2nd Edition
New York State: Peoples, Places, and Priorities A Concise History with Sources
Now in its second edition, New York State: Peoples, Places, and Priorities is an accessibly written book that explores the ever-shifting dynamics of New York State history in a single volume.
The text is organized both chronologically and topically, balancing political, economic, social, and cultural history. It discusses key figures, groups, movements, and controversies, upstate and downstate. Each chapter is divided into teachable, digestible sections that examine the major developments and challenges of that period, with timelines and lists of online resources to aid student understanding. The new edition brings New York State’s history into the present with coverage of recent political and economic developments, the Covid-19 pandemic, immigration, and global warming. Throughout the book, material was added concerning the American Revolution, the Civil War, women’s rights, and environmental justice. Artwork, maps, charts, and textboxes illuminate the state’s rich history. Analytical questions accompanying figures and texts encourage deeper engagement with the past.
Designed for undergraduates, this book is a concise and updated account of New York State’s history over the centuries, with a wealth of resources to benefit students and instructors alike.
1. Introducing New York 2. Borderlands: Pre-History to the 1690s 3. From Colony to State: 1690-1790 4. The Empire State: 1790-1830 5. The Maturing State: 1830-1865 6. The Booming State, 1865-1900 7. The Progressive State: 1900-1928 8. The Activist State: 1929-1954 9. The Stressed State: 1954-1975 10. The Reslient State, 1975-2022
Biography
Joanne Reitano is History Professor Emerita at La Guardia Community College, CUNY. She earned a BA from Vassar and a PhD from NYU. Her publications include The Tariff Question in the Gilded Age, The Restless City: A Short History of New York from Colonial Times to the Present, and The Restless City Reader. Her biography of Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes is forthcoming.
Joanne Reitano has produced a history of the Empire State that is succinct, well written, and analytically rigorous. Combining an impressive breadth of coverage with unique primary source features, this second edition of New York State: Peoples, Places, and Priorities, updated to include the Covid-19 pandemic and recent political developments, is ideal for classroom use and perfect for anyone interested in understanding the rich history of arguably our most important state.
Christoper J. Leahy, Professor of History, Keuka College
Praise for the first edition:
"No other state has a history that is as complicated, contradictory, and so full of controversies as New York’s; on the other hand, few places can claim a past that is so distinctive, dramatic, and significant. Making sense of such a topic is no small task. But Joanne Reitano has managed to do the job. New York State: Peoples, Places, and Priorities fills a gap in the literature, and it should long serve as a valuable resource for a new generation of students—from high school to graduate school—as well as for scholars, public officials, and anyone else with an interest in the state that boasts a history which reflects the American experience better than that of any other."
Robert Weible, New York State Historian"Joanne Reitano offers a wonderfully insightful and accessible narrative on the history of New York State from the colonial period to the present. For students and educators interested in the varied and diverse history of the ‘empire state,’ this book is a must have."
David Kinkela, Associate Professor of History, State University of New York at Fredonia"Professor Reitano has produced a history of the state that, in general, captures the development of New York from pre-colonial times to the present and has done so in a very logical and informative manner. It should become the new dominant text, and hopefully will be widely adopted for use in the New York courses."
F. Daniel Larkin, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor, History, State University of New York at Oneonta
