- 386 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
About this book
The New World's earliest Jewish immigrants and their unique, little-known history: A
New York Times bestseller from the author of
Life at the Dakota.
In 1654, twenty-three Jewish families arrived in New Amsterdam (now New York) aboard a French privateer. They were the Sephardim, members of a proud orthodox sect that had served as royal advisors and honored professionals under Moorish rule in Spain and Portugal but were then exiled from their homeland by intolerant monarchs. A small, closed, and intensely private community, the Sephardim soon established themselves as businessmen and financiers, earning great wealth. They became powerful forces in society, with some, like banker Haym Salomon, even providing financial support to George Washington's army during the American Revolution.
Ā
Yet despite its major role in the birth and growth of America, this extraordinary group has remained virtually impenetrable and unknowable to outsiders. From author of "Our Crowd" Stephen Birmingham, The Grandees delves into the lives of the Sephardim and their historic accomplishments, illuminating the insulated world of these early Americans. Birmingham reveals how these families, with descendants including poet Emma Lazarus, Barnard College founder Annie Nathan Meyer, and Supreme Court Justice Benjamin N. Cardozo, influencedāand continue to influenceāAmerican society.
In 1654, twenty-three Jewish families arrived in New Amsterdam (now New York) aboard a French privateer. They were the Sephardim, members of a proud orthodox sect that had served as royal advisors and honored professionals under Moorish rule in Spain and Portugal but were then exiled from their homeland by intolerant monarchs. A small, closed, and intensely private community, the Sephardim soon established themselves as businessmen and financiers, earning great wealth. They became powerful forces in society, with some, like banker Haym Salomon, even providing financial support to George Washington's army during the American Revolution.
Ā
Yet despite its major role in the birth and growth of America, this extraordinary group has remained virtually impenetrable and unknowable to outsiders. From author of "Our Crowd" Stephen Birmingham, The Grandees delves into the lives of the Sephardim and their historic accomplishments, illuminating the insulated world of these early Americans. Birmingham reveals how these families, with descendants including poet Emma Lazarus, Barnard College founder Annie Nathan Meyer, and Supreme Court Justice Benjamin N. Cardozo, influencedāand continue to influenceāAmerican society.
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Yes, you can access The Grandees by Stephen Birmingham in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & Historical Biographies. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover Page
- Praise for the Writing of Stephen Birmingham
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Authorās Note
- 1 The Book
- 2 Who Are They?
- 3 āNot Jewels, But Jews ā¦ā
- 4 The Twenty-Three
- 5 āThese Godless Rascalsā
- 6 Little Victories
- 7 āGomez, the Onions Begin to Smell!ā
- 8 āMake Your Way to the Windward Coast of Africaā
- 9 Allarums and Ravages
- 10 Misalliances and Misunderstandings
- 11 First Ladies
- 12 Legends and Legacies
- 13 The Firebrand
- 14 The New Jews Versus the Old
- 15 The U.S. Navy Surrenders at Last!
- 16 The Jewish Episcopalians
- 17 āNathans Donāt CheatāāBut Do They Kill!
- 18 āCardozos Donāt Cryā
- 19 The Embattled Sisters
- 20 āFoul Deedsā
- 21 āAn Altogether Different Sortā
- 22 Small Gestures ā¦ and a Hush at Chatham Square
- Image Gallery
- Sources
- Index
- About the Author
- Copyright Page