America
Historical, Statistic, and Descriptive

A three-volume study of North American life published in 1841 by one of nineteenth-century Britain's leading travel writers.

James Silk Buckingham (Author)

9781108032513, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 2 June 2011

530 pages, 21 b/w illus. 1 map
21.6 x 14 x 3 cm, 0.67 kg

James Silk Buckingham (1786–1855) was a writer who travelled extensively throughout the world and published accounts of his adventures in places such as India, Persia, Egypt, and Palestine. In addition, he was a supporter of political reform and served as the first MP for Sheffield, from 1832 to 1837. On retiring from Parliament, he left for North America, where he spent nearly four years, saying, 'I had a strong desire to add to the knowledge … acquired of the Old World, by examining for myself the most favoured portion of the New'. He recounts part of his time in America - during which he visited every state in the Union except Florida and Arkansas, as well as some of the provinces of Canada - in this three-volume work, published in 1841. Volume 1 focuses on his time in New York, Washington, DC, and Baltimore.

Dedication
1. Motives for visiting the United States
2. Departure from England
3. History of New York from 1609 to 1838
4. Population of New York
5. Deep-rooted prejudices on the subject of slavery
6. Mr. Catlin's Museum of Indian costumes, weapons, and paintings
7. Personal visit to some Indian chiefs at New York
8. Benevolent institutions of the Americans
9. Misery and crime among the poorer classes
10. The Courts of Law held in the City Hall
11. State of literature and the arts in the city
12. Peculiarities in the manners and customs of New York
13. Climate, weather, snows, severe cold
14. Voyage from New York to Amboy, by steam-boat
15. Stay at Washington
16. History of the City of Washington
17. Diversity of character in the population
18. Private friends in Washington
19. Environs of Washington, scenery and views
20. Stay at Baltimore, and agreeable intercourse there
21. Topographical situation of Baltimore
22. Population of Baltimore
23. Classification of the varied population of the city.

Subject Areas: History of the Americas [HBJK]