Uncovering Nevada's Past

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Author :
Publisher : University of Nevada Press
ISBN 13 : 0874176506
Total Pages : 406 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (741 download)

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Book Synopsis Uncovering Nevada's Past by : John B. Reid

Download or read book Uncovering Nevada's Past written by John B. Reid and published by University of Nevada Press. This book was released on 2004-04-01 with total page 406 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nevada’s relatively brief history has been nonetheless remarkably eventful. From the activities of the first Euro-American explorers to the booms and busts of the mining industry, from the struggles and artistry of the Native Americans to the establishment of liberal divorce laws and such unique industries as legalized gambling and prostitution, from Cold War atomic tests to the civil rights movement, from the arrival of a diverse and rapidly growing urban population to the Sagebrush Rebellion, Nevada has played a part in the nation’s development while following its own ruggedly independent path. In Uncovering Nevada’s Past, historians John B. Reid and Ronald M. James have collected more than fifty major documents and visual images—some never before published—that define Nevada’s colorful and complex development. Here are the words of such literary luminaries as Mark Twain, Sarah Winnemucca, and Arthur Miller; anonymous newspaper articles; public documents including Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation of Nevada statehood and the probate records of murdered Virginia City prostitute Julia Bulette; personal letters; political speeches; and personal accounts of, among other subjects, the construction of Hoover Dam, life in a mining boomtown, racial segregation in Las Vegas, political careers, and atomic testing. Images include photographs of significant Nevada architecture, the masterpieces of renowned Paiute basketmaker Dat-so-la-lee, tree carvings by Basque sheepherders, and tourism promotions. The collection ranges from the earliest descriptions of the region to the current debate on Yucca Mountain. The volume editors have provided an introduction and headnotes that set the documents into their historical and social context. Uncovering Nevada’s Past is a vital, enlightening record of Nevada’s history—in the words of the people who lived and made it—that makes for lively and engaging reading.

The Silver State, 3rd Edition

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Author :
Publisher : Wilbur S. Shepperson Series in
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 396 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis The Silver State, 3rd Edition by : James W. Hulse

Download or read book The Silver State, 3rd Edition written by James W. Hulse and published by Wilbur S. Shepperson Series in. This book was released on 2004-07-09 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nevada has changed dramatically over the past quarter century, and in this third edition of The Silver State, renowned historian James W. Hulse recounts the major events - historical, political, and social - that have shaped our state. Hulse's cohesive and readable approach offers students and general readers an accessible account of Nevada's colorful history. The new edition highlights the social and political changes that have occurred since the original publication of The Silver State in 1991. and educational system; expanding roles of women; recent developments in state politics, including the 2003 legislative session; the influence of Nevada's growing ethnic population and increasingly divergent demographic groups; and the impact of federal policies, including President George W. Bush's 2002 decision to authorize the opening of a nuclear-waste repository at Yucca Mountain. In addition, all the recommended-reading lists have been updated. The Silver State explores many dimensions of the Nevada experience and its peoples - from the prehistoric Anasazi Indians to the creators of extravagant casinos on the Las Vegas Strip; from duststained Comstock miners to the state's contemporary and very cosmopolitan Sunbelt population. heritage and eventful history of Nevada, the Silver State.

The Nevada State Constitution

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Author :
Publisher : Oxford Commentaries on the Sta
ISBN 13 : 0199892547
Total Pages : 252 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (998 download)

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Book Synopsis The Nevada State Constitution by : Michael W. Bowers

Download or read book The Nevada State Constitution written by Michael W. Bowers and published by Oxford Commentaries on the Sta. This book was released on 2014 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this newly revised work, Michael Bowers presents an historical overview of constitutional development in the state of Nevada. The Nevada State Constitution provides a comprehensive section-by-section analysis of the state constitution. In addition, a thorough bibliographic essay notes the seminal works relating to the constitution, and a list of cases enumerates the landmark federal and state court decisions interpreting the state's constitution and the more than one hundred amendments to it. This one-of-a-kind treatment of the Nevada Constitution is essential reading for those interested in the historical development and contemporary meaning of the Sagebrush State's oldest and most foundational legal document. The Oxford Commentaries on the State Constitutions of the United States is an important series that reflects a renewed international interest in constitutional history and provides expert insight into each of the 50 state constitutions. Each volume in this innovative series contains a historical overview of the state's constitutional development, a section-by-section analysis of its current constitution, and a comprehensive guide to further research. Under the expert editorship of Professor G. Alan Tarr, Director of the Center on State Constitutional Studies at Rutgers University, this series provides essential reference tools for understanding state constitutional law. Books in the series can be purchased individually or as part of a complete set, giving readers unmatched access to these important political documents.

A Short History of Virginia City

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Author :
Publisher : University of Nevada Press
ISBN 13 : 0874179483
Total Pages : 258 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (741 download)

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Book Synopsis A Short History of Virginia City by : Ronald M. James

Download or read book A Short History of Virginia City written by Ronald M. James and published by University of Nevada Press. This book was released on 2014-09-15 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Founded in 1859, Virginia City quickly became world famous for its extraordinary prosperity. Over the next two decades, the mines of “the Richest City on Earth” yielded millions in gold and silver. The newly wealthy built mansions and churches, opera houses and schools, with furniture, fashions, and entertainment imported from Europe and the Far East. Here young Samuel Clemens, reporting for the Territorial Enterprise in 1863, first called himself Mark Twain. At its height Virginia City was a magnet for immigrants and the world leader in technological innovations in mining. The city’s story did not end when the Comstock Lode played out. Beginning in the 1930s, bohemian artists, literati, and tourists were intrigued by this remnant of the Old West. The leader of Manhattan’s café society, Lucius Beebe, moved here and relaunched the Territorial Enterprise in 1950. Television’s most popular western from 1959 to 1973, Bonanza, located its fictional Ponderosa Ranch nearby. In the summer of 1965, a handful of Bay Area musicians, including Big Brother and the Holding Company, performed at the Red Dog Saloon and launched psychedelic rock, part of the inspiration for a defining decade of youth culture. Today it is both a National Historic Landmark District and a living community. Visitors come to enjoy its saloons and restaurants, admire its architecture, and learn from its museums and exhibits. A Short History of Virginia City will enhance their experience and will also be enjoyed by anyone interested in the history of Nevada, mining, and the Old West. • Includes an illustrated walking tour describing more than thirty buildings and sites

Literary Nevada

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Publisher : University of Nevada Press
ISBN 13 : 0874170125
Total Pages : 902 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (741 download)

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Book Synopsis Literary Nevada by : Cheryll Glotfelty

Download or read book Literary Nevada written by Cheryll Glotfelty and published by University of Nevada Press. This book was released on 2016-06-01 with total page 902 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over 200 writings about Nevada with selections from Native American tales to contemporary writings on urban experience and environmental concerns. The state of Nevada embodies paradox and contradiction—home to one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation and to isolated ranches scattered across a sparsely populated backcountry. Nevada is a place where the lust for sudden wealth has prompted both wild mining booms and glittering casinos, and where forbidding atomic test sites coexist with alluring tourist meccas. The variety and distinctiveness of Nevada’s landscape and peoples have inspired writers from the beginning of immigrant contact with the region. This contact has produced abundant literary wealth that includes the rich oral traditions of Native American peoples and an amazing spectrum of contemporary voices. Literary Nevada is the first comprehensive literary anthology of Nevada. It contains over 200 selections ranging from traditional Native American tales, explorers’ and emigrants’ accounts, and writing from the Comstock Lode and other mining boomtowns, as well as compelling fiction, poetry, and essays from throughout the state’s history. There is work by well-known Nevada writers such as Sarah Winnemucca, Mark Twain, and Robert Laxalt, by established and emerging writers from all parts of the state, and by some nonresident authors whose work illuminates important facets of the Nevada experience. The book includes cowboy poetry, travel writing, accounts of nuclear Nevada, narratives about rural life and urban life in Las Vegas and Reno, poetry and fiction from the state’s best contemporary writers, and accounts of the special beauty of wild Nevada’s mountains and deserts. Editor Cheryll Glotfelty provides insightful introductions to each section and author. The book also includes a photo gallery of selected Nevada writers and a generous list of suggested further readings. Nevada has inspired an exceptionally rich panorama of fine writing and a dazzling array of literary voices. The selections in Literary Nevada will engage and delight readers while revealing the complex and exciting diversity of the state’s history, people, and life.

Nevada's Historic Buildings

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Author :
Publisher : University of Nevada Press
ISBN 13 : 0874178061
Total Pages : 396 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (741 download)

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Book Synopsis Nevada's Historic Buildings by : Ronald M. James

Download or read book Nevada's Historic Buildings written by Ronald M. James and published by University of Nevada Press. This book was released on 2009-09-15 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1991, Nevada’s Commission for Cultural Affairs was formed to oversee the preservation of the state’s historic buildings and the conversion of the best of them for use as cultural centers. This program has rehabilitated dozens of historic structures valued by their communities for the ways they represent the development of the state and its culture. Nevada’s Historic Buildings highlights ninety of these buildings, describing them in the context of the state’s history and the character of the people who created and used them. Here are reminders of mining boomtowns, historic ranches, transportation, the divorce and gaming industries, the New Deal, and the innovation of Las Vegas’s post-modern aesthetic. These buildings provide a cross-section of Nevada’s rich historic and cultural heritage and their survival offers everyone the experience of touching the past.

Uncovering Archaeology

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780615318585
Total Pages : 170 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (185 download)

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Book Synopsis Uncovering Archaeology by : Dennis Cassinelli

Download or read book Uncovering Archaeology written by Dennis Cassinelli and published by . This book was released on 2010-02-20 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In his much-anticipated third book, northern Nevada author Dennis Cassinelli explores an array of issues often neglected by professional archaeologists and anthropologists. Leveling a critical eye at our current system of science, Cassinelli delves deep into the historical mysteries of the Great Basin and beyond, tracing the roots of bygone civilizations and piecing together the intricate puzzle of who we are and where we came from.Join Dennis on a journey through time that offers insightful new theories on topics ranging from Christ to the Spirit Cave Man to the ancient Mayans. With his passion for discovery combined with a conversational narrative style, Cassinelli ignites a compelling interest in history by posing questions few others dare ask

The Boy Nevada Killed: Floyd Loveless and the Juvenile Capital Punishment Debate

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Author :
Publisher : Arcadia Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1439659443
Total Pages : 160 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (396 download)

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Book Synopsis The Boy Nevada Killed: Floyd Loveless and the Juvenile Capital Punishment Debate by : Janice Oberding

Download or read book The Boy Nevada Killed: Floyd Loveless and the Juvenile Capital Punishment Debate written by Janice Oberding and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2017-02-20 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At seventeen, Floyd Burton Loveless became the youngest person ever executed by the state of Nevada. What led him to that end was just as tragic. Following a series of family catastrophes, Loveless was a petty thief by age twelve and a confessed rapist at fifteen. Sentenced to seven years at an Indiana state boys" reformatory, he escaped after a month in custody. The ruthless teen robbed his way to Carlin, Nevada, where he shot and killed a constable who spotted the stolen car he was driving and confronted him. After a protracted legal battle, Loveless died in the gas chamber on September 29, 1944. Author Janice Oberding recounts the sordid details that sparked national controversy over the constitutionality of juvenile capital punishment.

The Sagebrush State, 6th Edition

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Publisher : University of Nevada Press
ISBN 13 : 1647790271
Total Pages : 278 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (477 download)

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Book Synopsis The Sagebrush State, 6th Edition by : Michael W. Bowers

Download or read book The Sagebrush State, 6th Edition written by Michael W. Bowers and published by University of Nevada Press. This book was released on 2021-07-29 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nevada’s politics are in large measure the result of its turbulent history and harsh environment. Michael W. Bowers’s concise volume explains the dynamics of the state’s political formation process, which is strikingly unique among the fifty states. Even today, Nevada is unlike the other states in its politics and culture: economically right, yet libertarian and home to widespread gaming and a 24/7 industry. It has a high percentage of federally owned lands and one of the highest rates of urbanism in the United States, yet is often dominated by rural legislators. This comprehensive and insightful explanation discusses how Nevada’s history has shaped its political culture, and how its government operates today. The Sagebrush State serves as a highly readable and accessible text for the study of Nevada’s political history and constitution, which is a graduation requirement at the state’s colleges and universities. The sixth edition is updated through 2020 and includes the latest changes in the selection process of municipal court judges in the state, the resurgence of the Democrats after their losses in 2016, and the full text of the state constitution with extensive annotations of all amendments to the original 1864 document. It also examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn on the state’s budget.

The Sagebrush State, 5th Edition

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Publisher : University of Nevada Press
ISBN 13 : 1943859752
Total Pages : 332 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (438 download)

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Book Synopsis The Sagebrush State, 5th Edition by : Michael W. Bowers

Download or read book The Sagebrush State, 5th Edition written by Michael W. Bowers and published by University of Nevada Press. This book was released on 2018-08-15 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nevada’s politics are in large measure the result of its turbulent history and harsh environment. Michael W. Bowers’ concise volume explains the dynamics of the political formation process, which is strikingly unique among the fifty states. Even today, Nevada is unlike the other states in its politics and culture: it’s economically right, yet libertarian, the home of widespread gaming and a 24/7 lifestyle, has a high percentage of federally-owned lands, and has one of the highest rates of urbanism in the U.S., yet is often governed by rural legislators. This comprehensive and insightful explanation discusses how Nevada’s history has shaped its political culture, and how its government operates today. The Sagebrush State serves as a highly readable and accessible text for the study of Nevada’s political history and constitution, which is a graduation requirement at the state’s colleges and universities. The fifth edition is updated through 2017 and includes the full text of the state constitution with extensive annotations of all amendments to the original 1864 document.

Mark Twain at the Gallows

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Author :
Publisher : McFarland
ISBN 13 : 1476679738
Total Pages : 233 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (766 download)

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Book Synopsis Mark Twain at the Gallows by : Jarrod D. Roark

Download or read book Mark Twain at the Gallows written by Jarrod D. Roark and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2019-09-24 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a literary exploration of Mark Twain's writings on crime in the American West and its intersection with morality, gender and justice. Writing from his office at the Enterprise newspaper in the Nevada Territory, Twain employed a distinct style of crime writing--one that sensationalized facts and included Twain's personal philosophies and observations. Covering Twain's journalism, fictional works and his own personal letters, this book contextualizes the writer's coverage of crime through his anxieties about westward expansion and the promise of a utopian West. Twain's observations on the West often reflected common perceptions of the day, positioning him as a "voice of the people" on issues like crime, punishment and gender.

From Goodwill to Grunge

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Publisher : UNC Press Books
ISBN 13 : 1469631911
Total Pages : 343 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (696 download)

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Book Synopsis From Goodwill to Grunge by : Jennifer Le Zotte

Download or read book From Goodwill to Grunge written by Jennifer Le Zotte and published by UNC Press Books. This book was released on 2017-02-02 with total page 343 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this surprising new look at how clothing, style, and commerce came together to change American culture, Jennifer Le Zotte examines how secondhand goods sold at thrift stores, flea markets, and garage sales came to be both profitable and culturally influential. Initially, selling used goods in the United States was seen as a questionable enterprise focused largely on the poor. But as the twentieth century progressed, multimillion-dollar businesses like Goodwill Industries developed, catering not only to the needy but increasingly to well-off customers looking to make a statement. Le Zotte traces the origins and meanings of "secondhand style" and explores how buying pre-owned goods went from a signifier of poverty to a declaration of rebellion. Considering buyers and sellers from across the political and economic spectrum, Le Zotte shows how conservative and progressive social activists--from religious and business leaders to anti-Vietnam protesters and drag queens--shrewdly used the exchange of secondhand goods for economic and political ends. At the same time, artists and performers, from Marcel Duchamp and Fanny Brice to Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain, all helped make secondhand style a visual marker for youth in revolt.

Virginia City

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Publisher : U of Nebraska Press
ISBN 13 : 0803240082
Total Pages : 175 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (32 download)

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Book Synopsis Virginia City by : Ronald M. James

Download or read book Virginia City written by Ronald M. James and published by U of Nebraska Press. This book was released on 2012-05-01 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Spent cartridges. The pieces of an original Tabasco Pepper Sauce bottle. Shards of a ceramic pot, stained red. For archaeologists each of the thousands of artifacts uncovered at a site tells a story. For noted Comstock authority Ronald M. James, it is a story resulting from decades of research and excavation at one of the largest National Historic Landmarks in America, the Nevada town that, with the discovery of the Comstock Lode, became a boomtown microcosm of the American West. Drawing on the work of hundreds of volunteers, students, and professional archaeologists, Virginia City: Secrets of a Western Past shows how every detail—from unearthed artifacts to reports of local saloons to plans for the cemetery to surviving nineteenth-century buildings—adds to our view of Virginia City when it was one of the richest places on earth. James recreates this unlikely epitome of frontier industry and cosmopolitan living, the thriving hub of corporate executives, middle-class families, miners, prostitutes, and barkeepers—and more foreign-born residents per capita than anywhere else in the country—in a spot that had begun its life a few years earlier as the mining camp of several lucky guys. An excavation of the history of Virginia City, a window on the heyday of the American frontier, James’s book is also an enlightening look at how archaeology brings the story of the past to life.

The Sagebrush State, 4th Ed

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Author :
Publisher : University of Nevada Press
ISBN 13 : 0874179246
Total Pages : 517 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (741 download)

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Book Synopsis The Sagebrush State, 4th Ed by : Michael W. Bowers

Download or read book The Sagebrush State, 4th Ed written by Michael W. Bowers and published by University of Nevada Press. This book was released on 2013-11-13 with total page 517 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nevada’s politics have been formed in large measure by its turbulent history and harsh environment. Bowers’ concise volume explains the dynamics of this process, which is strikingly unique among the fifty states. This is a readable and insightful explanation of how Nevada’s history has formed its political culture, and how its government works today. The Sagebrush State includes the full text of the state constitution, with extensive annotations of all amendments to the original 1864 document. The Sagebrush State serves as a text for the study of Nevada’s history and constitution, which is a graduation requirement at the state’s colleges and universities. The fourth edition of this work is updated through 2012 to include information on the elections of 2010 and 2012 and recent controversial sessions of the Legislature.

Prestatehood Legal Materials

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Author :
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1136766022
Total Pages : 1539 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (367 download)

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Book Synopsis Prestatehood Legal Materials by : Michael Chiorazzi

Download or read book Prestatehood Legal Materials written by Michael Chiorazzi and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-05-13 with total page 1539 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explore the controversial legal history of the formation of the United States Prestatehood Legal Materials is your one-stop guide to the history and development of law in the U.S. and the change from territory to statehood. Unprecedented in its coverage of territorial government, this book identifies a wide range of available resources from each state to reveal the underlying legal principles that helped form the United States. In this unique publication, a state expert compiles each chapter using his or her own style, culminating in a diverse sourcebook that is interesting as well as informative. In Prestatehood Legal Materials, you will find bibliographies, references, and discussion on a varied list of source materials, including: state codes drafted by Congress county, state, and national archives journals and digests state and federal reports, citations, surveys, and studies books, manuscripts, papers, speeches, and theses town and city records and documents Web sites to help your search for more information and more Prestatehood Legal Materials provides you with brief overviews of state histories from colonization to acceptance into the United States. In this book, you will see how foreign countries controlled the laws of these territories and how these states eventually broke away to govern themselves. The text also covers the legal issues with Native Americans, inter-state and the Mexico and Canadian borders, and the development of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of state government. This guide focuses on materials that are readily available to historians, political scientists, legal scholars, and researchers. Resources that assist in locating not-so-easily accessible materials are also covered. Special sections focus on the legal resources of colonial New York City and Washington, DC—which is still technically in its prestatehood stage. Due to the enormity of this project, the editor of Prestatehood Legal Materials created a Web page where updates, corrections, additions and more will be posted.

Contemporary Immigration in America [2 volumes]

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Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 777 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (16 download)

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Book Synopsis Contemporary Immigration in America [2 volumes] by : Kathleen R. Arnold

Download or read book Contemporary Immigration in America [2 volumes] written by Kathleen R. Arnold and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2015-02-03 with total page 777 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: State and local immigration issues and policies for all 50 states are thoroughly examined in this unique, up-to-date, and accessibly written encyclopedia. Immigration continues to be a timely and often-controversial subject, particularly regarding legislation at the state level. While many books cover U.S. immigration, both historical and contemporary, few if any reference works examine the role of contemporary immigration in individual states. This two-volume encyclopedia fills that gap. Chapters address legal, social, political, and cultural issues of immigrant groups on a state-by-state basis and explore immigration trends and issues faced by individual ethnic populations. The encyclopedia will enable students to research the impact, contributions, and issues of immigration for each state to make comparisons between states and regions of the United States and to understand state versus national policies. By combining the history of immigration policy with current information, the work shows readers that many of the issues making news today are the same as those the nation dealt with in past decades. Studying state and local dynamics provide a unique perspective on this history.

Devils Will Reign

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Author :
Publisher : University of Nevada Press
ISBN 13 : 0874176662
Total Pages : 341 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (741 download)

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Book Synopsis Devils Will Reign by : Sally Zanjani

Download or read book Devils Will Reign written by Sally Zanjani and published by University of Nevada Press. This book was released on 2007-08-01 with total page 341 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nevada entered the Union in 1864 as the thirty-sixth state, a mere two decades after John Charles Frémont and his party undertook the first Euro-American exploration of the Great Basin. However, the intervening years were exceptionally eventful—gold was discovered in California in 1848; the debate over slavery in the territories made the Far West a significant topic of congressional concern; and the Mormon establishment in Utah stimulated national suspicion of the sect’s ambitions and policies—giving this remote, sparsely populated region on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada an importance that it probably would not have had in less turbulent times. In 1849, more than 22,000 people traveled the emigrant trails across the Great Basin, and soon Mormons from Utah set up a trading station in the Carson Valley to reap profit from the emigrant trade and anchor the western periphery of what their leader, Brigham Young, envisioned as a Mormon inland empire. Miners in Gold Canyon (just south of what is now Virginia City) and settlers in the Carson Valley were pushing the Native Americans out of their ancient homelands and vying with one another for control of choice land and rudimentary local governments. In Devils Will Reign, acclaimed historian Sally Zanjani recounts the momentous early history of the territory that is now known as Nevada, weaving the colorful saga of this rowdy frontier into the larger story of national political crises and economic ambitions, rapid development in California, and religious antipathy toward the polygamous Mormons. Here are intrepid frontiersmen, beleaguered Native Americans, zealous Mormons, and colorful characters and farmers, including a group of African Americans who successfully settled in the Carson Valley. Zanjani covers the lives of the pioneers, as well as the development and impact of the Comstock silver bonanza and the tenuous, halting efforts of the region’s residents to create first a territorial, then a state government. Seldom has the process of western settlement and government-making been described with such detail and insight.