These books are presented by ushistory.org (Independence Hall Association) in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Historical Association. All proceeds benefit both non-profit organizations.
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Each presidential election year, it has become common to hear Pennsylvania described as a "battleground state." How and why did such competitive politics take shape? When did Pennsylvania become so pivotal in electing the president of the United States? In this volume, one of the state's leading political analysts answers these questions by taking readers behind the scenes of convention dramas and onto the campaign trail as national candidates and favorite sons vie for support. This authoritative, richly detailed history by G. Terry Madonna traces the evolution of presidential politics in Pennsylvania from FDR to the twenty-first century. (2008). 126 pages, illustrations, presidential elections table, and suggestions for further reading. ISBN 1-932304-40-1
Cover illustration: Pennsylvania State Archives, MG-342, George Howard Earle Papers Price: $14.95
In this ambitious history, Daniel K. Richter recounts the story of Native Americans in the Keystone State. Recognizing that Native American history does not begin with the arrival of Europeans, and does not end with their relocation or their concentration on reservations, the author pays significant attention to the millennia before contact, as well as to the developments of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Well-written, carefully researched, and infused with concern for telling the Native American story in all its complexity, this volume provides a lively and thought-provoking survey of the history of the original people of Pennsylvania. (2005). 100 pages, illustrations, maps, and suggestions for further reading. ISBN 1-932304-29-0 Price: $12.95
Pennsylvania's history is reflected in its buildings, from colonial log houses to the shimmering new skyscraper skylines of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. This booklet provides an introduction to these often-overlooked testaments to the state's past and present. (Revised edition, 1997). 79 pages, illustrations, and suggestions for further reading. Price: $8.95
What stories might emerge from a close look at a chair, a basket, a candlestick, a redware dish, or a woven coverlet? This booklet delves into material culture to reveal the texture of early Pennsylvania life. (1978). 76 pages, illustrations, and suggestions for further reading. Price: $7.95
Get to know the painters behind Pennsylvania's rich artistic tradition, from Charles Willson Peale and Benjamin West to the impressionist Mary Cassatt and the modernists of the twentieth century. (1983). 83 pages, illustrations (some in color), and suggestions for further reading. Price: $7.95
Enter into the centuries-long debate about justice for the African and African American inhabitants of Pennsylvania with this history, which spans from William Penn's colony to the twentieth-century political achievements of black political leaders. Learn about the growth of African American communities through the experiences of James Forten, Richard Allen, Octavius Catto, Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, and many others. This is the ongoing story of "making a home" in Pennsylvania. (Revised edition, 2001). 46 pages, illustrations, and suggestions for further reading. Price: $7.95
Relive the drama of the Irish in Pennsylvania, from the earliest arrivals to the persistence of Irish culture in the twentieth century. See the state through the eyes of the refugees from the Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s and follow their experiences in nineteenth-century Pennsylvania. Learn how Irish Americans contributed to the rise of industry and grappled with the challenges of industrial decline. Sample Irish traditions, music, and language in this booklet, which reflects Dennis Clark's life-long study of the Irish experience in the Keystone State. (1991). 55 pages, map, illustrations, population table, and suggestions for further reading. Price: $7.95
One of our most popular titles, this volume places readers in the footsteps of Francis Daniel Pastorius, who first set foot in Pennsylvania in 1683, and then carries the history of German immigration and experience forward through three centuries. Included within the narrative are examples of German arts and crafts and excerpts of German proverbs, folk tales, and songs. (Revised edition, 2002). 86 pages, illustrations, notes, and suggestions for further reading. Price: $8.95
Of the original thirteen colonies, Pennsylvania had the largest number of Polish settlers — the first in a continuing stream of migrants who injected strong elements of Polish culture into the Keystone State. This booklet follows the history of the Polish presence into the Revolutionary Era, with the stories of Casimir Pulaski and Thaddeus Kosciuszko, and into the nineteenth century, when political exiles from Poland found new homes in Pennsylvania. Polish Americans built a rich community life of neighborhoods, churches, newspapers, community organizations, and labor unions, all featured in these pages. (1992). 65 pages, maps, illustrations, and suggestions for further reading. Price: $7.95
Join the Scots-Irish in their migration to Pennsylvania during the eighteenth century and learn about the impact of religion on the settlers' lives. Follow the contributions that Scots and Scots-Irish immigrants and their descendants have made to Pennsylvania and American Society. (Revised edition, 1990). 37 pages, notes, illustrations, and suggestions for further reading. Price: $8.95
Experience the turbulent decades leading to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, and learn how the controversy of Pennsylvania's own Constitution influenced the nation's frame of government. Essays contributed by William Pencak, Phillip E. Stebbins, and Robert G. Crist of Pennsylvania State University, and Edward Dumbauld, Senior Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. (1987). 80 pages, illustrations, complete text of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and suggestions for further reading. Price: $8.95
Enter into the contentious debates over the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, and learn Pennsylvania's role in shaping the first ten amendments to the document, the Bill of Rights. Essays contributed by Roland Baumann, Oberlin College; Rodger Henderson, Pennsylvania State University; and Owen Ireland, State University of New York, Brockport. (1990). 93 pages, notes, and illustrations. Price: $8.95
Learn the success stories of some of the leading power-brokers who worked behind the scenes of Pennsylvania politics: Matthew Quay (1833-1904); Simon Cameron (1799-1889); Boies Penrose (1860-1921); and David Leo Lawrence (1889-1966). Essays contributed by James A. Kehl, University of Pittsburgh; Philip S. Klein, Pennsylvania State University; Michael P. Weber, Carnegie-Mellon University; and Paul B. Beers, Harrisburg Patriot-News. (1985). 71 pages, illustrations including two political cartoons, and suggestions for further reading. Price: $7.95
Pennsylvanians seek to change the world for the better, from William Penn's "holy experiment" to nineteenth-century feminists, prison reformers, abolitionists, temperance advocates, labor leaders, and urban progressives. (1966). 68 pages, illustrations, and suggestions for further reading. Price: $7.95
Gain insight into the challenges of the Jews who created communities in a predominantly Christian colony, state, and nation. As they participated in the nation's political, cultural, and economic life, they also re-created in Pennsylvania the essential foundations of Jewish life — synagogues, schools of Jewish religious knowledge, charitable societies, synagogues, kosher food providers, and publishers of Jewish texts. This volume explores the Jewish experience in Pennsylvania in the context of world events, from the trading networks of the Atlantic world to the persistence of anti-Semitism and the continuing strength of Jewish identity. (1998). 73 pages, illustrations, population table, glossary, and suggestions for further reading. Price: $7.95
In this wide-ranging history of sports in Pennsylvania, Karen Guenther leads readers from pre-colonial contests among Native American tribes to the big business of modern professional sports. From amateur competition, to colleges, to the pros, readers will relive championship seasons and struggles with defeat — and along the way, follow the important role of sports in the social, cultural, and economic life of the Commonwealth. The volume also provides a guide to Pennsylvania sports in the movies, in museums, and at historic sites, giving readers the opportunity to follow their favorite teams beyond the stadiums and playing fields. This concise, authoritative survey serves as a gateway for general readers who wish to explore the rich variety of sporting life in Pennsylvania. ISBN 1-932304-39-8 Price: $12.95
Learn about the experiences of women who worked in factories, walked picket lines, fought for the vote, managed family life, and battled urban conditions during the transformative years between the Civil War and World War II. With great care to preserve women's voices in the telling of their own stories, Marion W. Roydhouse has achieved a narrative that spans the Commonwealth and cuts across class lines. For the first time, general readers have an account of this important period that reflects the wealth of research produced by scholars in recent decades. (2007). 106 pages, illustrations, and suggestions for further reading. ISBN 1-932304-37-1 Price: $12.95
Experience the color, drama, and excitement of Philadelphia as it changes over three hundred years from a colonial port to industrial city and modern metropolis. Such diverse characters as William Penn, Benjamin Franklin, Stephen Girard, John Wanamaker, Rebecca Gratz, Frank Rizzo, and Ed Rendell march across these pages. The struggles of immigrants and African Americans for a place in the city are recounted, along with the occasional spasms of violence and modern efforts at urban renewal. (2003). 141 pages, illustrations, maps, population tables, list of notable buildings, and suggestions for further reading. ISBN 1-932304-28-2
"Simon's wonderfully illustrated and written book should serve as the entry into Philadelphia's history for a variety of audiences. ... Indeed, it is hard to imagine a better short history of an American city." –William Pencak, Pennsylvania History Price: $12.95
