The Path to Revolution

[KG Erwin]

In reading Middlekauff's "The Glorious Cause", it appears that war was inevitable. The clincher came with the establishment of the First Continental Congress in 1774, after the passage of the so-called "Intolerable Acts". The British ministry and Parliament had no clue of the amount of dissension stirred in the American colonies, and the state of communications during the 18th century left them little opportunity to respond to a rapidly-changing situation. Apart from the military situation, which left General Gage begging for 20,000 troops, the political changes were unrecognized or dismissed by the British government until it was too late.

[GShock]

Is this the book you would suggest reading to make a profane like me understand something about economic, politic, religious, social reasons behind the independence war? Till i am framed in Italy, there's not much i can do to document myself like i did with AACW when i was in USA. [8D]

[Biffa]

I'd suggest this one if I may:
 
A Few Bloody Noses by Robert Harvey.
 
It's now available in paperback. To be honest it's a contentious account, just look at the reviews on Amazon but a great read. It tries to rebalance the rosey look that most Americans are taught in schools, it can be a bit heavy handed but I enjoyed it after reading so many 'Hollywood' accounts.

[GShock]

Well I've read Battle cry of Freedom in regards of the Civil War it's a very complete book that takes on the military situation as a mere detail and speaks about all other aspects behind both before, during and immediately after the war's end. It's the kind of omnicomprehensive tome, i'd be willing to read. Bcof is a very hard book, heavy i suppose in the same way you speak of a few bloody noses but i just wanted to point out in what manner i'd like to study the independence war.

Battle Cry of Freedom is used in Universities...so, what i'm looking for, perhaps, is a tome, not a mere book. [:)]
I accept suggestions but first i need to clarify on what kind of book i'd be willing to read: basically another of the same kind of bcof. [;)]

[Biffa]

K, well you got me there, best I can do (well what I've read anyway) is 'The History of the American People' by Paul Johnson that's a 1000 pages but ofc WOI is only part of it though it is useful because you get the pre and post.
 
I know this doesn't answer your brief but I really enjoyed 'For the want of a nail' by Robert Sobel, an alternative history and it's implications if Saratoga had never turned out the way it did and then projects 200 years later!
 
Both of the above are quite heavy regards details socioeconomic and are certainly off the battlefields.
 
I'd be interested to see what others can recommend.

[KG Erwin]

GShock, since you mentioned "Battle Cry of Freedom", I heartily recommend Robert Middlekauff's "The Glorious Cause" (the paperback version is 736 pages). Both of these books are volumes in the Oxford History of the United States, and are similar in depth and scope. McPherson's BCoF won a Pulitzer Prize. Middlekauff's book was nominated for the Pulitzer, but didn't win.

[GShock]

Yes i already have the glorious cause in my notelist for the next book. A second recommendation that surely confirms my intention to buy it. [:)]

[Duck Doc]

Yes, the Coercive Acts after the Boston Tea Party in Dec. 1773 (with the closing of the port of Boston among other retaliatory measures) led to the First Continental Congress. In that Congress the conservatives lost & a boycott was instituted & the militias were mobilized. With these acts the die was cast & a conflict was indeed inevitable. However the outcome of that conflict was not forordained. My reading, especially of Ferling & others, leads me to believe it could have gone any number of ways. That is why Ferling chose the title, Almost A Miracle, for his last history of the conflict. It is a good book too.

Neither Parliament (at least most of it) nor King George had a clue about the depth of the grievances of the Colonials. Parliament thought it was well within its rights to levy taxes on the Colonials. The resistance to the taxation is hard to understand from the Brititsh point of view. You are correct: the Brits were mystified by the unfolding of events & were never able to respond in a timely fashion. Nobody in the era did because of the communication gap you mentioned but the imperials in Britain really weren't capable of understanding the colonial American point of view regardless.

Hope you are enjoying your reading. I highly recommend Ferling to those seeking a contemporary historian's view.

ORIGINAL: KG Erwin

In reading Middlekauff's "The Glorious Cause", it appears that war was inevitable. The clincher came with the establishment of the First Continental Congress in 1774, after the passage of the so-called "Intolerable Acts". The British ministry and Parliament had no clue of the amount of dissension stirred in the American colonies, and the state of communications during the 18th century left them little opportunity to respond to a rapidly-changing situation. Apart from the military situation, which left General Gage begging for 20,000 troops, the political changes were unrecognized or dismissed by the British government until it was too late.

[Venator]

And as Harvey points out it is important to realise that the colonies were taxed (including duties) at less than 5% of the rates levied in Britain... and the minimal taxes and duties that were levied on the colonies in theory were often evaded or not collected. Even the imposition of Stamp Tax etc would not have meant the tax burden on the colonies would have been exactly onerous.

[decaro]

ORIGINAL: Venator
... Even the imposition of Stamp Tax etc would not have meant the tax burden on the colonies would have been exactly onerous.

Apparently it was too much to bear for the two professions most responsible for the American Revolution: lawyers and newspaper editors!