The Colonial Merchants and the American Revolution

The Colonial Merchants and the American Revolution
By Arthur Meier Schlesinger

2001/10 - Beard Books
1587981084 - Paperback - Reprint - 648 pp.
US$34.95

This scholarly monograph makes a significant contribution to the history of the American Revolution and is an excellent example of the modern school of historical research.

Publisher Comments

Category: History

Of Interest:

Early Financial History of the United States

Financial History of the United States

Robert Morris: The Financier and the Finances of the American Revolution

The Civil War and the Constitution: 1859-1865

This engrossing study focuses on the role played by colonial merchants in bringing about the separation of the 13 colonies from the mother country. Their most distinctive activity was the formation of non-intercourse agreements--covered extensively in this book because of their influence on the development of the revolutionary sentiment. It is a significant contribution to the history of the American Revolution.

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Arthur Meier Schlesinger (1888-1965) was a foremost American historian. Born in Xenia, Ohio, he became a professor of history at Harvard (1924-54) after teaching at Ohio State University and the State University of Iowa. In 1928 became an editor of the New England Quarterly. His well-known works in the field of colonial history include The Colonial Merchants and the American Revolution, 1763-1776 (1918) and Prelude to Independence: The Newspaper War on Britain, 1764-1776 (1958). He is also known for his interest in the interpretation of social history, as in The Rise of the City, 1878-1898 (1933) and Political and Social Growth of the American People, 1865-1940 (1941). His other books include New Viewpoints in American History (1922), essays on American historiography. With Dixon Ryan Fox he edited the "History of American Life series (13 vol., 1927-48), which remains a valuable examination of U.S. social and cultural life.

Chapter I The Old Order Changeth
Effects of British commercial and financial supervision on the colonies.		15
Economy of commercial provinces.		22
Dominance of merchant class in commercial provinces.		27
Economy of plantation provinces.		32
Leadership of planting class in plantation provinces.		34
Survey of colonial smuggling to 1763		39
Chapter II The First Contest for Commercial Reform (1764-1766)
Restrictive acts of 1764		50
Sectionalization of discontent		54
First stage of industrial depression		56
Beginning of organized opposition on part of merchants		59
Broadening the basis of protest		62
Early movement for retrenchment in commercial provinces		63
Stamp Act (1765) and its economic burden		65
Popular demonstration in commercial provinces		71
Contrast with plantation provinces		73
Union of commercial and plantation provinces in Stamp Act Congress		75
Organized efforts for economic relief in commercial provinces		76
Remedial Legislation of Parliament (1766)		82
Chapter III The Second Movement for Commercial Reform (1767-1770)
Position of merchant class early in 1767		91
Townshead legislation (1767)		93
General modes of opposition		96
Opposition to regulations against smuggling (1767-1770)		97
General character of non-importation movement		105
New England town movement for non-consumption (October, 1767 - February, 1768)		106
Efforts for a tri-city mercantile league of non-importation (March - June, 1768)		113
Independent boycott agreements in chief trading towns (August, 1768 - March, 1769)		120
Attempt to extend scope of mercantile agreements (October, 1769)		131
Non-importation movement in plantation provinces		134
	In Virginia	135
	In Maryland	138
	In South Carolina	140
	In Georgia	147
	In North Carolina	148
Boycott agreements in minor northern provinces		149
	In Delaware	149
	In New Jersey	150
	In Connecticut	150
	In Rhode Island	152
	In New Hampshire	155
Chapter IV Enforcement and Breakdown of Non-Importation (1768-1770)
Difficulties of judging execution of non-importation		156
Enforcement at Boston		156
Enforcement at New York		186
Enforcement at Philadelphia		191
Enforcement in other northern provinces		194
	Accession of New Hampshire to non-importation	194
	Uncandid course of Rhode Island	195
	Enforcement in Delaware, New Jersey and Connecticut	196
Chapter V Enforcement and Breakdown of Non-Importation (Continued.)
Operation of non-importation in plantation provinces		197
	Situation in Virginia	198
	Situation in Maryland	199
	Enforcement in South Carolina	202
	Enforcement in North Carolina	208
	Early defection of Georgia	209
General trend toward relaxation of non importation		209
Movement of great trading towns to terminate non-importation (April - October, 1770)		217
Collapse of non-importation in planatation provinces (October, 1770 - July 1771)		233
Coercive effects of non-importation in England		236
Chapter VI Colonial Prosperity and a New Peril (1770-1773)
Alienation of merchant class from radicals		240
Return of prosperity		241
Widespread acquiescence in tea duty		244
Continuance of smuggling		246
Attempt of radicals to revive agitation (November, 1772 - July 1773)		253
Cause for renewal of opposition: tea act of 1773		262
Analysis of literature of protest		265
Chapter VII The Struggle With the East India Company (1773-1774)
Inauguration of movement of opposition at Philadelphia		279
Development of Boston oppositions to tea shipments		281
Course of opposition at Philadelphia		290
Course of opposition at New York		291
Course of opposition at Charleston		294
Effect of Boston Tea Party on colonial opinion		298
Chapter VIII Contest of Merchants and Radicals for Dominance in the Commercial Provinces (March - August, 1774)
Passage of coercive acts of 1774		305
Effect of coercive acts on American opinion		306
Movement in commercial provinces for non-intercourse		311
	In New England	311
	In New York	327
	In Pennsylvania	341
	In New Jersey	356
	In Delaware	357
Chapter IX Contest of Merchants and Radicals for Dominance in the Plantation Provinces (May -- October, 1774)
Factors conditioning the non-intercourse movement in plantation provinces		359
Action of Maryland		360
Measures of Virginia		362
Attitude of North Carolina		370
Course of South Carolina		373
Backwardness of Georgia		379
Indications of rising tide of radicalism in British America		386
	Combination of workingmen at Boston and New York against Gage	386
	Destruction of the Peggy Stewart in Annapolis	388
Chapter X The Adoption of the Continental Association (November 1775 - June, 1775)
Genesis of First Continental Congress		393
Factors determining the policy of Congress		396
Proceedings of First Continental Congress		410
Chapter XI Ratification of the Continental Association (Novemeber, 1774 - June 1775)
Position of moderates after First Continental Congress		432
Literature of protest		435
Establishment of Association in commercial provinces		440
	In Massachusetts	440
	In New Hampshire	442
	In Rhode Island	444
	In Connecticut	444
	In New York	447
	In New Jersey	455
	In Pennsylvania	456
	In Delaware	460
Establishment of Association in plantation provinces		460
	In Maryland	461
	In Virginia	461
	In North Carolina	462
	In South Carolina	464
	Failure of Georgia to ratify	469
Chapter XII Five Months of the Association in the Commercial Provinces (December, 1774 - April 1775)
General conditions affecting operation of Association		473
Workings of Association in Massachusetts		476
Workings of Association in New Hampshire		483
Workings of Association in Rhode Island		485
Workings of Association in Connecticut		486
Workings of Association in New York		489
Workings of Association in New Jersey		493
Workings of Association in Pennsylvania		495
Workings of Association in Delaware		502
Chapter XIII Five Months of the Association in the Plantation Provinces General Conclusions
Contrast with commercial provinces		504
Workings of Association in Maryland		504
Workings of Association in Virginia		509
Workings of Association in North Carolina		519
Workings of Association in South Carolina		525
Employment of provincial boycott		529
Regulation of coastwise trade		534
General conclusions as to non-importation regulation in all provinces		535
Effects of Continental Association on Great Britain		536
Chapter XIV Transformation of the Association (April, 1775 - July, 1776)
Cause of transformation of Continental Association		541
Widespread adoption of defense associations		542
Belated accession of Georgia to Continental Association		546
Changing functions of committees of observation		552
Early adoption of non-exportation for military purposes		559
Modifications in Continental Association made by Second Continental Congress		563
Advent of non-exportation		570
Chapter XV Transformation of the Association (Continued)
Nullification of acts of navigation and trade		576
Relaxation of tea non-consumption		581
Removal of restraint on prices		584
Merchant class and the supreme decision		591
Appendix		607
Bibliography		614
Index		631

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