Puritan's Empire: A Catholic Perspective on American History Paperback – September 9, 2008

Great book! Very insightful.

Puritan's Empire is essential reading for understanding what, exactly, the United States has done with its share of Christendom. In this book, Coulombe goes into a part of American history that most historians have either forgotten, ignored, or were never taught. Upon reading it, one can understand how America's full potential was sadly derailed from her original destiny.Coulombe actually recognizes the American Revolution as America's First Civil War, spearheaded by a core of radical oligarchs, riotous urban mobs and looters, and a passive-but-compliant majority in the populace. Rather than being viewed as America's native defense against the foreign power of England, the First American Civil War is shown to actually be a struggle in which "brother fights brother, and no quarter is given."In fact, the author goes further back showing that the European history of our land and people begin before 1776, and that this history involved the rule of monarchs. For not only were the colonies ruled by English kings--English rule being "no more foreign than the Federal government is in California today"--but the European settlers of these lands also originated with the Catholic monarchs of France and Spain, both powers being keenly interested in bringing the natives into the One True Faith.Puritan treatment of American Indians and Catholics is starkly contrasted with that of the more benevolent French and Spanish. There is a more seamless integration of the latter two powers into the New World than the Puritans. And consequently there is a high amount of resentment towards Indians, the French, Spanish, blacks (treated better by the Catholic monarchies), English loyalists, and Catholics overall.This Puritan bitterness contorted itself into a perennial backlash that has been a dark trait of the American psyche ever since. Coulombe traces this hostility through the draconian laws against early American Catholics, the violence of the Know-Nothings and the Ku-Klux-Klan, and the worldwide American drive to destroy monarchies and remnants of Christendom.But this book is not the screed of an aggrieved class. There are plenty of moments where Catholics are shown as being culpable for their failure to evangelize and thrive in lands that held so much potential. Simply wanting a place at America's table, Catholics seemed to have regarded the U.S. as "perfect in their current religious and political condition." And so, not only is the tale of Catholics in America one of persecution and misfortune, but it is also the story of tragic lost opportunities, betraying elements of "cowardice and dereliction on the part of the country's Catholics."Coulombe is one of the most important American authors we have. While many anti-Catholic Americans would disregard this historical account before ever picking up the book, an enormous amount of American Catholics, Europeans, and others around the world--thirsting for an explanation of America's current state--will undoubtedly cherish this rare volume. It goes without saying that this work should accompany any study of American history.Coulombe has undertaken what few authors have, and whether or not he realized what he was doing, the result was to produce one of the most exceptional and relevant books produced in this century. My prediction is that its readership will grow exponentially in the fullness of time, the more that Western society loses its bearings.For a follow-up encore to this incredible book, I highly recommend Coulombe's Star-Spangled Crown: A Simple Guide to the American Monarchy.Star-Spangled Crown: A Simple Guide to the American Monarchy

In the opening chapter of Puritan's Empire: A Catholic Perspective on American History, the author writes:History is the key to understanding men-whether as nations, families, or individuals. For Catholics, history has an even higher purpose beside. For them, history is the unfolding of God's Will in time, and the attempts of men either to conform themselves to or to resist that Will. But American Catholic historians have generally refrained from exploring their own national history with these principles, preferring instead to adopt the analysis of their non-Catholic colleagues, save when looking at purely Catholic topics (and sometimes not then). It is vital then, for Catholics, especially young Catholics, to have a good and proper understanding of their country's history. To exercise their patriotism, they must work for the conversion of the United States; to do this effectively, they must understand the forces and events which brought forth not only the religion of Americanism and the country itself, but also the sort of Catholicism which, in 300 years, failed so dismally to bring this conversion about. This book attempts to reinterpret the better known episodes of our history in accordance with the Faith, and to point up lesser-known details which will give factual proof of the truth of this reinterpretation.We 21st Century American Catholics have been called, by two Popes and a new one on the way as I write these word, to commit ourselves to a New Evangelization, not only, or even primarily, in the "non-Christian world," but right here at home, in the USA. Not only has America fallen away from any semblance of being a "Catholic Country," current events like the Obama Administration's present fight to impose its insidious HHS mandate on Catholic institutions demonstrates that the USA has become an increasing anti-Catholic nation, as well. The New Evangelization is so desperately needed, because the "Old Evangelization" has so dramatically failed in our time. It is up to us, the 21st Century faithful Catholic in the pews, to turn things around...And we'll never accomplish that goal if we fail to study and understand the history of how we got to this dark and difficult time. Charles Coulombe's Puritan's Empire: A Catholic Perspective on American History is an essential manual for acquiring this understanding. This is a MUST READ for every American Catholic!

I bought this book as the author is an avowed monarchist. I'm not a monarchist but had never even heard of such a person existing in the modern world. So I was interested in understanding his perspective and saw this book. As a lover of history and a proud catholic I thought, "Why not." However, I will admit that I wasn't expecting much. I thought it would be a really biased/bigoted perspective and I'd make it maybe a quarter to halfway through. Oh how wrong I was. I LOVED this book.Most books like to belabor the point. So it takes 15 pages to say what could be said in 2. Mr. Coulombe does a great job of keeping moving; however, it comes at the expense that I was constantly coming across sections that I would think, "Is that true?" or "I want to look that up." But then you move onto the next subject and feel the same way. This book was soooo interesting as it was a different perspective on known events. As a proud catholic it was quite shocking to see how bigotted the US colonies/states were against Catholics. But it was also really interesting to see how many people were Catholic: the native Americans (including those in the trail of tears), possibly George Washington, Billie Holiday, etc.He does a really good job of presenting an interesting perspective without being all pomp and cheerleading. It's obvious his biases so it's worth considering alternative sources but this book WILL inspire you to try and read more about these issues and understand the complexity that is American History.