1774

1774: The Long Year of Revolution- Mary Beth Norton
Knopf
Release Date: February 11, 2020

Rating:
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Synopsis:  This masterly work of historical writing, Mary Beth Norton's first in almost a decade, looks at the sixteen months during which the traditional loyalists to King George III began their discordant "discussions" that led to their acceptance of the inevitability of war against the British Empire and to the clashes at Lexington and Concord in mid-April 1775.     
Drawing extensively on pamphlets, newspapers, and personal correspondence, Norton reconstructs colonial political discourse as it happened, showing the vigorous campaign mounted by conservatives criticizing congressional actions. But by then it was too late. In early 1775, governors throughout the colonies informed colonial officials in London that they were unable to thwart the increasing power of the committees and their allied provincial congresses. Although the Declaration of Independence would not be formally adopted until July 1776, Americans, even before the outbreak of war in April 1775, had in effect "declared independence" by obeying the decrees of their new provincial governments rather than colonial officials.

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Readers interested in the details behind the larger picture of the American Revolution will thoroughly enjoy reading Mary Beth Norton's new book, 1774: The Long Year of Revolution.  Drawing extensively from letters, diaries, pamphlets and newspapers, Norton explores the true mindset of Colonial America during 1774.  Did the majority of people remain loyal to king and country?  Did most people think alternatives would bring England and America back into harmony?  

1774 offers some fascinating insights into incidents like the 'Boston Tea Party' and the reaction other colonies had to the Bostonians' radical destruction of property.  Tea became such a flashpoint politically that whether one drank tea or not said a great deal about their politics.  Yet men rarely included women as economic decision makers in debates behind things like whether to boycott tea.  What did women think about the boycott- and the patently false health claims made against drinking tea that were written to convince women to give it up voluntarily?  Mob rule and 'patriotic terrorism' were as debated then as they are now, and many of the points brought up against mob decisions could still apply today.  Free speech and free press versus an open press are flashpoint of contention, and then as now we see papers shift from showing both sides of an issue to focusing on only the side that paper supports.  

Although occasionally a little longer than necessary, the writing was good and the research is thorough. History lovers and teachers alike will be interested in the examples of daily life and political thought as it developed over the 'long year' leading up to the shots heard round the world and the war that changed everything. 

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review