Galveston

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the book, "Galveston- A History" by David G.McComb which is a historical chronicle of the development of the city of Galveston, Texas . The paper points out that McComb is largely concerned with contrasting different periods of time in the city's history with earlier periods of time, as well as identifying the cause and effect correlations that have transformed the city through the years. The paper also comments that the book is a narrative on the development of the city with a bias toward technological events, but there is also an attempt to explain how people working in the Gulf Coast environment gave Galveston its distinct character. The paper concludes that McComb attempts to emphasize that Galveston has been touched by every major group of people who made their lives in the New World. This variety, perhaps more than anything else, according to McComb, has been the basis of the island's identity.

From the Paper:

"McComb runs with this general theme of transformation from the beginning of his history of Galveston onward. To accomplish this, he starts by describing the island in geographical terms; yet, he does not simply provide a topographical map for the reader to ponder; instead, McComb supplies the very first map ever written of the island, and attempts to generate a picture of how the island itself was formed, and how the first explorers and Native Americans who found it might have seen it. This is an appropriate technique considering, according to McComb, that some of the first Europeans to land on the island were a crew of shipwrecked Spaniards. However, as increased trade and warfare eventually came to the region, the island of Galveston began to reveal its practical utility."

Sample of Sources Used:

• McComb, David, 1986, Galveston: a History, the University of Texas Press, Austin.
• Texas State Historical Association, 2000, "Galveston: a History and a Guide", Texas State Historical Association. Available: http://www.tamu.edu/upress/BOOKS/2000/mccomb.htm.

More papers on Galveston:

• Essay # 29577 : "The Galveston Storm"
• Descriptive Essay # 4743 : "Issac's Storm: The Galveston Hurricane of 1900"
• Essay # 29621 : "Isaac's Storm"

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