Lexington and Concord : The Battle Heard Round the World (9780393245752)

An award-winning historian reinterprets the battle that launched the American Revolution. George C. Daughan’s magnificently detailed account of the Battle of Lexington and Concord challenges the prevailing narrative of the American War of Independence. It was, Daughan argues, based as much in economic concerns as political ones. When Massachusetts militiamen turned out in overwhelming numbers to fight the British, they believed they were fighting for their farms and livelihoods, as well as for liberty. Benjamin Franklin was not surprised by this widespread belief. In the years prior to the Revolution, Franklin had toured Great Britain and witnessed the wretched living conditions of the king’s subjects. They wore rags for clothes, went barefoot, and had little to eat. They were not citizens, but serfs. Franklin described the appalling situation in a number of letters home. In the eyes of many American colonists, Britain’s repressive measures were not seen simply as an effort to reestablish political control of the colonies, but also as a means to reduce the prosperous colonists themselves to the serfdom described in the Franklin letters. Another key factor in the outcome of this historic battle, according to Daughan, was the scorn British officers had for colonial fighters. Although the British officers had fought alongside colonial Americans in the ferocious French and Indian War, they failed to anticipate the skill, organization, and sheer numbers of the colonial militias. Daughan explains how British arrogance led them to defeat at the hands of motivated, experienced patriot fighters determined to protect their way of life. Authoritative and immersive, Lexington and Concord gives us a new understanding of a battle that became a template for colonial uprisings in later centuries. The Final Straw -- General Thomas Gage And George Iii -- Benjamin Franklin Excoriated -- Britain Closes The Port Of Boston -- Declaring War On Massachusetts -- Support For Boston Broadens -- Defiance Escalates -- A Deepening Crisis -- The Counties Strike Back -- His Majesty Refuses To Bend -- The Powder Alarm -- The Colonies Unite -- The Suffolk Resolves -- Congress Completes Its Work -- Slaves -- The Perverse Effects Of The Powder Alarm -- The March To War -- Chatham's Opposition -- Lords North And Dartmouth Secretly Search For Peace -- The Decision For War -- Parliament Votes For War -- The Country People -- The Country People Find Many Supporters -- Tensions Mount -- Still Waiting -- Fateful Orders -- Gage's Decision -- Crossing The Rubicon -- Paul Revere -- The British March To Concord Bogs Down -- A Massacre At Lexington -- The Road To Concord -- The Concord Fight -- The Bloody Road Back To Lexington -- Lord Percy To The Rescue -- A Masterful Retreat -- The Siege Of Boston: Part One -- The Siege: Part Two -- Earth-shattering News. George C. Daughan. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [297]-327) And Index. "A wonderful addition to the literature on the American Revolution, full of enlightening facts and figures." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review George C. Daughan’s magnificently detailed account of the battle of Lexington and Concord challenges the prevailing narrative of the American War of Independence. It was, Daughan argues, based as much on economic concerns as political ones. When Massachusetts militiamen turned out in overwhelming numbers to fight the British, they believed they were fighting for their farms and livelihoods, as well as for liberty. In the eyes of many American colonists, Britain’s repressive measures were not simply an effort to reestablish political control of the colonies, but also a means to reduce the prosperous colonists to the serfdom Benjamin Franklin witnessed on his tour of Ireland and Scotland. Authoritative and thoroughly researched, Lexington and Concord is a “worthy resource for history buffs seeking a closer look at what drove the start of the American Revolution” (Booklist). Reinterprets the battle that launched the American Revolution, arguing that the war was based as much in economic concerns as political ones and that most militiamen volunteered on behalf of their livelihoods and in protest of serf-like living conditions