Sam Houston: The History Of The American West

As per my The history of the American West is often overshadowed by the romantic mythology surrounding the era. It would be hard to ignore the influence of Sam Houston on many aspects of American history from Tennessee to Washington and of course, his adopted home of Texas. Campbell seems to fall into the trap of many biographers and veer off the course of serious historian, presenting us instead with an easy to read novel presenting his hero as larger than life.
The life of Sam Houston does lend itself to glorification rather easily. Many of the events he was involved in do seem larger than life, yet Houston was by all accounts a complex and controversial man. Campbell seems content to gloss over his flaws. As he states in his hasty conclusion, “Sam Houston’s personal shortcomings, especially his years of heavy drinking, became legendary during his lifetime, but strengths of character and mind more than compensated for his weakness.” This leaves the reader with a very incomplete picture of Houston. Campbell presents Houston as the perennial comeback kid yet brushes over his responsibility for his constant falls, leaving an image of a man inexplicably persecuted. …show more content…
It can at times strive so hard to focus of the overlooked aspects of existing historiography that is misses the big picture. Campbell’s volume, however illustrates the need for a more inclusive approach. The Mexicans in his story are presented as simplistic foes to be vanquished by our hero. His wives are similarly presented as cardboard Hollywood cutouts. Women have been ignored often in history due to a lack of primary resources. There is more than enough information regarding Margaret Lea to fill in the story a bit, yet despite listing William Seale’s biography of her in his source notes, he leaves her to play the role of the angel who descends to save Sam’s soul and