The Debate on the American Revolution (Issues in Historiography) [Paperback]

"'A substantial and important survey that assesses and summarises the truly vast literature on the American Revolution. Readable, insightful and witty, this book will help students and scholars appreciate the complex histories of the American Revolution.' Professor Stephen Conway, University College London"

This book is the first in-depth study of the way in which historians have dealt with the coming of the American Revolution and the formation of the US Constitution. It spans the entire period from the first generation of writers, whose ideas about history were shaped by the Enlightenment, to those of the twenty-first century who, influenced by the rise of the new social history , drew on the rich legacy provided by black studies, gender and women s studies, cultural studies and ethnohistory. Making accessible to modern readers the work of often-neglected early historians, this book examines how the emergence of history as a professional discipline led to new and competing versions of the causes and consequences of the Revolution, and how the rise of the new social history expanded the theoretical range of interpretation along with the inclusion of many different peoples. The approach is thematic, examining how historians in different periods interpreted the causes of the Revolution, the events leading to the formation of the Constitution and, more contentiously, its meaning. As emphasis on the causes of the Revolution gave way to a preoccupation with its consequences, Native Americans, African Americans and women took their place alongside patriot leaders and plebian soldiers. This book will be an invaluable resource for all students and scholars of the American Revolution.

Gwenda Morgan is Reader in History and American Studies at the University of Sunderland