A Mighty Empire : The Origins of the American Revolution / Marc Egnal.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Egnal, Marc, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Biography & Autobiography.

United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Causes.

United States.

United States--Politics and government--1775-1783.

Local Subjects:

Biography & Autobiography.

Physical Description:

1 online resource : 10 maps, 3 graphs/charts

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Ithaca, NY : Cornell University Press, [2018]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

First published in 1988, Marc Egnal's now classic revisionist history of the origins of the American Revolution, focuses on five colonies-Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and South Carolina-from 1700 to the post-Revolutionary era. Egnal asserts that throughout colonial America the struggle against Great Britain was led by an upper-class faction motivated by a vision of the rapid development of the New World.In each colony the membership of this group, which Egnal calls the expansionist faction, was shaped by self-interest, religious convictions, and national origins. According to Egnal, these individuals had long shown a commitment to American growth and had fervently supported the colonial wars against France, Spain, and Native Americans. While advancing this interpretation, Egnal explores several salient aspects of colonial society. He scrutinizes the partisan battles within the provinces and argues that they were in fact clashes between the expansionists and a second long-lived faction that he calls the "nonexpansionists."Through close analysis he shows how economic crisis-the depression of the 1760s-influenced the colonists' behavior. And although he focuses on the initiative and leadership of the elite, Egnal also investigates the part played by the common people in the rebellion. A Mighty Empire contains insightful sketches of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and other revolutionary leaders and makes clear the human dimensions of the clash with Great Britain. The final chapter provides a new context for understanding the writing of the Constitution and considers the links between the Revolution and modern America. An appendix lists members of the colonial factions and identifies their patterns of political commitment.Now back in print with a new preface, A Mighty Empire is a valuable addition to the debate over the role of ideas and interests in shaping the Revolution. For the 2010 edition, Egnal reviews how interpretations of the American Revolution have developed since the publication of his landmark volume. In his new preface he considers and critiques explanations for the Revolution founded on ideology, the role of non-elite Americans, and British politics. Egnal also looks to a trend in the writing of the history of the Revolution that considers its effects more than its causes and thereby grapple with the conflicts ingredient in the nascent American empire. With great lucidity, he shows where the writing of history has gone since the appearance of A Mighty Empire and makes a case for its continuing relevance.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Maps

Preface 2010

Preface to the First Edition

Note on Definitions

Abbreviations Used in Notes

Introduction

PART ONE The Factions Emerge, 1690-1762

CHAPTER 1. Massachusetts to 1741: Three Parties Were Formed

CHAPTER 2. Massachusetts, 1741-1762: Coalition Politics

CHAPTER 3. New York: Traders and Warriors

CHAPTER 4. Pennsylvania: Quaker Party Ascendancy

CHAPTER 5. Virginia: Rise of the Northern Neckers

CHAPTER 6. South Carolina: Factions Times Two

PART TWO Revolutionary Politics, 1763-1770

CHAPTER 7. The Depression of the 1760s

CHAPTER 8. Massachusetts: Patriot Alliance

CHAPTER 9. New York: Reluctant Revolutionaries

CHAPTER 10. Pennsylvania: Challenging the Quaker Party

CHAPTER 11. Virginia: Conflict and Cooperation

CHAPTER 12. South Carolina: Triumphant Patriots

PART THREE The Quiet Years, 1771-1773

CHAPTER 13. The Quiet Years

PART FOUR The Expansionists Prevail, 1774-1776

CHAPTER 14. Northern Colonies: Antagonists High and Low

CHAPTER 15. Southern Colonies: Maintaining Control

CHAPTER 16. Beyond Independence

APPENDIX. Members of the Factions

Index

Notes:

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 20. Sep 2019)

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9780801476587

0801476585

9781501723865

1501723863

OCLC:

1083621450