Born in the U.S.A. (Bruce Springsteen)

History's Best Selling Books of 1784

1. The History of New Hampshire

   Released in 1784 by Jeremy Belknap

   Published in 1784, the first volume of Jeremy Belknap's 'The History of New Hampshire' stands as a profoundly significant achievement in early American historiography. At a time when the nascent United States was striving to define its identity, both nationally and regionally, Belknap’s work provided a meticulously researched and remarkably objective account of one of its constituent states. It offered a crucial foundation for understanding the geographical, political, and social evolution of New Hampshire from its earliest European settlements through the transformative years leading up to the Revolution. This seminal text not only documented the past but also played a vital role in shaping a distinct New Hampshire consciousness and contributed to the broader intellectual project of charting the histories of the newly formed commonwealths, setting a high standard for subsequent regional studies across the young nation.