American insurgents, American patriots
Subtitle: the revolution of the people before independence
By: T.H. Breen.
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: Hill and Wang
Published: 2010
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 337
ISBN-13: 9780809075881
Subjects: United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Social aspects; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Committees of safety; United States -- Militia -- History -- 18th century
Description: "Before there could be a revolution, there was a rebellion; before patriots, there were insurgents. Challenging decades of received wisdom, T.H. Breen's strikingly original book explains how ordinary Americans-- most of them members of farm families living in small communities-- were drawn into a successful insurgency against imperial authority. This is the compelling story of our national political origins that most Americans do not know. It is a story of rumor, charity, vengeance, and restraint. American insurgents, American patriots reminds us that revolutions are violent events. They provoke passion and rage, a willingness to use violence to achieve political ends, a deep sense of betrayal, and a strong religious conviction that God expects an oppressed people to defend their rights. The American Revolution was no exception."--Book jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction : the revolutionary world of Matthew Patten; title: The face of colonial society; title: Ghost stories in a time of political crisis; title: Revenge of the countryside; title: Reaching out to others; title: The power of rumor : the day the British destroyed Boston; title: The association : the second stage of insurgency; title: Schools of revolution; title: Insurgents in power; title: An appeal to heaven : religion and rights; title: Endgames of empire.