What is an analysis of The Story of American Freedom by Eric Foner?

Eric Foner argues in his book The Story of American Freedom that the Revolution wasn't the only major event prompted by what Americans saw as freedom. Rather, he says that freedom is central to the beliefs and desires of Americans and, as such, has been a major factor in defining the history of the United States.

Foner begins by discussing how the British saw freedom and what made the American view of freedom incompatible with the British view of freedom. From there, he displays the roots of the American Revolution and follows that to the birth of the nation. As he moves from one generation to the next, he uses the priorities of the people—illustrated by the issues that inspired them—to help redefine freedom for each generation. 

The evolving definition of freedom inspires people to fight for new, more inclusive freedoms with each successive generation. For example, where people fought to free the slaves during the Civil War, people fought to give black Americans equal rights 100 years later. The priorities and desires of the people were both changed by and caused the change of freedom.

One example of the redefinition of freedom is how it was seen during the abolitionist movement surrounding the Civil War. According to a Kirkus Review of Foner's book, the abolitionist movement "held that freedom as extended by statute to American citizens had to be broadened to include those who were not citizens—namely, slaves and (in later decades) guest laborers brought from places like Mexico to full in during wartime labor shortages." There was a time when this would have been unthinkable, but freedom, like America itself, evolved over many years.

Though Foner's thesis is based on an extensive knowledge of American history, it isn't necessary for a reader to know American history before starting the book. He lays out different eras in a clear, logical manner while entwining the concept of freedom with each major event that takes place. Whether it's the economic impact of the Great Depression and the New Deal on racial minorities or a discussion of how women drove northern abolition, Foner is able to deftly touch on each concept, explain it, and connect it to the next.

It's not surprising that Foner is able to explain history in a clear and succinct way. Foner, a history professor at Columbia, has been president of the Organization of American Historians, the Society of American Historians, and the American Historical Association. He's also won both the Bancroft and Pulitzer prizes. 

Ultimately, Foner is successful in his argument that freedom drives the course of American history. The strength of his argument lies in Foner's ability to explain how the meaning of freedom changed based on what Americans were experiencing during each time period he covers. By charting specific events and showing how freedom was defined in each generation, he's able to make and sustain his point across hundreds of years of history.