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A Mighty Empire: The Origins of the American Revolution, With a New Preface
A Mighty Empire The Origins of the American Revolution With a New Preface Author:Egnal, Marc Marc Egnal here provides a major new interpretation of the causes of the American Revolution. Focusing on five coloniesMassachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and South Carolinafrom 1700 to the post-Revolutionary era, he asserts that throughout colonial America the struggle against Great Britain was led by an upper-class faction motivat... more »ed 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 crisisthe depression of the 1760sinfluenced 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. Written in lucid, forceful prose, Mighty Empire is a valuable addition to the ongoing debate over the role of ideas and interests in shaping the Revolution. The book will engage individuals who wish to explore the origins of the United States.« less