William James and Theodore Roosevelt on the War of 1812
Subject(s): Constitution (Frigate), Cooper, James Fenimore, 1789-1851, Historians--Political and social views, Military historians, Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919, War of 1812
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William H. White examines the writing of Theodore Roosevelt’s The Naval War of 1812. White compares Roosevelt’s work to those written by the British author William James and the American James Fenimore Cooper. White concentrates on the work of James who produced a very biased account of the naval battles in favor of Great Britain, and White argues that Roosevelt set out to “write an accurate and unbiased history” of the naval war and that Roosevelt succeeded in doing so. White concedes that Roosevelt does allow his opinions to flavor his work, but he argues that Roosevelt produced a work superior to James’s, one marked by quality research and Roosevelt’s determination to teach himself the intricacies of naval warfare in the age of sail.
A photograph of White, a page from Roosevelt’s research notes, and the cover of The Naval War of 1812 illustrate the essay.
Collection
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
Creation Date
2007-10-26
Creator(s)
Language
English
Period
Theodore Roosevelt and Public Memory (1919-present)
Page Count
5
Production Method
Record Type
Image
Resource Type
Rights
No permission is required from the Theodore Roosevelt Association to use items in the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal collection for educational purposes. For permissions, contact William Tilchin at (516) 921-6319 or by email at wnt@bu.edu.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
William James and Theodore Roosevelt on the War of 1812. [October 26, 2007]. Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o308305. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
White, W. H. (William H.). William James and Theodore Roosevelt on the War of 1812. [26 Oct. 2007]. Image.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 26, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o308305.
APA:
White, W. H. (William H.)., [2007, October 26]. William James and Theodore Roosevelt on the War of 1812.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o308305.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 26, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal.
APA:
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal.
