The Turbulent Era: Riot and Disorder in Jacksonian America
Feldberg's "The Turbulent Era: Riot and Disorder in JacksonianAmerica," is a vivid portrait of the violence that existed in America ofthe mid-nineteenth century. The book presents a well-researched anddetailed exploration of the nature of the riots, through which Feldbergbuilds his argument that the "...urban rioting posed for Jacksonian society asocial and political crisis...." (Feldberg, 4) Feldberg places importance on the crisis of violence in the 1830's and1840's because it was the first time in American history that the nationsaw such an eruption of unrest. And one can't, but help, agreeing about theimportance, after reading his narrative, which comes through as one ofAmerica's struggle to find its true identity. The importance of the era isseen especially when reading about the anti-abolitionist riots and theattempts of the 'preservatists' to defeat the attempts of the abolitioniststo live up to the country's professed principles of freedom: "Abolitionistsrejected...on the grounds that American blacks had worked without pay tobuild America for more than two hundred years, and thus deserved acompensating share of the land and its wealth when they were freed."
advocacy of plural marriage and the immunity. Thereby, establishing the resolutionor outcomes to the political and social crisis of the time But, unquestionably, Feldberg's most important contribution in thiswork is his examination of the very role that violence plays in obtainingeconomic, political and social goals. challenges to nativeprotestant cultural and moral dominance" (Feldberg, 37), while discussingthe different types of Preservatist Riots in Chapter 3. Thus, eventhough Feldberg uses a step-by-step technique in explaining how and why theevents occurred, he tells a good, compelling story of the cultural, socialand political issues surrounding the Kensington riots. Feldberg's approach is not only thorough in the width of thecategories of riots examined, but also systematic and in-depth in itsanalysis of the unrest that was characteristic of the Jacksonian era. Through using such anapproach, Feldberg examines the root causes of the disturbances, in all itsnuances, and thereby presents a picture of a young nation torn apart by thedesire of various factions to protect or gain social power, status andpolitical influence. They aresimply pointing out that violence will step in every time society fails toresolve conflict in peaceful ways such as the legal system or negotiationand adjustment. Given Feldberg'squestion of the political and social importance of the unrest in the era,the emphasis he places on such issues is natural and appropriate. antidote to theirdisorientation and anxiety as they tried to cope with the disruptivetrends.
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