Constitution of the United States of America : the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and rules for the government of the house of representatives of said commonwealth
Results of the election of the President Van Buren glued on inside front cover.
On front flyleaf: "Abraham Kauffman, member of House of Reprensentatives. Donated Kauffman's Park to the Borough of Manheim. His farm and land to the Mennonite Chuch along Manheim Pike and bears his name."
List of the committees of the House glued on inside back cover.
Includes bibliographical references (p. [305]-391) and index.
Summary
"Religious and national diversity characterized the settlements of the Delaware Valley almost from the first arrival of Europeans, and America's first pluralistic society evolved from this colony established by William Penn on the western shore of the Delaware River in 1681. Penn himself set forth a new, ideological basis for pluralism and tolerance, and this transformed a tentative, pragmatic pattern of relative harmony and tolerance into official policy. The English culture transplanted to Pennsylvania was itself fragmented. Quakers and Anglican, for example, had very different religious, social, and cultural values. Colonists from different parts of the British Isles-the Welsh, the Scots, and the Scotch-Irish-did not share common experiences or cultures. The 'Swedes' were both Swedish and Finnish in origins and culture and, while often designated 'Germans' or 'Palatines' by English-speaking Pennsylvanians, emigrants from the Rhineland spoke different dialects, practiced a wide variety of religious observances, and had little in common historically or culturally. Penn's ideals, ideas and policies set in motion forces that had significant effects on the development of this extremely heterogenous colony. This book explores the ways in which the implications of Penn's ideals were gradually worked out in Pennsylvania and how a stable and generally tolerant society was created."
The crucible of conflict -- 1. Background to the struggle : the federalist challenge and the origins of Pennsylvania's Jeffersonian conflict -- 2. The radicals emerge : "The European condition of society" and the promise of democracy -- 3. The quid challenge : political economy, politics, and the fault lines of conflict -- 4. The crucible of conflict : 1805 -- 5. "Perpetual motion--perpetual change--a boundless ocean without a shore" : the final meaning of democracy in Pennsylvania -- History and historiography.
Summary
"Pennsylvania Jeffersonians were the first American citizens to attempt to translate idealized speculations about democracy into a workable system of politics and governance. In doing so, they revealed key assumptions that united other national citizens regarding democracy and the conditions necessary for its survival. In particular, they assumed that democracy required economic autonomy and a strong measure of economic as well as political equality among citizens. This strong egalitarian theme was, however, challenged by Pennsylvania's precociously capitalistic economy and the nation's dynamic economic development in general, forcing the Jeffersonians to confront the reality that economic and social equality would have to take a back seat to free market forces.".
"Shankman's exploration of the Pennsylvania experience reveals how democracy arose in America, how it came to accommodate capitalism, at the same time marginalizing egalitarian assumptions and dreams. A work of intellectual and political history, his study also mirrors the aspirations, fears, hatreds, dreams, generous impulses, noble strivings, selfish cant, and enormous capacity to imagine of those who first tried to translate the blueprint for democracy into a tested foundation for the nation's future."--BOOK JACKET.
A geography of Pennsylvania : containing an account of the history, geographical features, soil, climate, geology, botany, zoology, population, education, government, finances, productions, trade, railroads, canals &c. of the state : with a separate description of each county, and questions for the convenience of teachers : to which is appended, a travellers' guide, or table of distances on the principal rail road, canal and stage routes in the state
A photographic study of the Pennsylvania Germans (mistakenly named Pennsylvania Dutch), portraying the people, their homes, farms, cultural background and customs.