The Heathen School cover art

The Heathen School

A Story of Hope and Betrayal in the Age of the Early Republic

Preview

Try for $0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Heathen School

Written by: John Demos
Narrated by: Tom Weiner
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $21.39

Buy Now for $21.39

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

The astonishing story of a unique missionary project - and the America it embodied - from award-winning historian John Demos

Near the start of the 19th century, as the newly established United States looked outward toward the wider world, a group of eminent Protestant ministers formed a grand scheme for gathering the rest of mankind into the redemptive fold of Christianity and "civilization". Its core element was a special school for "heathen youth" drawn from all parts of the Earth, including the Pacific Islands, China, India, and increasingly, the native nations of North America. If all went well, graduates would return to join similar projects in their respective homelands. For some years the school prospered and became quite famous. However, when two Cherokee students courted and married local women, public resolve - and fundamental ideals - were put to a severe test.

The Heathen School follows the progress - and the demise - of this first true melting pot through the lives of individual students: among them, Henry Obookiah, a young Hawaiian who ran away from home and worked as a seaman in the China Trade before ending up in New England; John Ridge, son of a powerful Cherokee chief and subsequently a leader in the process of Indian "removal"; and Elias Boudinot, editor of the first newspaper published by and for Native Americans. From its birth as a beacon of hope for universal "salvation", the heathen school descends into bitter controversy as American racial attitudes harden and intensify. Instead of encouraging reconciliation, the school exposes the limits of tolerance and sets off a chain of events that will culminate tragically in the Trail of Tears.

In The Heathen School, John Demos marshals his deep empathy and feel for the textures of history to tell a moving story of families and communities - and to probe the very roots of American identity.

©2014 John Demos (P)2014 Blackstone Audio
Education United States Student
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about The Heathen School

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.