Search results for ""Author Robert W Smith""

How did the ideology that inspired the American Revolution and the U.S. Constitution translate into foreign policy? John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton each struggled with this question as they encountered foreign powers. The French Revolution, the purchase of the Louisiana Territory, and the illegal seizures of U.S. ships and sailors on the high seas all brought diplomatic challenges. In the process of developing foreign policy, the founding generation refined the meaning of republicanism. In Keeping the Republic, Robert W. Smith identifies three contending brands of republicanism—classical, whig, and yeoman—that shaped the founders' thinking. Jefferson and Madison pursued a yeoman republicanism with its faith in economic sanctions rather than military might as a means of diplomacy. Nations dependent upon American agricultural exports, they thought, would bow to American interests. Both Adams and Hamilton, originally admirers of classical republicanism and its belief in public virtue, came to adopt a whig republicanism that applied the balance-of-power principle, exemplified by the three branches of the federal government, to the international community. In this view, nations should have equal naval power. Ideology had real consequences: Jefferson's insistence on imposing a trade embargo rather than considering alternative solutions resulted in the War of 1812. This process of translating ideology into foreign policy, so ably described in Keeping the Republic, continues to shape American international relations in the twenty-first century.

Read more less

Master the Chinese martial art of T'ai Chi with this accessible, illustrated guide.T'ai-chi (Tai Chi) is an effortless and rhythmical art that stresses slow breathing, balanced and relaxed postures, and absolute calmness of mind. It requires no special equipment or place to practice and takes no more than ten minutes a day.This book, from renowned Tai Chi master, Cheng Man-Ch'ing, introduces T'ai-chi as a means to a healthier life, as a sport and as a method of self-defense. It is a complete step-by-step manual for the beginner. With conscientious practice, readers will master the sequence of thirty-seven postures that will make up the T'ai-chi solo exercise. Students will learn how to progress from exercise to sport to self-defense with maximum efficiency. The instructions are clear and easy to follow, and more than 275 photographs and 122 foot-weighting diagrams guarantee an understanding of the correct form.A history of T'ai-chi, including thumbnail sketches of famous masters, and the first English translation of the basic T'ai-chi document, known as the T'ai-chi Ch'uan Classics, are also included.

Read more less

In this astronomically spectacular, large-format photographic retrospective, National Geographic celebrates the impact of the Hubble Space Telescope in its 25th anniversary year. Highlighting the most eye-popping images, significant discoveries, and many ways that this telescope's visions have revolutionized our understanding of the universe, this book wil appeal to space aficionados and photography buffs alike. The Hubble Telescope has now gazed into deep space for 25 years, imaging galaxies, nebulas, and supernovas for a new picture of the universe and our place in it. In honor of its 25th anniversary, space historians David DeVorkin and Robert Smith team up again to tell the stories of 25 iconic moments in the illustrious telescope's career, illustrated with breathtaking, never-before-seen images. Here are the major challenges and triumphs, the key scientific findings, the brilliant scientists behind the scenes, and the public's love affair with a space telescope.

Read more less