Providence and the Invention of the United States, 1607-1876

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The book explores the concept of American providentialism, revealing its British origins and the challenges faced by white Americans in aligning their national mission with the early republic's racial diversity. It examines how this belief in divine favor shaped American identity and purpose, while simultaneously complicating perceptions of those who did not fit into this narrative. By analyzing themes such as manifest destiny and millenarianism, the work provides a fresh perspective on the historical roots of American religious nationalism and its impact on the nation's worldview.