American Creed

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.