Drawing the Line

Beschreibung

THE FIRST POPULAR HISTORY OF THE MAKING OF THE MASON-DIXONLINE The Mason-Dixon line-surely the most famous surveyors' line everdrawn-represents one of the greatest and most difficult scientificachievements of its time. But behind this significant triumph is athrilling story, one that has thus far eluded both historians andsurveyors. In this engrossing narrative, professional surveyorEdwin Danson takes us on a fascinating journey with Charles Masonand Jeremiah Dixon, two gifted and exuberant English surveyors,through the fields and forests of eighteenth-century America.Vividly describing life in the backwoods and the hardships anddangers of frontier surveying, Drawing the Line discloses for thefirst time in 250 years many hitherto unknown surveying methods,revealing how Mason and Dixon succeeded where the best Americansurveyors of the period failed. In accessible, ordinary language,Danson masterfully throws the first clear light on the surveying ofthe Mason-Dixon line. Set in the social and historical context ofpre-Revolutionary America, this book is a spellbinding account ofone of the great and historic achievements of its time. Advance Praise for Drawing the Line "Drawing the Line combines a fast-moving story, a human drama, anda clear account of surveying in the era of George Washington. Anintriguing interaction of politics and science."-CHARLES ROYSTER,Boyd Professor of History, Louisiana State University, and Winnerof the Bancroft Prize in History

Autor*in

Edwin Danson

Themen in »Drawing the Line«

Geschichte Geschichte der USA History US History

Stimmen zu »Drawing the Line«

"...thoroughly researched... a good story shines through..."(Sunday Times - Book of the Week, 18th March 2001)
()

Details

Link teilen