Edward Channing facts for kids

Edward Perkins Channing (June 15, 1856 – January 7, 1931) was an important American historian. He wrote a huge series of books called History of the United States in six volumes. For this amazing work, he won the 1926 Pulitzer Prize for History. His careful research and smart ideas made his books a key resource for other historians for many years. Channing also taught at Harvard from 1883 to 1929. He helped train many students who later became professors at major universities.

His Early Life and Education

Edward Channing was born on June 15, 1856, in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He was the fifth child of Ellen Kilshaw Fuller and William Ellery Channing. Sadly, his mother passed away a few months after he was born.

Young Edward was then cared for by a shoemaker and his wife. Later, around 1860, his grandfather, Walter Channing, and his aunt took him in. Edward went to a private school. He then started at Harvard College in 1874.

He earned his first degree in 1878. Two years later, he received his PhD in history. His PhD paper was about the Louisiana Purchase, a big land deal in U.S. history. After his grandfather passed away in 1880, Edward inherited some money. He used it to travel for nine months through Europe, the Near East, and North Africa. When he returned, he wrote articles about geography for a magazine called Science.

A Career in History

In 1883, Edward Channing started working at Harvard University. He became an instructor of history. That same year, he won a $150 prize for his work on "Town and County Government in the English Colonies of North America." This paper also led him to become a member of the Massachusetts Historical Society. It was even the first paper presented at the very first meeting of the American Historical Association in 1884.

In 1883, Channing also helped update a famous history book. It was called An Epitome of Ancient, Medieval, and Modern History by a German historian named Karl Ploetz. Channing added new parts about English and U.S. history.

He quickly moved up the ranks at Harvard. In 1887, he became an assistant professor. By 1897, he was a full professor. In 1912, he earned a special title: McLean Professor of Ancient and Modern History. This was one of the oldest and most respected history teaching positions in the United States. He retired from Harvard in 1929.

Channing was recognized by many important groups. He was chosen as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He also became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1885, he joined the American Antiquarian Society. In 1919, he was elected president of the American Historical Association. He also received special honorary doctorates from Michigan University in 1921 and Columbia University in 1926.

His Famous Books

Edward Channing wrote many important books about American history. His most famous work was the six-volume series, A History of the United States. This series covered American history from its earliest days up to the Civil War.

Here are some of his main works:

• The Navigation Laws (1890)
• The United States of America, 1765–1865 (1896) – This was a textbook.
• A History of the United States Vol. 1: The Planting of a Nation in the New World, 1000–1660 (1905)
• A History of the United States Vol. 2: A Century of Colonial History, 1660–1760 (1908)
• A History of the United States Vol. 3: The American Revolution, 1761–1789 (1912)
• A History of the United States Vol. 4: Federalists and Republicans, 1789–1815
• A History of the United States Vol. 5: The Period of Transition, 1815–1848 (1921)
• A History of the United States Vol. 6: The War for Southern Independence, 1849–1865 (1925) – This volume won the 1926 Pulitzer Prize for History.
• A Short History of the United States for School Use (1908)