The American Revolution

Joseph C. Morton

Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003 - History - 218 pages

The American Revolution gave birth to a new world republic and a philosophy based on freedom, liberty, and equality. The philosophical concepts articulated by the revolutionary leaders have become a model of positive change for people around the world. This concise reference guide includes an overview essay that traces the course of the Revolution and five essays on various aspects of the conflict. Also included are biographical sketches of 19 important historical figures and a selection of primary documents with introductions by the author. A timeline and annotated bibliography compliment the text, making this the perfect starting point for student and general-reader research, and a fresh survey of the events that brought about the birth of the American republic.

The essays in this book focus on the events and conditions that led the American colonies to revolt, the war itself, life on the home front, revolutionary diplomacy, and a concluding, interpretive essay on the lasting impact of the American Revolution. The biographical sketches include a wide array of important actors on the stage, including Abigail Adams, John Adams, George III, George Washington, Mercy Otis Warren, among others. Primary documents include excerpts from Thomas Paine's Common Sense, The Proclamation of Lord Dunmore offering Freedom to Slaves Belonging to the Rebels in Virginia of 1775, The Articles of Federation, and the Treaty of Paris, among others. Every generation needs to reinterpret its history to reflect its own needs and ideals. This book offers a new look at this pivotal time in world history.

Contents

• NARRATIVE HISTORICAL OVERVIEW: 1
• THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION: 17
• THE NECESSARY WAR: 39
• REVOLUTIONARY DIPLOMACY: 85
• CONCLUDING INTERPRETIVE ESSAY THE GLORIOUS CAUSE: 97
• BIOGRAPHIES: 105
• John Adorns 17351826: 107
• Samuel Adams 17221803: 110
• Benedict Arnold 17411801: 113
• Daniel Boone 17341820: 116
• Joseph Brant 17421807: 120
• John Dickinson 17321808: 123
• Benjamin Franklin 17061790: 124
• King George III 17381820: 127
• Patrick Henry 17361799: 130
• Thomas Hutchinson 17111780: 132
• John Jay 17451829: 135
• Thomas Jefferson 17431826: 138
• John Paul Jones 17471792: 141
• Richard Henry Lee 17321794: 145
• Robert Morris 17341806: 147
• Thomas Paine 17371809: 150
• Mercy Otis Warren 17281814: 153
• George Washington 17321799: 155
• DOCUMENTS: 159
• ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY: 195
• INDEX: 205

About the author

JOSEPH C. MORTON is Professor of History, Emeritus, at Northeastern Illinois University.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The American Revolution; Greenwood guides to historic events, 1500-1900, ISSN 1538-442X
• Author: Joseph C. Morton
• Edition: illustrated, annotated
• Publisher: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003
• ISBN: 0313317925, 9780313317927
• Length: 218 pages
• Subjects: History / Americas (North, Central, South, West Indies); History / United States / Revolutionary Period (1775-1800)