Globalization of the United States, 1789-1861
Coltons General Atlas of the World

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Dangers at Sea

These “image essays” gather together striking images on the same theme from across the books in the exhibit.

To enchant readers, American travel narratives and other books rendered the world exciting with danger. Some such perils came from the sea itself: whales that overturned boats, waterspouts that resembled tornadoes, ice floes that smashed into ships, and gales that hurled massive waves and horrific winds. Other perils lurked in human form: marauding pirates at sea and hostile inhabitants on shore. Either way, American readers were taught to be entertained rather than daunted by the wider world.

Hover over any image to see source information; right click on any image to see a larger version; look under Research Resources for guides to all images in the digital exhibit.

Thomas Jefferson Jacobs. Scenes, Incidents, and Adventures in the Pacific Ocean, or, the Islands of the Australasian Seas, During the Cruise of the Clipper Margaret Oakley, under Capt. Benjamin Morrell. New-York: Harper and Brothers, 1844. p. 52.
The Mariner’s Library or Voyager’s Companion. Containing Narratives of the Most Popular Voyages, from the Time of Columbus to the Present Day.... Boston: Lilly, Wait, Colman and Holden, 1833. p. 344.
Fitch W. Taylor. A Voyage Round the World, and Visits to Various Foreign Countries, in the United States Frigate Columbia. New Haven: H. Mansfield; New York: D. Appleton, 1859. p. 2:203.
Elisha Kent Kane. Arctic Explorations: The Second Grinnell Expedition in Search of Sir John Franklin, 1853, ’54, ’55. Philadelphia: Childs and Peterson...., 1857. 2:Titlepage.
S. Augustus Mitchell. A System of Modern Geography, Comprising a Description of the Present State of the World and its Five Great Divisions: America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceanica.... Philadelphia: Thomas, Cowperthwait and Co., 1844. p. 330.
James Riley. An Authentic Narrative of the Loss of the American Brig Commerce, Wrecked on the Western Coast of Africa, in the Month of August, 1815. Hartford: Published by the author, 1817. Plate 2 between pp. 48-49.
James Riley. An Authentic Narrative of the Loss of the American Brig Commerce, Wrecked on the Western Coast of Africa, in the Month of August, 1815. Hartford: Published by the author, 1817. Plate 3 between pp. 68-69.
Thomas Jefferson Jacobs. Scenes, Incidents, and Adventures in the Pacific Ocean, or, the Islands of the Australasian Seas, During the Cruise of the Clipper Margaret Oakley, under Capt. Benjamin Morrell. New-York: Harper and Brothers, 1844. Frontispiece.
Fitch W. Taylor. A Voyage Round the World, and Visits to Various Foreign Countries, in the United States Frigate Columbia. New Haven: H. Mansfield; New York: D. Appleton, 1859. p. 1:254.
Thomas Jefferson Jacobs. Scenes, Incidents, and Adventures in the Pacific Ocean, or, the Islands of the Australasian Seas, During the Cruise of the Clipper Margaret Oakley, under Capt. Benjamin Morrell. New-York: Harper and Brothers, 1844. p. 334.
John S. Jenkins. United States Exploring Expeditions. Auburn: Alden, Beardsley and Co.; Rochester: Wanzer, Beardsley and Co., 1852. p. [325].
John S. Jenkins. United States Exploring Expeditions. Auburn: Alden, Beardsley and Co.; Rochester: Wanzer, Beardsley and Co., 1852. p. [325].
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