tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post2872707775895788655..comments2024-03-28T04:26:30.557-05:00Comments on Boston 1775: Allison on the Revolution in Boston, 5 Apr.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-47194903888439800042017-04-05T11:42:55.185-05:002017-04-05T11:42:55.185-05:00I have no problem with the question of why the Ame...I have no problem with the question of why the American Revolution began in Boston, or eastern Massachusetts. That region did see the first street protests against the Stamp Act, the nastiest fight over non-importation, the most active response from the Customs Commissioners (as you note), the Massacre, the Tea Party, the Coercive Acts, the Powder Alarm, and the Battle of Lexington and Concord. <br /><br />That's not to say important things didn't happen elsewhere, of course. As you note, continental approval (and, to some extent, rivalry) prompted the Massachusetts Patriots to keep pushing against the Stamp Act, Tea Act, and other measures. But generally the conflict was worst in New England. <br /><br />I think the bigger problem with a Boston-based Revolutionary historiography is the notion that the Revolution <i>ended</i> in Boston with a bit of mopping up after the British left. That's also an exaggeration, of course, but a lot of narratives seem to skip from the evacuation of 1776 to Trenton, Saratoga, Valley Forge, and Yorktown.J. L. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405157000473731801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-25471026445737384622017-04-04T21:08:35.098-05:002017-04-04T21:08:35.098-05:00“Why did the Revolution begin in Boston?”
I find ...“Why did the Revolution begin in Boston?”<br /><br />I find it unfortunate that we still need to perpetuate the idea that the Revolution began in Boston. While it's true Boston was the location of the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party, these two events had more to do with the fact that Boston was the seat of the American Board of Customs Commissioners, and perhaps the disparate impact of the Sugar Act on the New England colonies. <br /><br />The bias revealed in that question reflects the sectionalism of modern historians. I think it makes about as much sense as asking why Virginia won the American Revolution. There were references to the "common cause" of the American colonies as early as 1773. Moreover, I believe that if Boston's merchant community was not assured of support from the other colonies it would not have supported the tea riot on Dec. 16, 1773. In which case the Revolution would have been very short. I think the more interesting question is how did the far flung American colonies with diverse interests come together to form a united front against the British. <br /><br />Dan Cornettenoreply@blogger.com