The American Revolution and the press : the promise of independence / Carol Sue Humphrey ; foreword by David A. Copeland.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Humphrey, Carol Sue.

Contributor:

Medill School of Journalism.

Series:

Visions of the American press

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Journalism.

History.

American newspapers.

United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Press coverage.

United States.

Press coverage.

American newspapers--History--18th century.

Journalism--United States--History--18th century.

Physical Description:

xxi, 241 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm.

Place of Publication:

Evanston, Ill. : Medill School of Journalism/Northwestern University Press, 2013.

Summary:

Carol Sue Humphrey's The American Revolution and the Press argues that newspapers played an important role during the struggle for independence by keeping Americans engaged in the war even when the fighting occurred in distant locales. From the moment that the colonials received word of Britain's new taxes in 1764 until reports of the peace treaty arrived in 1783, the press constituted the major source of information about events and developments in the conflict with the mother country. Both Benjamin Franklin and Ambrose Serle, a Loyalist, described the press as an "engine" that should be used to advance the cause. As Humphrey illustrates, Revolutionary-era newspapers provided the political and ideological unity that helped Americans secure their independence and create a new nation. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Introduction 3

2 The Colonial Press 23

3 The Conflict Emerges 39

4 A Time of Quiet 59

5 No Hope of a Solution 83

6 The Split Becomes Permanent 105

7 The War for Independence 127

8 Victory Leads to Peace 155.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 221-227) and index.

ISBN:

9780810126503

0810126508

OCLC:

814455473