Old Dominion, New Commonwealth: A History of Virginia, 1607-2007

By Ronald L. Heinemann, John G. Kolp, Anthony S. Parent Jr.

Book Overview

"On the morning of 26 April 1607, three small ships carrying 143 Englishmen arrived off the Virginia coast of North America, having spent four months at sea.... All hoped for financial success and perhaps a little adventure; as it turned out, their tiny settlement eventually would evolve from colony into a prominent state in an entirely new nation." So begins Old Dominion, New Commonwealth: A History of Virginia, 1607-2007 and the remarkable story behind the founding not only of the state of Virginia but of our nation. With this book, the historians Ronald L. Heinemann, John G. Kolp, Anthony S. Parent Jr., and William G. Shade collaborate to provide a comprehensive, accessible, one-volume history of Virginia, the first of its kind since the 1970s.

In seventeen narrative chapters, the authors tackle the four centuries of Virginia's history from Jamestown through the present, emphasizing the major themes that play throughout Virginia history--change and continuity, a conservative political order, race and slavery, economic development, and social divisions--and how they relate to national events. Including helpful bibliographical listings at the end of each chapter as well as a general listing of useful sources and Websites, the book is truly a treasure trove for any student, scholar, or general-interest reader looking to find out more about the history of Virginia and our nation. Timed to coincide with the 2007 quadricentennial, Old Dominion, New Commonwealth will stand as a classic for years to come.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0813927692
• ISBN13: 9780813927695
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: University of Virginia Press
• Length: 412 Pages
• Weight: 1.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.2" x 8.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A fascinating chronicle of the changes that beset Virginia over the centuries

Written by four current and emeritus professors of history, Old Dominion, New Commonwealth: A History of Virginia 1607-2007 is an in-depth chronicle of the state of Virginia's history since the founding of the Jamestown colony. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this fascinating chronicle of the changes that beset Virginia over the centuries, accessible to scholars and lay readers alike. A worthy and highly recommended addition to both public and college library American History shelves. "No other Southern state suffered the devastation that Virginia experienced during the [civil] war. It had been the chief battleground in the conflict. More than 40,000 citizens had perished, most of them in military service to the Confederacy. Thousands more were crippled... Six months after Appomattox thousands of black and white Virginians were surviving on rations provided by the Union army. Disease was rampant. With Confederate currency worthless and personal savings wiped out, a barter economy developed."