The Great Tradition: Constitutional History and National Identity in Britain and the United States, 1870-1960The Great Tradition traces the way in which English constitutional history became a major factor in the development of a national identity that took for granted the superiority of the English as a governing race. In the United States, constitutional history also became an aspect of the United States's self-definition as a nation governed by law. The book's importance lies in the way constitutional history interpreted the past to create a favorable self-image for each country. It deals with constitutional history as a justification for empire, a model for the emergent academic history of the 1870s, a surrogate for political argument in the guise of scholarship, and an element that contributed to the Anglo-American rapprochement before World War I. The book also traces the rise and decline of constitutional history as a fashionable sub-discipline within the academy. |
Contents
History as National Identity | 7 |
A ThreeStep Waltz Germany England and New England Eternally | 27 |
Constitutional History as an Academic Profession | 56 |
Copyright | |
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academic Adams American Historical Andrews Anglo-Saxon became become believed Britain British Bryce Burton called Cambridge Cambridge University century Charles Civil College colonial common constitutional history continuity course criticism culture Dicey documents early Edward emphasis Empire England English constitutional history English history especially example field Frederic Freeman George German Green Herbert historians Historical Review imperial important institutions interest interpretation issues James Jameson January John Journal later lecture Letters Library London Maitland March medieval Michigan narrative national identity never Norman noted original Oxford papers past period political present profession professional published race racial Record relations remained respect result role Round rule scholarly scholars scholarship served Smith social Society Stubbs Stubbs's teaching thought tion tradition United University Press Victorian volume Whig women writing wrote York