Review: The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West

The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West by David McCullough
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In 1788 a group of pioneers left the New England area set to explore the Northwest Territory. This was an area of land ceded to the United States in the Treaty of Paris, land that was larger than the whole of the United States. McCullough chronicles the exploration and establishment of the Northwest Territory by a Massachusetts minister named Manasseh Cutler, along with his son Ephraim, and Revolutionary War veteran General Rufus Putnam and two other men. The story centers on Marietta, a settlement established on the banks of the Ohio River. They had to clear timber by hand, build homes, forts, and businesses. They braved the elements and wild animals while fighting a war with Native Peoples whose land they overtook. They survived disease and hunger when food supplies diminished. They persevered to fulfill the three goals that were named in the Northwest Ordinance, the agreement by which they began their journey. They agreed to build a place that was free from slavery, supported the freedom of religion, and offered education through the establishment of Ohio University and Marietta College, both institutions that are around today.

David McCullough is quite a historian who wove this story together through letters, diaries, and manuscripts of the men who settled the area. McCullough was inspired to research the area after delivering a commencement address at Ohio University in 2004. He already knew a bit about Ohio from his research for The Wright Brothers. McCullough is quite a storyteller who brings the story of these men to life. This is an area of the U.S. that I was not familiar with but am glad I was able to read about these early settlers and the pioneering spirit that our country was founded on.

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