The Colonial Merchants and the American Revolution, 1763-1776

by Arthur M. Schlesinger Sr.

The Colonial Merchants and the American Revolution, 1763-1776" is a 1918 scholarly book by Arthur Meier Schlesinger. It examines the pivotal role colonial merchants played in the lead-up to the Revolution by highlighting their resistance to British economic policies like taxes and trade restrictions. The book details how merchants participated in non-importation agreements, influencing public opinion and demonstrating regional differences in the radical movement that led to independence.

Genres: American Revolution, History, American History, Reference

648 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1918

About the author

Arthur Meier Schlesinger was an American historian who taught at Harvard University, pioneering social history and urban history. He was a Progressive Era intellectual who stressed material causes (such as economic profit and conflict between businessmen and farmers) and downplayed ideology and values as motivations for historical actors. He was highly influential as a director of PhD dissertations at Harvard for three decades, especially in the fields of social, women's, and immigration history. His son, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. (1917–2007), also taught at Harvard and was a noted historian.

Reviews

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colonial Merchants and the American Revolution adds new in-depth detail into how the colonist viewed the numerous regulatory Acts on trade and the repercussions those views had prior to the Revolution. When tied in with the importance of trade among the countries which held different islands of the Carribean as colonies it also gives further insight to how American diplomacy was formed during the war. For any history buff who wants to get beyond the glossing over of these Acts usually receive this is a must read!