Description
A Dissenting Companion to the U.S. History Textbook
Most U.S. History textbooks track the origins and evolution of American identity. They therefore present the American Revolution as the product of a gradual cultural change in English colonists. Over time, this process of Americanization differentiated and alienated the settlers from their compatriots and their government in Britain. This widely-taught narrative encourages students to view American independence as a reflection of emerging American nationhood. The Colonists' American Revolution introduces readers to a competing narrative which presents the Revolution as a product of the colonists’ English identity and of English politics. This volume helps students recognize that the traditional narrative of the Revolution is an argument, not a just-the-facts account of this period in U.S. history.
Written to make history interesting and relevant to students, this textbook provides a dissenting interpretation of America’s founding—the Revolution was not the result of an incremental process of Americanization, but rather an immediate reaction to sudden policy changes in London. It exposes students to dueling historical narratives of the American Revolution, encouraging them to debate and evaluate both narratives on the strength of evidence. This stimulating volume:
- Offers an account of the Revolution’s chronology, causes, ends, and accomplishments not commonly addressed in traditional textbooks
- Challenges the conventional narrative of Americanization with one of Anglicization
- Presents the Atlantic as a bridge, rather than a barrier, between England and its colonies
- Discusses the American Revolution as one in a series of British rebellions
- Uses a dual-perspective approach to spark discussions on what it means to study history
Exposing students to two different ways of studying history, The Colonists' American Revolution: Preserving English Liberty, 1607-1783 is a thought-provoking resource for undergraduate and graduate students of early-American history, as well as historians and interested general readers.
Table of Contents
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xiii
About the Companion Website xv
Introduction: A Status Quo Revolution 1
1 English Origins 13
2 American Colonization 25
3 African Slavery, White Supremacy, and Republicanism 39
4 The Glorious Revolutions in England and America, 1688-1689 53
5 The Imperial Wars 69
6 From Deference to Suspicion 79
7 The Road to Revolution 97
8 The War 127
Conclusion: Articles of Confederation 143
Epilogue: The Natural Progress of Things 149
Questions for Further Discussion 157
Bibliography 159
Index 187
