Providence and the Invention of American History

“A compelling story that opens an exciting conversation in the field of American history about the religious assumptions that animated the field’s founding, and endure in its core assumptions.”—Sonia Hazard, Florida State University

“An original piece of intellectual history, which locates the Whitman legend within broader historiographical concerns.”—Brandi Denison, University of North Florida

"In this extraordinarily inventive book, Sarah Koenig demonstrates beautifully how the shifting tectonics of contested interpretations, both providential and secular, continue to inform our understanding of the past."—Randall Balmer, Dartmouth College

"In this finely crafted analysis of the legend that missionary Marcus Whitman Saved Oregon, Sarah Koenig brilliantly illuminates a crucial transition from providential to scientific history and its meanings today."—Jeffrey Ostler, author of Surviving Genocide

"This book explains how a missionary myth became the testing ground for historical thinking. Beautifully written and bravely conceived, Koenig authors a landmark achievement in the study of American history."—Kathryn Lofton, author of Consuming Religion