United States Flag
Destination: Philadelphia
Book:
Miracle in Philadelphia by Catherine Drinker Bowen
Happy Independence Day!
Ever since I traveled to Philadelphia a few years ago, my thoughts wander to the birthplace of the United States on July 4th. Even cynics may have a hard time remaining uninvolved with the Fourth of July celebrations after reading this book. We already covered 1776. This book takes us to 1787 and the Constitutuion that finished the job started by the Revolutionary War.
The book [amazonify0316103985::text::::Miracle at Philadelphia[/amazonify] by Catherine Drinker Bowen takes its name from a quotation by George Washington. “It appears to me, then, little short of a miracle, that the Delegates from so many different states (which States you know are also different from each other), in their manners, circumstances and prejudices, should unite in forming a system of national Government, so little liable to well founded objections.”
I read this book in a special slipcovered edition published for the bicentennial–yes, way back in 1976. I will never forget the way the book helps you travel back through time. I could see images of the framers of the Constitution meeting in the sticky summer heat in Philadelphia, windows shut so that rumors would not leak out.
The arguments flew. Some were hot-headed, some conciliatory, as they tried to get their minds around new ideas–a new form of government. They knew they could not continue as scattered communities along the Eastern shore. But how to solidify independence, now they had won it? Some sort of government must substitute for the former Royal colonies.
The previous arrangement suited some people just fine, but for safety and for economic reasons, they knew that they must band together.
It is safe to say that when they started talking, none expected their actions to lead to a national government. And even when they finished, none realized how long their Constitution would last and how strong it would prove to be.
The gathering in Philadelphia needed to deal with economic self-interst, but surely more lofty goals and thoughts of the rights of man entered into their thinking. Shouldn’t this new country have a king? some wondered. Would it be safer to have a committee at the head? How to be fair to large states and small?
“The situation of this assembly–groping as it were in the dark to find political truth,” said Benjamin Franklin.
Miracle at Philadelphia traces the Federal Convention from May to September of 1787, introduces life in various states, and ends with the year it took to get ratification of the Constitutuion of the United States.
I love this book because it reminds me why we celebrate the 4th of July. Yes, it celebrates a Declaration of Independence, but without the Constitution, that would have been a hollow victory.
As I read, I mind travel to Philadelphia as it brings to life all the men who formed the Constitution, their struggle and their triumph. And marvelously, you can travel to the same city and stand in the same hall where they debated. You can eat at a Philadelphia restaurant that recreates the one that stood on the spot where delegates met to have a pint. You can stay in a Philadelphia hotel across from that restaurant that dates to the late 1700s. It is exciting to walk in the footsteps of those who wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, whether on the 4th of July or some other day. When you go to Philadelphia, please also visit the new National Constitution Center on Independence Mall, just two blocks from Independence Hall. This marvelous institution reminds us through movies, images, and role-playing, that the Constitution does not sit on a shelf–it lives.
Photograph by Jonathan D. Colman, from Flickr under Creative Commons License.
Do you have a favorite book about United States History that you think about during this patriotic season?
Tags: 4th of July, Constitution, George Washington, Independence, July 4th, Philadelphia
Quick note to let you know that my article on the world’s best cooking classes for travelers is up at I Explore.com The Crème de la Crème of Cooking Classes.
Tags: cooking, culinary travel
Destination: America
Book: 1776 by David McCullough
On the Fourth of July, we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But this book focuses on the war that preceded the Continental Congress and continued after the important paper was signed– the war that gave the document meaning.
George Washington
In the book 1776
In the background, the politicians met in Philadelphia and carried on their (to British eyes) treasonous business.
“We are in the midst of a revolution,” wrote John Adams, “the most complete, unexpected and remarkable of any in the history of nations.”
And as the delegates to the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, McCullough writes:
“..the citizen-soldiers of Washington’s army were no longer to be fighting only for the defense of their country, or for their rightful liberties as freeborn Englishmen...It was now a proudly proclaimed, all-out war for an independent America, a new America, and thus a new day of freedom and equality.”
The war dragged on but the book ends with New Year’s Day 1777. It ends with just a mention of the surrender at Yorktown and the final treaty that was not signed until 1783.
What better way to celebrate July 4th than to visit some of the less-frequented sites related to the Revolutionary War.
In New York City, you can travel to the very southern tip of Manhattan and be amazed at the cobble-stone streets and 18th century buildings that remain. This was pretty much all there was of New York when the war began. It is easy to miss the small Fraunces tavern where Washington said goodbye to his troops. A restaurant serves patrons on the ground floor, and when I was there, I had to ask a waiter to allow me up the stairs to see the rooms where Washington met with his troops.
The entire National Historic Park at Valley Forge in southern Pennsylvnia is beautiful, peaceful countryside, unlike the rough conditions soldiers faced there in 1776. My favorite spot was the stone house that served as Washington’s headquarters. There you can actually walk up the wooden stairs that Washington climbed to the bedroom that served as his office.
I loved the Pennsylvania park at Washington Crossing (there is another park on the New Jersey side.) Made famous by the exaggerated painting of Washington standing up in the boat, the park now incorporates some 18th century buildings that you can tour. Drive down the River Road where the troops walked during that bitterly-cold winter crossing that proved a brilliant move as the British were not expecting company in Trenton, New Jersey. I did not go on to the Trenton battle site monument, the spot of the decisive battle, but that is on my list for another time. Just a small crossroads at the time of the war, the city has obliterated the site of the battle, but a 150′ monument stands where the Americans had their artillery. Fittingly, George Washington stands atop the pillar, towering over the city, as he did over our history.
Finally, visit Yorktown Virginia, where the last battle took place and the British surrendered after being let down by their hired Hessian troops. Just a small crossroads at the time of the war, the city has obliterated the site of the battle, but a 150′ monument stands where the Americans had their artillery. Fittingly, George Washington stands atop the pillar, towering over the city, as he did over our history.
Note, if you’d like to read more about the book 1776, see this excellent blog post at Navy Reads blog.
Tags: 1776, David McCullough, Declaration of Independence, Fourth of July, George Washington, history, Yorktown
Shelly Seale
Destination: India
Shelley: I loved Three Cups of Tea! I read it toward the end of finishing my book. Very inspirational.
For nonfiction books to help a person prepare for traveling to India, there are two totally different ones I would recommend. The first is called Wanderlust and Lipstick
The second is called Holy Cow
As far as fiction goes, I want to read Shantaram 
Note: Holy Cow stirred up quite a bit of controversy, particularly among Parsis, but also some other Indians who felt it was insensitive. I like the review written by a Lehigh professor. If you visit there, be sure to read the comments.
Do you have comments on any of these five books? I hope you will join the conversation, but at least be sure to add a sixth book– Shelley Seale’s The Weight of Silence
Destination: The World
Book: Going Dutch In Beijing by Mark McCrum
I am excited to welcome a regular columnist to A Traveler’s Library. The last week of every month, Dr. Jessie Voigts will be sharing some favorite book and/or author information from her web site, Wandering Educators, an eclectic travel site for global educators and other wanderers. Jessie says, “If you love to learn and explore the world, come join us! “ Welcome aboard, Jessie.
Books from a Wanderer
Dr. Jessie Voigts
by Dr. Jessie Voigts
One of the most influential books in my personal traveler’s library is Going Dutch in Beijing: How to Behave Properly When Far Away from Home
I remember when I lived in Japan, I was always conscious of being different – both physically and culturally. Many times, my Japanese friends had talked of several important Japanese concepts – saving face, and the phrase “the nail that sticks out will get hammered down.” The Japanese concept of saving face, in which you never show a person in a bad light, was brought to life for me one time quite clearly.
I had gone out for sushi with one of my host fathers and a group of his friends, and he was so proud of me that he ordered a very expensive live anemone for me to eat. I did not want to eat this wiggling, wriggling creature, but to save face for him, I choked it down. The look on his face was two-fold – pride that I had done this, and relief that I had not shamed him in front of his cronies.
The fact that I didn’t want to eat it was secondary – I realized that I needed to eat it, in order for him to save face in front of his friends. So I did (to my great dismay!), and I realized that THIS, this saving face, was real, personal, and yes, an important aspect of Japanese culture. From then on, it was like a window had opened for me – a true glimpse into Japanese culture and mores. It was priceless, and a life-lesson that has stood me well since then.
So, if you aren’t in a Japanese neighborhood and downing live anemones, you might want to peruse Going Dutch in Beijing – it is much easier, and a great deal more fun.
McCrum’s book is an invaluable tool for world travelers – or for those who work with people from different cultures. A little intercultural sensitivity can go a long way toward smooth interactions. This intercultural sensitivity can come from learning the hard way, or learning from others (easily done, reading this book!). We were lucky enough at Wandering Educators to interview Mark about his book. Here’s some of what he had to say…
(See some of the interview with Mark McCrum on the following page)
Tags: behavior, culture, Japan, Jessie Voigts, Mark McCrum, travel, Wandering Educators
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