Thomas F. (hardtack) - , reviewed on 11/26/2023 + 2700 more book reviews

Although I am a great fan of McCullough's work, I found the first chapters very unlike most of his writing. In fact, I found it somewhat pedantic. Fortunately, it soon became a much easier read, and the characters he wrote about much more interesting. This work covers the 'Ohio' area from the time of the first white settlers to its creation as a state and into the early years of the Civil War. However, the Civil War portion was very short as McCullough probably rightly thought it better covered in many other books.

I learned quite a lot about this area and its development, and many of the things I learned were fascinating. Just as an example....

In 1802, as a portion of the Northwest Territory called 'Ohio' began the procedure to become a state, a convention was called to undertake the first step, create a state constitution.

"In the election selecting Rufus Putnam and Ephrain Culter as delegates to the convention, a black servant of Colonel Israel Putnam, Christopher Malbone, also known as Kit Putnam, was permitted to cast his ballot in the District of Marietta. It was considered to have been the first vote cast by a free black African in the Northwest Territory."

It should be remembered, as it was only by a very close vote, and despite the efforts of President Thomas Jefferson, the Northwest Territory was created by Congress as an area where slavery in any form was forbidden.

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