The Founding of a Nation: A History of the American Revolution, 1763-1776

by Merrill Jensen

"This wonderfully rich volume challenges those who claim that political history is arid, narrow, or worse, irrelevant to our own concerns. Jensen's study explores popular political mobilization on the eve of American independence. It reconstructs the complex decisions that slowly, often painfully transformed a colonial rebellion into a genuine revolution. Jensen's well-paced narrative never loses sight of the ordinary men and women who confronted the most powerful empire in the world." --T.H. Breen, William Smith Mason Professor of American History, Northwestern University

Genres: History, American Revolution, American Revolutionary War, Nonfiction, American History

752 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Merrill Monroe Jensen was an American historian whose research and writing focused on the ratification of the United States Constitution. His historical interpretations are generally considered to be of the "Progressive School" of American history, the most famous exponent of which was Charles A. Beard. Jensen served as a professor of history at both the University of Washington (1935–1944), where he was editor of Pacific Northwest Quarterly, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison (1944–1976).

Reviews

[Michael Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely detailed account of the events and times leading up to the Declaration of Independence. Well worth the time to read, you won't be disappointed.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Appears to me that it remains the definitive book on the critical period it covers. Not a quick read by any means, but well researched and written in plain English. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to know how America went from fighting alongside the British in a victorious Seven Years War to fighting against the British in a far-from-unanimous claim of American independence.

[Geo Forman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am sure this could have been written in a more engaging style, but, based on its thoroughness, it deserves 5 stars. A great look at the years leading up to our Declaration of Independence, this is strictly a political history. It reminds you that people are people regardless of when they lived.

[Dan Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jensen is my go to for the history of Early America. His writings are thorough, but not ponderous. I would have liked to seen more on the financing of the revolution. One would do well to add this to their library as a valuable reference work.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Nonfiction teaches you the facts. Fiction teaches you the truth.”

This is a nonfiction book. It uses quotes from the founders to explain the events that led to the Declaration of Independence. Interesting. But it lacks the narrative that would bring the spirit of the times to life.

[Margaret Harris · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. It is a worthy collection of documentation of the gradual consensus among citizens of the thirteen colonies of the New World initially established by the British Empire to disconnect themselves from that empire. But by the half-way mark I was bogged down in the details of who said or wrote what, pro or con, not only in the British Parliament, but also in each American port city and colony by the respective governors, councilors, assembly members, newspaper editors, or just self-selected leaders of riots by citizens who were burdened by the British-imposed taxes upon colonial commerce. So when the author writes on page 384 that “the ‘most ancient’ royal colony, Virginia. . . had a long and intimate connection with England dating back to 1624(!),” I definitely became disoriented. For Virginia was established by England in May 1607 when her explorers (albeit privately financed) debarked from three ships in the river they named the James (for their king) onto the peninsula they named Jamestowne.

Maybe some day I will return to finish it, for the subsequent chapter headings seem promising for concluding “the end of the beginning” of the American Revolution.