Comments on: Is Mormon History American History?

By: Howe on Mormonism « U.S. History, 1815-1848

Howe on Mormonism « U.S. History, 1815-1848 — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:16:40 +0000

[...] by Charles Sellers and Sean Wilentz in each of their respective books on the era at hand, see here. Feel free to offer any reflections on any and all of those posts in the comments [...]

By: Is Religious History American History? « U.S. History, 1815-1848

Is Religious History American History? « U.S. History, 1815-1848 — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:33:19 +0000

[...] further thoughts on the subject by Kelly Baker, a professor at the University of New Mexico, and here for my own thoughts on the more specific question, “Is Mormon History American [...]

By: Juvenile Instructor » One of “the great achievements of American literature”: Mormonism in Howe’s What Hath God Wrought, Part 1

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:05:45 +0000

[...] to know all the details. What is important is where they place us.” Similarly, a year ago Chris wrote a post on Charles Sellers’ The Market Revolution, in which Chris argued that the value of [...]

By: Juvenile Instructor » “gigantic and sometimes polemical”: The Persistent Marginalization of Mormon History as an Acceptable Field of Study

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:55:03 +0000

[...] I have mentioned previously that Howe discusses Mormonism (and religion in general) at greater length and more in-depth than do any of the historians who have previously treated this era of U.S. History at length. Arthur Schlesinger Jr., Charles Sellers, and most recently, Sean Wilentz, have discussed religion to varying extents, but none as thoroughly as Howe. [...]

By: Mormonism as American Legal History « Juvenile Instructor

Mormonism as American Legal History « Juvenile Instructor — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 23:44:39 +0000

[...] Is Mormon History American History? [...]

By: Christopher

Christopher — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:15:44 +0000

Justin, thanks for checking that out, and providing the mini-review. It sounds like Howe discusses Mormonism even more than I anticipated, which is great.

And I think I’m even more excited about the sources used than about the amount he explores Mormonism in relation to the American experience.

By: Justin

Justin — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:40:55 +0000

I flipped through Howe’s latest to find two main sections that discuss Mormonism, one in the chapter on millennial beliefs and one in a chapter on westward expansion. Each section runs about eight pages. The first section chronicles the beginnings of Mormonism, including Joseph Smith’s visions and the emergence of the Book of Mormon, through events leading up to Nauvoo. The second section covers the events of Nauvoo and the exodus and settlement in the west. There are a handful of other scattered references in the book.

Among other sources, I recall that Howe cites the Papers of Joseph Smith, Rough Stone Rolling, Arrington’s BY bio, Millenarian World of Early Mormonism, No Man Knows My History, Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism, LeSueur’s Missouri book, and Cultures in Conflict.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 01:07:18 +0000

John, thanks for stopping by and commenting. I was aware that Wilentz mentions that “Mormon polygamy” was slavery’s twin relic, but because he didn’t expand on that, I didn’t feel it was worth mentioning.

Matt, David is right in pointing out that I’m not necessarily interested in how Mormonism is situated in these narratives, but rather how much it is situated.

By: David Grua

David Grua — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 01:07:09 +0000

Bushman doesn't include The Market Revolution in his Works Cited, but he does cite two other works by Sellers. I find it unlikely that Bushman is unaware of Sellers' argument in MR though.

By: stan

stan — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:47:22 +0000

David: Does Bushman cite Sellers in his notes?