American Creed
Subtitle: Philanthropy and the Rise of Civil Society, 1700-1865
Publisher: University Of Chicago Press; University of Chicago Press
Published: May 15, 2003
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 320
ISBN-13: 9780226561981
Subjects: American history: c 1500 to c 1800; American history: c 1800 to c 1900; Social History; History; Sociology; History: World; USA; Philanthropy & Charity; Social Science / Philanthropy & Charity; Americas (North Central South West Indies); 18th century; Charities; Civil society; Nonprofit organizations; United States
First sentence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Description: Since the dawn of the republic, faith in social equality, religious freedom, and the right to engage in civic activism have constituted the American national creed. In this bracing history, Kathleen D. McCarthy traces the evolution of these ideals, exploring the impact of philanthropy and volunteerism on America from 1700 to 1865. What results is a vital re-evaluation of public life during the pivotal decades leading up to the Civil War.