The Urban Crucible: The Northern Seaports and the Origins of the American Revolution

Rating:
Summary: The American Revolution as a socioeconomic class conflict
Review: In the Urban Crucible, Nash attempts to demonstrate that the American Revolution was a duel revolution against England and the traditional ruling classes. He shows how the economic effects of the boom and bust cycles following the various wars of the 18th century affected the colonies, specifically the port cities. The result of these increasingly disruptive economic cycles--especially after the French and Indian War--caused the colonists in the port cities to rebel against England and the American elites because of economic concerns. However, Nash offers very little evidence that socioeconomics was indeed the main motivation for revolution, and he offers no evidence that class warfare really existed.

Rating:
Summary: The American Revolution as a socioeconomic class conflict
Review: In the Urban Crucible, Nash attempts to demonstrate that the American Revolution was a duel revolution against England and the traditional ruling classes. He shows how the economic effects of the boom and bust cycles following the various wars of the 18th century affected the colonies, specifically the port cities. The result of these increasingly disruptive economic cycles--especially after the French and Indian War--caused the colonists in the port cities to rebel against England and the American elites because of economic concerns. However, Nash offers very little evidence that socioeconomics was indeed the main motivation for revolution, and he offers no evidence that class warfare really existed.