The American Democrat

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Barnes & Noble Publishing, 2004 - 189 páginas
When "The American Democrat" was first published in 1838, Cooper's position as America's first major novelist obscured his serious contribution to the discussion of American principles and politics. Yet Cooper," says H. L. Mencken, "was probably the first American to write about Americans in the really frank spirit . . . a simple, sound and sensible tract, moderate in tone and extraordinarily astute in its conclusions." Cooper provides a concise statement of the principles of American democracy and of its social ramifications. He was concerned that these principles and our institutions would be perverted--especially by the confusion of an equality of rights with equality of condition.

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Contenido

ON GOVERNMENT
3
ON DISTINCTIVE AMERICAN PRINCIPLES
19
ON EQUALITY
33
ON THE ADVANTAGES OF A MONARCHY
47
ADVANTAGES OF A DEMOCRACY
50
ON PREJUDICE
63
ON THE PRIVATE DUTIES OF STATION
76
ON REPRESENTATION
93
ON THE PRESS
111
ON PROPERTY
122
ON DEPORTMENT
137
ON THE RIGHT OF PETITION
151
ON PARTY
164
CONCLUSION
177
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Acerca del autor (2004)

James Fenimore Cooper, acclaimed as one of the first American novelists, was born in Burlington, N.J., on September 15, 1789. When he was one year old, his family moved to Cooperstown, N.Y., which was founded by his father. Cooper attended various grammar schools in Burlington, Cooperstown, and Albany, and entered Yale University in 1803 at the age of 13. In 1806, Cooper was expelled from Yale for pushing a rag with gunpowder under a classmate's door, causing it to explode. He then spent some time as a merchant seaman and served as a midshipman in the U.S. Navy from 1808-1811. In 1811, Cooper married Susan De Lancey, and lived the life of a country gentleman until one day in 1820. Cooper and his wife were reading a book together. When Cooper told Susan that he could write a better book than the one they were reading, she challenged him to do so. Thus began his career as an author, with Precaution (first published anonymously). Cooper is known for writing more than 50 works under his own name, Jane Morgan, and Anonymous. His works included fiction, nonfiction, history, and travel sketches. He gained insight for his travel works while the Cooper family lived in Europe from 1826 to 1833. Cooper is best known for the novel The Last of The Mohicans, which has been made into several motion picture adaptations, the most recent starring Daniel Day-Lewis as Hawkeye. The Last of the Mohicans is part of The Leatherstocking Tales, which includes the other novels, The Pioneers, The Deerslayer, and The Pathfinder. Hawkeye, whose given name is Nathaniel Bumpo, is a recurring character in the series which accurately chronicles early American pioneering life and events during the French and Indian War. In 1851, Cooper developed a liver condition, dying on September 14th of that year, just one day before his 62nd birthday.

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