<p><b>Before the Civil War splintered the young country, there was another conflict that divided friends and family--the Revolutionary War</b><br /><br />Prior to the French and Indian War, the British government had taken little interest in their expanding American empire. Years of neglect had allowed America&apos;s fledgling democracy to gain power, but by 1760 America had become the biggest and fastest-growing part of the British economy, and the mother country required tribute. <br /><br />When the Revolution came to New York City, it tore apart a community that was already riven by deep-seated family, political, religious, and economic antagonisms. Focusing on a number of individuals, <i>Divided Loyalties</i> describes their response to increasingly drastic actions taken in London by a succession of the king&apos;s ministers, which finally forced people to take sides and decide whether they would continue their loyalty to Great Britain and the king, or cast their lot with the American insurgents.<br /><br />Using fascinating detail to draw us into history&apos;s narrative, Richard M. Ketchum explains why New Yorkers with similar life experiences--even members of the same family--chose different sides when the war erupted.</p>