Why does Oklahoma have that panhandle? Did someone make a mistake? We are so familiar with the map of the United States that our state borders seem as much a part of nature as mountains and rivers. Even the oddities—the entire state of Maryland(!)—have become so engrained that our map might as well be a giant jigsaw puzzle designed by Divine Providence. But that's where the real mystery begins. Every edge of the familiar wooden jigsaw pieces of our childhood represents a revealing moment of history and of, well, humans drawing lines in the sand. How the States Got Their Shapes is the first book to tackle why our state lines are where they are. Here are the stories behind the stories, right down to the tiny northward jog at the eastern end of Tennessee and the teeny-tiny (and little known) parts of Delaware that are not attached to Delaware but to New Jersey. How the States Got Their Shapes examines: Why West Virginia has a finger creeping up the side of Pennsylvania Why Michigan has an upper peninsula that isn't attached to Michigan Why some Hawaiian islands are not Hawaii Why Texas and California are so outsized, especially when so many Midwestern states are nearly identical in size Packed with fun oddities and trivia, this entertaining guide also reveals the major fault lines of American history, from ideological intrigues and religious intolerance to major territorial acquisitions. Adding the fresh lens of local geographic disputes, military skirmishes, and land grabs, Mark Stein shows how the seemingly haphazard puzzle pieces of our nation fit together perfectly.
0 有用 Moran_79 2024-04-05 02:01:22 美国
第一章最重要,讲述了几个对美国版图有重大影响的事件。美国疯狂扩张吞并,很难想象今天世界上还会有这么剧烈的版图变化了。每个州的从territory变成state的时候都充满了博弈,平等的思想也广泛的影响了版图的形状。是本好书,但看多了就有些乏味。
0 有用 Moran_79 2024-04-05 02:01:22 美国
第一章最重要,讲述了几个对美国版图有重大影响的事件。美国疯狂扩张吞并,很难想象今天世界上还会有这么剧烈的版图变化了。每个州的从territory变成state的时候都充满了博弈,平等的思想也广泛的影响了版图的形状。是本好书,但看多了就有些乏味。