Benedict Arnold and some interesting details on early exploitation (read rapine) of the native peoples. "Isabella's Pigs", for instance, is a recounting of the financing of Columbus' first treasure hunt, and the effect that the swine Columbus took with him at Queen Isabella's request had on the New World's ecosystem. We take for granted that pigs have always been a part of the North American faun...more

like · see review

Feb 10, 2012 Dana rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review is for the audiobook. Kenneth Davis is one of the best at compiling and sorting historical data, but the story rarely comes alive when reading (or listening) to his work. This particular book could more accurately be titled "I Want To Point Out All Of The Horrible Things Done In The Name Of Religion During The Founding Of America". Some of the tales are compelling, but the anti-religion bent gets old quickly.

Side note on narrator Sam Freed: Robotic voice. Doesn't distract from the st...more

like · see review

Aug 03, 2009 Stephanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

America's Hidden History is a compilation of "hidden" events and people from roughly 1600 through the Constitutional Convention. This book is definitely intended for folks who slept through early American History in high school and haven't revisited it since. Since my major undergraduate concentration area was history, I taught social studies, and currently I read history for enjoyment, I'm not the target demographic. I found it to be a rehash of several other American History books currently on...more

like · see review

Jul 09, 2009 Nathan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Interesting tidbits about the early history of the nation, working to round out our often narrow and saintly perception of the founding fathers/mothers. While I honor and revere the accomplishments of these men and women, it's also good remember that they were just people too. I was afraid that a book dedicated to some less know or unsavory aspects of American history might turn into a bash on America, but this book avoided unpatriotic-ish rhetoric.

For example, Paul Revere's father was from Fran...more

like · see review

Aug 22, 2009 Kathleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Good book for the bathroom. Interesting short stories but hard to get through from cover to cover

like 2 likes · see review

Jul 17, 2011 Cassie Rodgers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another that I wish I could use a half star for, but this time I rounded up to four stars, based on the fact that I enjoyed these little told stories and Davis's engaging and humorous prose.
I did prefer the earlier chapters, the infancy of America is far more interesting than when it became all politics and bs...because that's pretty much the status quo. Well researched, well written. I'd like to find more of these under the radar historical tidbits. The prom queen wasn't the only person at the...more

like · see review

Oct 08, 2009 Christopher Obert rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2009

I read this book as part of my research on the history of New England for a book that I am working on. I just love these types of history books that tell stories not normally covered in other history books. I reminded me of the book “Lies My Teacher Told Me.” The writing was excellent and the stories were intriguing, giving me another look at the people and events you think that you already know but you do not! I recommend this book and books like this that tell the true stories not the watered...more

like · see review

Jan 15, 2011 John rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history-biography

America’s Hidden History is a first-rate and concise collection of six vignettes which give the reader a more comprehensive understanding of the pre-USA saga. It is interesting to see the vitriolic reviews calling Davis ‘unpatriotic’ and ‘America-hater.’ Alas it is ever thus by those who scream and wither in reaction to any presentation of reality challenging their Protestant-Caucasian-male centric whitewash, sugar-coated sanitized mythology of righteous America. Heaven forbid they read Howard Z...more

like · see review

Sep 11, 2009 Lori rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography_history

I didn't always like his approach since I felt he was trying to villify or debunk the 'hero' in American heroes by pointing out all the things they did wrong. Of course the did....they were human. He seemed also to have some hang up or need to constantly bring up 'American' persecution of Catholics (of course there were hard feelings....they had just come to escape Catholic persecution in Europe). Still, an interesting read of specific iconic historical figures and events within the larger world...more

like · see review

Mar 10, 2013 Bonnie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: auto-and-biography, the-american-revolution

I'm betting this book was a brand new car. This was Davis's way to pay for something. Maybe a vacation at the beach, college tuition, etc. Whatever the purchase, this was not a serious academic endeavor.

Let me start with the good. The stories were interesting. I didn't know many of them, and I appreciated learning them. In particular, the Ferdinand and Isabella chapter was very good. OK, now for the critique.

For one thing, the writing style was sloppy. Saying that so-and-so's relationship "sou...more I'm betting this book was a brand new car. This was Davis's way to pay for something. Maybe a vacation at the beach, college tuition, etc. Whatever the purchase, this was not a serious academic endeavor.

Let me start with the good. The stories were interesting. I didn't know many of them, and I appreciated learning them. In particular, the Ferdinand and Isabella chapter was very good. OK, now for the critique.

For one thing, the writing style was sloppy. Saying that so-and-so's relationship "soured" was used multiple times -- enough that you notice it. It was also riddled with cliches. Enough that you notice that, too.

More importantly, though, was the substance. The few halfhearted attempts by Davis to move beyond the raw facts and provide context, analysis, or historical implications were conclusory and unpersuasive. I suspect that they were also drawn from his personal political ideology. For example, Davis implies pretty heavily that Washington is not to be too idolized because he once allowed his men to kill a bunch of other men, who they thought they were at war with, but who turned out to be a diplomat and his cohorts. Unpersuasive. Also, just now I read on Wikipedia that "the exact nature of Jumonville's mission has been the subject of considerable debate both at the time and up to the present day. Officially, his mission was to scout the area south of the fort. The French would later claim he was a diplomat on a peaceful mission..." Why am I getting more thorough information from the least trustworthy source in all college papers?

Throughout the last third of the book he tries to make the case that the American revolution themes we know and love -- the Enlightenment, liberty, a bunch of geniuses in a room hammering out a Declaration and later a lasting Constitution that allowed the prosperity of millions of people-- are just the propagandist themes. In reality, Americans were just as unfair to the little guy, just as ruthless, and just as ignoble as everyone had been before when they wrote those documents. You could actually feel an editor dragging Davis to admit that the U.S. Constitution was the first --EVER IN ALL HISTORY-- to be written and ratified by the people whose authority it came from.

I mean, I'm sorry. That's not propaganda or a whitewashed version of history. That's a fantastic, inspiring, altogether incredible fact. And you know what, I don't believe that a farmer named Shays nearly brought the new nation to its knees. No sir, I do not. I believe the Civil War almost did, and I believe the Federal Reserve just might.

Anyway, perhaps I am expecting too much out of the book. Maybe it wasn't meant to be several American stories that, together, indicate something profound and as yet unwritten. Perhaps they're just 5 stories history always neglects. If that's the case, in the end, I'm already forgetting them.(less)

like · see review

Nov 18, 2008 Paul rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love Ken Davis. This book reinforced how little I actually learned in grade school about the founding of our country. I think Ken makes his money off me by tearing down the blind "patriotic" version of history so common to my generation in childhood AND by not vilifying our heritage. It's a careful balance and Davis does it well.

Something that I learned from this book: The first European settlers in what is now The USA were not WASPy pilgrims in the Mayflower, but rather French Huguenots esca...more

like · see review

Jul 11, 2008 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, june-2008

While there were few things I didn't know at least something about in this book, Davis digs deeper into America's history than what most of us learned in school.

The historical periods covered range from the early Spanish conquistadors/explorers through the aftermath of the Revolutionary War in the 1780s.

Davis discusses the role of the importation of pigs as spreaders of disease, and further notes the impact of disease during crucial historical moments.

We learn that the Hugenot refugees from Fra...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 43 44 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (12)

More editions...

Genres

History

99 users

Non Fiction

53 users

History > American History

20 users

Literature > American

5 users

Adult

3 users

Biography

2 users

Education

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Kenneth C. Davis

Ken Davis has been dubbed “The King of Knowing” by Amazon.com because he becomes a subject expert in all of the areas he writes about – the Bible, Mythology, the Universe, the Civil War, for example. Ken has also been a “Wise Man” on Who Wants to be a Super Millionaire and a “Life Line” on the regular edition of the show.

Ken Davis’ success aptly makes the case that Americans don’t hate history, ju...more

More about Kenneth C. Davis...

Books by Kenneth C. Davis

Don't Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know About American History But Never Learned

Don't Know Much About the Bible: Everything You Need to Know About the Good Book but Never Learned

Don't Know Much About Mythology: Everything You Need to Know About the Greatest Stories in Human History but Never Learned

Don't Know Much About the Civil War: Everything You Need to Know About America's Greatest Conflict but Never Learned

Don't Know Much About Geography: Everything You Need to Know About the World but Never Learned

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About America's Hidden ...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: America's Hidden History LP: Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women, and Forgotten Founders Who Shaped a Nation
avg rating	preview: America's Hidden History LP: Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women, and Forgotten Found Goodreads rating: 3.40 (615 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2924837-america-s-hidden-history-lp?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347800939l/2924837.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2924837-america-s-hidden-history-lp?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]America's Hidden History LP: Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women, and Forgotten Founders Who Shaped a Nation by Kenneth C. Davis[/url]

America's Hidden History LP: Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women, and Forgotten Founders Who Shaped a Nation

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website