Detroit: Who Built Her?
Who Broke Her? 1620 to 1890 by Douglas Jamiel
documents the history of the Great Lakes region, examining factors that shaped
her and what eventually broke her. The book takes readers to the beginning, in
the mid-1800s, to a place where the French trappers sparred with British
soldiers. The influence of the French Jesuits who fought for the souls of men
and the army that wanted to gain control of the trade are eminently documented.
Readers are introduced to the key players, the powers, and the ideas that shaped
Detroit and Michigan, starting from the French trappers to pre-industrial influences
in the late 1800s. The book documents how the changes that took place
affected the indigenous people, exploring historical realities like racism and
ethnocentrism.
Detroit: Who Built Her?
Who Broke Her? 1620 to 1890 is a well-researched
and intelligently crafted history book that offers a dazzling image of the
Great Lakes region. Douglas Jamiel is meticulous in his investigation of the
history of this remarkable region and the author offers details with clarity and in
language that is gorgeous. At the heart of this historical narrative are the
following important question: “How did this once great city become a decrepit
skeleton of its former self?” The readers are introduced to the struggle for
control between the French, the British, and the Dutch in this spellbinding
book. Figures like General Anthony Wayne, John Jacob Astor, Lewis Cass, Andrew
Jackson, John Gentle, William Hull, Alexis de Tocqueville, Henry Charles Carey,
and many others are names that readers will become familiar with as they follow
their influence in the life and evolution of Detroit. This book is incisive,
confidently written, and extensively researched. The book gives readers
historical facts about the rise and fall of Detroit and who mattered in her
history.