Plot summary, “Out of Our Past” by Carl Degler in 4 Minutes - Book Review
0"Out of Our Past" is a seminal work by American author and historian Carl Degler. Published in 1959, this non-fiction book explores the historical forces that have shaped modern America. Degler poses a fundamental question: How did Americans evolve into the people they are in the twentieth century?
The book delves into the roots of American capitalism, tracing them back to the earliest European settlers, particularly the Puritans. Degler discusses how these settlers, seeking religious freedom, not only established a haven for their beliefs but also inadvertently laid the groundwork for a nation seeking independence from European societal norms. The fertile land and accessible markets in America allowed families of European descent to rise from relative poverty to considerable wealth within a single generation, disrupting the rigid class system of the Old World.
Degler examines the formation of a national American identity, as immigrants from diverse European backgrounds forged a shared sense of nationalism. The oppressive policies of England against the colonies further unified the New World against imperial rule, leading to a unique kind of revolution that strengthened the colonies' union rather than destabilizing it.
The narrative extends to the westward expansion of American civilization, the aftermath of the War of 1812, and the era of Jacksonian Democracy under President Andrew Jackson. Additionally, the book explores America's campaign to abolish slavery, the challenges faced by newly freed slaves after the Civil War, and the political and cultural schisms that emerged in the post-Civil War era.
Degler's analysis encompasses the rise of labor movements, resistance to demographic shifts in immigrant populations, the urban-rural divide, and the impact of the Great Depression and the New Deal, which he characterizes as the Third American Revolution. The book takes a comprehensive view of the evolution of the American family unit throughout history and observes how World Wars I and II transformed America's foreign policy, ending decades of isolationism.
"Out of Our Past" remains a significant and widely studied work, offering insights into the complex historical forces that have shaped the United States.