Dominion of Memories: Jefferson, Madison & the Decline of Virginia

by Susan Dunn

Book Overview

For decades, the Commonwealth of Virginia led the nation. The premier state in population, size, and wealth, it produced a galaxy of leaders: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Mason, Marshall. Four of the first five presidents were Virginians. And yet by the middle of the nineteenth century, Virginia had become a byword for slavery, provincialism, and poverty. What happened? In her remarkable book, Dominion of Memories, historian Susan...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0465003567
• ISBN13: 9780465003563
• Release Date: March 2008
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

How the Virginians of yore resisted progress and paid for it

This remarkable book, superb bit of local history, deals with a refreshing topic, the little-known story of Virginia's decline between the American Revolution and the Civil War, tragic decline which is related with a cold eye and clear prose; and in that process causing Virginia's stagnation, pursuant to Dunn, Jefferson and Madison were not free of blame: she concludes that "the seeds of Virginia's decline had been adroitly planted in fertile soil by the great patriarchs themselves". The slavery's role in the decline of the South is an old story. However, the author manages to narrate insightfully how Virginia (once the wealthiest and most populous state that produced so many colonial leaders and early presidents) slipped steadily downhill in the first decades of the 19th century. All that (and much more that I do not mention in this summary) is developed in 224 pages (notes excluded). So I could not put it down, and read it in less than a week's time (content: 4 to 5 starts; pleasure: 4 to 5). I highly recommend it. Other books on the USA I would also recommend are the following: A) Dealing with constitutional and political ideas: 1) "America's Constitution: A Biography" by Akhil Reed Amar; 2) Constitutional History of the American Revolution [ABRIDGED]" by John Philip Reid; and 3) "Lincoln's Constitution" by Daniel A. Farber. B) Other books chosen with an approach historically impressionistic: 4) "The Death Penalty", by Stuart Banner; 5) "The Churching Of America, 1776-2005: Winners And Losers In Our Religious Economy" by Roger Finke and Rodney Stark; 6) "American Colonies. The settling of North America", by Alan Taylor;and 7) "Battle cry of freedom. The Civil War Era" by James M. McPherson.

An excellent revision of the misty memory of the Old South

This is an excellent and thought-provoking book that points to the direct connection between the issues of States Rights and Slavery in the years before the Civil War. It successfully attempts to explode romantic notions about the culture and politics of Virginia during the early 1800's. The book is also illuminating to anyone interested in Jefferson. For me, living in Jefferson's hometown, there's a bit of local history in it, too. Ms. Dunn may infuriate some Virginians, because she paints a not so flattering portrait of Virginia's leadership, at a time when the heroes of the Revolution were passing the torch to the next generation. But to me the cultural and political points of view that were dominant at that time, and which are explored in this book, still have a visible effect here. I found it to be a great book to read after finishing His Excellency: George Washington, by Joseph Ellis. That book raises some similar issues in regard to the cultural and economic evolution of Virginia, which hampered the state's economic development -- specifically as that evolution depended upon the commitment to a slave-based economy.

The Mystery of Virginia

This solid volume sets out to answer a question that has puzzled many of us who have lived in Virginia: what caused the Commonwealth to decline in influence from the commanding position it held during the colonial and early national periods? Susan Dunn offers a variety of explanations for this phenomenon as she focuses primarily upon the period prior to the Civil War. Among the most important factors, in her judgment, was the "cult of the soil" mentality--that is, the Virginia prior to the Civil War was the epitome of culture, gracious living, political independence, and harmony (even including relations with slaves). The Tidewater control of Virginia, which began in colonial days, and included both economic and political dimensions, was highly resistant to giving way to more modern influences, such as broader sufferage, development of manufacturing, and expanded public education. Individual chapters are used to spell out in detail Dunn's arguments on topics such as the impact of slavery; resistance to developing top-quality public education; the failure to develop road, canal and railroad networks; a reluctance to venture too far away from an agriculturally-based economy; a fixation on states' rights ideology; limiting the sufferage to a fraction of the white male population; and reliance upon tariffs for economic protection. Running through the entire pre-Civil War period of course is the institution of slavery and the continuing dread that the northern-industrial-free labor federal government might well decide to terminate slavery once and for all. Hence, abolitionists become primary enemies, and fighting them drained off important resources that could have been utilized to modernize Virginia. Jefferson, Madison and other Virginia national pollitical figures come in for some effective criticism by Dunn. Her analysis has an epilogue which focuses on the period from the New Deal to the present in Virginia, where such topics as the "massive resistance" movement and the leadership in opposition to Civil Rights Acts is dominated by Virginia Senators. Well, what is one to say about this indictment, if that is what it is? Has Dunn overstated or oversimplified the issues? She certainly has done an impressive amount of research--the book contains 63 pages of very pertinent notes and references which serve as support blocks for her argument. Has she ignored other pertinent considerations? These are extremely difficult questions, and I think each reader has to judge the strength of her contentions based upon their own background, historical knowledge, and temperament. I certainly found it a worthy book to read, and it stimulated some new synapses for me. But then again, I am only a former Virginian.

Dominion of Memories: Jefferson, Madison and the Decline of Virginia

This is a fine book for those interested in why the South, particularly Virginia, remained stedfast in its agarian heritage. Susan Dunn explains how the backward nature of Virginia led to many of the problems of the state upon the eve of the Civil War. Steeped in Jefferson's and Madison's theory of states-rights important items such as education, banking, tariffs, industrialization, and internal improvements were allowed to wither away. In the minds of the planter class life was to center around the land, which was worked by slaves, with the ruling members of society leading the carefree life. Anyone interested in history during this time period will thoroughly enjoy this work.

Insightful look at the worst period of Virginia's history!

This analysis of Virginia History from 1800 to the Civil War and beyond is well researched, well-written, and fascinating. Dunn lets major figures such as Jefferson and Madison speak for themselves in chronicling the turning inward and clinging to slavery and class by a Virginia elite who oversaw a failure to adapt over a sixty year period. She does this without wasting words (it's a short book if you subtract the notes) and with a great deal of nuance and objectivity. There are historians with bigger names who write about wars and disasters- but Dunn does a brilliant job of telling this sad story of hard choices deferred and wasted. Good stuff!