author
William Macdonald
d. 1916
A historian and journalist with a gift for making early American history easier to explore, he edited widely used collections of key documents and taught at several major universities.
1 Audiobook
Makers of Modern Agriculture
by William Macdonald
About the author
Born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1863, William Macdonald built a career as both a historian and a journalist. He studied at Harvard University, earned his A.B. in 1892, and later received an honorary doctorate from Union College.
He taught history and economics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, then joined the faculty at Brown University, where he served as professor of history from 1901 to 1917. He also lectured at the University of California and later served as a visiting professor at Yale.
Macdonald is especially remembered for editing documentary collections that brought important American historical texts together for students and general readers, including volumes on United States history and government. His work helped make original sources more accessible, and it remains useful for readers interested in the foundations of American history.