DOCSLIB.ORG

New York Transformed: Committees, Militias, and the Social

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
New York Transformed: Committees, Militias, and the Social NEW YORK TRANSFORMED: COMMITTEES, MILITIAS, AND THE SOCIAL EFFECTS OF POLITICAL MOBILIZATION IN REVOLUTIONARY NEW YORK by COLIN JAY WILLIAMS HAROLD E. SELESKY, COMMITTEE CHAIR HOWARD JONES TONY A. FREYER DANIEL RICHES EUGENIA KIESLING A DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of History in the Graduate School of The University of Alabama TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA 2013 Copyright Colin Jay Williams 2013 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ABSTRACT Social mobilization during the American Revolution rapidly, fundamentally, and permanently changed the way New Yorkers related to government. By forcing residents to choose sides and regulating their access to commodities such as salt and tea, local committees made government integral to how people lived their lives. Rebel campaigns against the British army in 1776 and 1777 furthered this involvement, giving state-formed commissions for detecting and defeating conspiracies the warrant to investigate individual conduct and define acceptable political behavior. With Tories expelled from central New York and the disaffected persuaded to support rebellion in the war’s later years, the rebel government redistributed loyalist property and enfranchised much of white society. By the 1788 Poughkeepsie Convention, New Yorkers – a people who had previously related to each other through their social class, religious affiliation, and position within a community – believed that government existed to expand political participation, provide citizens with economic opportunity, and protect the rights of the individual. ii DEDICATION To my parents iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Submitting a doctoral dissertation is a good occasion to pause and thank a few people. First, for sparking and sustaining my interest in history, I thank my parents. To them I dedicate this manuscript. Second, for his critical eye and dedication to my development as an historian, I thank Harold Selesky. I am indebted to you more than you know. Finally, for making everything in life worthwhile, I thank my wife. I love you, honey. iv CONTENTS ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………...……………… ii DEDICATION…………………………………………………………………………………... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS…………………………………………………….……………...…. iv INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………….. 1 1. The Structure of Political Authority in Colonial New York………………………………… 11 English Rule of a Dutch Colony…………………………………………………...…… 13 Attempts to Unify After Leisler…………………………..…………………………..… 26 The Rise of Local Government as the Primary Means of Social Organization………….40 2. Committee Formation and the Legitimization of the Rebel Cause, April 1775 – May 1776....65 Establishing a Committee Structure of Government………………..………………..… 66 Association-signing……..………………………………………………………………. 81 The Quest for Legitimacy …………....…………………………………….…………..105 3. The 1776 Campaign and the Increasing Authority of Committee System, June 1776 – October 1776……………………….……………………………………………………..…113 The British Advance in the North and Threaten the South…………………………..... 114 The British Stopped in the North and in Control of the South………………………... 127 Social Mobilization….……………………………………………………………….... 138 4. Adjusting to the Permanent Presence of British Forces, November 1776 – May 1777…… 150 Committees for Detecting and Defeating Conspiracies …….…………...………...….. 151 Suppressing Internal Dissent ………………………………………………………….. 162 George Clinton and the Committee System…………………………………………… 178 v 5. The 1777 Campaign and the Establishment of a New Government, June 1777 – September 1779……..………………………………………………………………..……. 188 Three Prongs into Central New York ………………………………………...………. 189 The 1777 Constitution………………………………………………………….……… 200 Constitutional Governance in a Time of War…..…………………………..…………. 209 6. Legislating Social Change, October 1779 – July 1788………………………………..…… 224 Transformative Legislation……………………………………………………….…… 225 The Return of Contention to New York Politics…………………………………….... 233 The 1788 Poughkeepsie Convention……………………………………………..…… 244 CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………………………... 255 BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………………... 261 APPENDIX: Paying for the War..............................………………………………………..... 273 vi Introduction As an advisor in Kirkuk, Iraq in 2011, I participated in a lunch attended by the commander of the nearby Iraqi army, the commander of the nearby Peshmerga brigade, and the provincial police chief. Hosting the lunch was the commander of a rapid response force composed of soldiers and policemen from all three organizations. The four men differed in ethnicity, background, and agenda; their commands contained members of antagonistic religious sects and opposing political parties. What had brought them together was a shared love for their city and a desire to live together in peace. These men, all respected leaders whose reputations elevated them beyond the importance of their position, were able to negotiate and make agreements that, at least until American troops departed at the end of the year, curtailed acts of recrimination and violence. Conditions, personalities, and environments differ for every situation, historical or current; nonetheless, the similarities between two points in time can sometimes be striking. When I was not advising the Peshmerga brigade commander, visiting the rapid response force commander, or facilitating meetings such as the lunch mentioned above, I spent my tour in Iraq writing and thinking about colonial and revolutionary New York. Although separated geographically and temporally, northern Iraq in 2011 and New York from 1664 to 1788 were both political entities defined more by their invasion histories and the presence of a dominant river basin than by the commonness of their inhabitants. Iraqis today interpret events through communal prospectives and relate to others according to the ethnicity, municipality, religion, and family into which they were born. Likewise, New York before the revolutionary crisis was a 1 premodern society in which people defined themselves locally and organized themselves hierarchically. How New Yorkers emerged from a class-based and socially stratified understanding of political existence is the general theme of the dissertation that follows. Its approach is premised on two observations made both in my exploration of the primary record of New York politics and during my experience advising military and political leaders in Kirkuk, Iraq. First, when a state government is weak and distant, influence is exerted and decisions are made locally. Second, in such environments, change occurs neither by distant leaders trying to impose a unified identity nor by masses agitating for freedom from but by local leaders negotiating with other local leaders in an attempt to advance the political standing of their constituencies. These ideas are not sui generis , having been applied in various ways to both colonial and revolutionary New York. Perhaps the most brilliant recognition of the importance of local factors in influencing political positions is John Shy’s assertion in “The Military Conflict Considered as a Revolutionary War” that militia service taught the ideals of the revolutionary movement to newly independent Americans.1 Shy presented his argument in an essay, a format that limited his ability to develop fully the implications of his claim. Although supporting his position with well-chosen examples, he argued for the importance of militias broadly, assuming that the “political education . by military means” of one militiaman was similar to that of every other militiaman. 2 Shy did not question who formed these local military organizations or how those who served in them were convinced of the need to separate from Britain, other than to suggest that exposure to British atrocities solidified residents’ desire for independence. In this 1 John Shy, A People Numerous and Armed: Reflections on the Military Struggle for American Independence , rev. ed. (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1990), 236. 2 Ibid. 2 observation Shy was correct – especially for those who took up arms to protect themselves from invasion – although incomplete. Atrocities themselves did not motivate men to take to the field; instead, it was the publication and propagandization of atrocities that convinced men to fight. This dissertation is written to explain how that persuasion occurred in New York, why it upended the way New Yorkers defined themselves, and what this transformation meant to the state’s post-revolutionary generation. It does not focus on why New Yorkers rebelled from the British or posit an answer to why that rebellion was successful. Residents entered into military conflict due to exogenous reasons: they did not choose war; war came to them as a result of Parliament’s repression of a restive Boston and the fear – publicized and magnified by rebel- minded instigators – that they would be treated similarly. In accepting the existence of something already in progress, New Yorkers with rebel agendas made use of the province’s axial geography and social composition to prosecute the war in a way that changed the norms of political society. Good studies of how the rebel elite and persuadable masses entered into a state of rebellion already exist. Daniel Hulsebosch, whose Constituting Empire is the most recent scholarly work on colonial and revolutionary New York, argues that geographic mobility transformed New York law from a system based on jurisdiction to one based on jurisprudence. 3 To him, the war against Britain was
Load more

Recommended publications
  • To Sail on to Boston, Leaving No Aid to Sullivan's Army. in the End It Seems
    71 to sail on to Boston, leaving no aid to Sullivan’s army. In the end it seems d’Estaing couldn’t help but agree with his men. The French felt it was their first duty to preserve the fleet to fight another day.118 They also felt victory was not a mere few days away as Sullivan insisted.119 The Americans’ high hopes had grown higher at the sight of the French, only to be dashed. This abandonment hit the troops’ morale exceedingly hard. The French had “…left us in a most Rascally manner…” wrote Colonel Israel Angell of the Continental Army.120 Several days later, in a letter to Washington, Greene recounted “…it struck such a panic among the Militia and Volunteers that they began to desert by shoals. The fleet no sooner set sail than they began to be alarm’d for their safety. This misfortune damp’d the hopes of our Army and gave new Spirits to that of the Enemy.”121 Additionally, d’Estaing’s decision revived old prejudices against their former enemy turned ally.122 The anti-French sentiments went all the way to the top. Sullivan was furious and insinuated the French were traitors, nearly coming to blows with Lafayette, who bore the brunt of the army’s bitterness.123 Sullivan went on to write a strongly worded letter of protest to d’Estaing detailing why he should not quit the campaign, which further fueled tensions between the allies.124 America’s new alliance was now turning into a diplomatic disaster. Under the circumstances at hand, and after calming down, Sullivan did his best to assure the army to put their trust in him.
    [Show full text]
  • Alexander Hamilton: the Inaugural American Dream by Jack Stuart
    Alexander Hamilton: The Inaugural American Dream By Jack Stuart Wauwatosa East High School One’s psychological state is often compounded in the breeding ground of one’s childhood, and Alexander Hamilton’s inveterate habits were no different. His birthplace in the West Indies “vastly outweigh[ed] the northern colonies,” economically, but Hamilton experienced little of this wealth.1 Both of his parents were struck with downward social and economic mobility, depriving him of a first-class life, and instilling in him the necessity of personal achievement. The departure of his father and death of his mother in his pre-pubescent years only served to further his self-reliance. This modest upbringing led Hamilton to dream of little but lasting glory, writing his friend about his utmost desire for war.2 At the age of 17, he wrote a newspaper article describing the devastation of a recent hurricane that was avidly received by his neighbors, who collected funds to send him to college on the mainland hoping he would return as a doctor. This kindness not only provided for his future, but furthered his understanding of the importance of money. This grasp of economics can be seen later in his life as the basis for many of his proposals, from his founding of the Bank of New York and the Bank of the United States to his financial plan as Secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton believed that Great Britain had the best government possible, but the temporary failures of Parliament prompted him to believe that, “to usurp dominion over a people can .
    [Show full text]
  • The Revolutionary Movement in New York, 1773–1777
    University of Kentucky UKnowledge United States History History 1966 The Road to Independence: The Revolutionary Movement in New York, 1773–1777 Bernard Mason State University of New York at Binghamton Click here to let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Thanks to the University of Kentucky Libraries and the University Press of Kentucky, this book is freely available to current faculty, students, and staff at the University of Kentucky. Find other University of Kentucky Books at uknowledge.uky.edu/upk. For more information, please contact UKnowledge at [email protected]. Recommended Citation Mason, Bernard, "The Road to Independence: The Revolutionary Movement in New York, 1773–1777" (1966). United States History. 66. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/upk_united_states_history/66 The 'l(qpd to Independence This page intentionally left blank THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE The 'R!_,volutionary ~ovement in :J{£w rork, 1773-1777~ By BERNARD MASON University of Kentucky Press-Lexington 1966 Copyright © 1967 UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY PRESS) LEXINGTON FoR PERMISSION to quote material from the books noted below, the author is grateful to these publishers: Charles Scribner's Sons, for Father Knickerbocker Rebels by Thomas J. Wertenbaker. Copyright 1948 by Charles Scribner's Sons. The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., for John Jay by Frank Monaghan. Copyright 1935 by the Bobbs-Merrill Com­ pany, Inc., renewed 1962 by Frank Monaghan. The Regents of the University of Wisconsin, for The History of Political Parties in the Province of New York J 17 60- 1776) by Carl L. Becker, published by the University of Wisconsin Press. Copyright 1909 by the Regents of the University of Wisconsin.
    [Show full text]
  • “Extracts from Some Rebel Papers”: Patriots, Loyalists, and the Perils of Wartime Printing
    1 “Extracts from some Rebel Papers”: Patriots, Loyalists, and the Perils of Wartime Printing Joseph M. Adelman National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow American Antiquarian Society Presented to the Joint Seminar of the McNeil Center for Early American Studies And the Program in Early American Economy and Society, LCP Library Company of Philadelphia, 1314 Locust Street, Philadelphia 24 February 2012 3-5 p.m. *** DRAFT: Please do not cite, quote, or distribute without permission of the author. *** 2 The eight years of the Revolutionary War were difficult for the printing trade. After over a decade of growth and increasing entanglement among printers as their networks evolved from commercial lifelines to the pathways of political protest, the fissures of the war dispersed printers geographically and cut them off from their peers. Maintaining commercial success became increasingly complicated as demand for printed matter dropped, except for government printing, and supply shortages crippled communications networks and hampered printers’ ability to produce and distribute anything that came off their presses. Yet even in their diminished state, printers and their networks remained central not only to keeping open lines of communication among governments, armies, and civilians, but also in shaping public opinion about the central ideological issues of the war, the outcomes of battles, and the meaning of events affecting the war in North America and throughout the Atlantic world. What happened to printers and their networks is of vital importance for understanding the Revolution. The texts that historians rely on, from Common Sense and The Crisis to rural newspapers, almanacs, and even diaries and correspondence, were shaped by the commercial and political forces that printers navigated as they produced printed matter that defined the scope of debate and the nature of the discussion about the war.
    [Show full text]
  • Hudson Valley Ring
    Peekskill, NY -- A Site on a Revolutionary War Road Trip http://revolutionaryday.com/usroute9/peekskill/default.htm Books US4 NY5 US7 US9 US9W US20 US60 US202 US221 Canal On March 23, 1777, 500 British troops disembarked from 10 ships sent up the Hudson to attack the storehouse at Peekskill. 250 American troops manned the storehouse at Peekskill under the command of Alexander McDougall. McDougall withdrew into the town and asked for support from Fort Montgomery across the river. Col Marinus Willett arrived with 80 men and with the General's permission led an attack on the British who were burning military supplies. Willett fired on the British and charged with bayonets forcing the British to retreat. On June 24, 1781, Washington set up camp in Peekskill and waited for French forces that left Newport, RI on June 9th under the command of General Rochambeau. When the French arrived, the combined armies performed exercises and demonstrations to intimidate the British in New York City. However, Washington and Rochambeau decided that a larger force would be necessary to lay siege to the city. Instead, Washington abandoned his efforts in New York and took half of his forces and the French forces to surround and overwhelm Cornwallis in the south. Clinton in New York would not figure out what Washington was up to for over two weeks and would not send a force out to rescue Cornwallis for another month. Clinton was informed of the surrender enroute and turned back to New York City. Today, there’s a beautiful park on the Hudson at Peekskill.
    [Show full text]
  • Apples Abound
    APPLES ABOUND: FARMERS, ORCHARDS, AND THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPES OF AGRARIAN REFORM, 1820-1860 A Dissertation Presented to The Graduate Faculty of The University of Akron In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy John Henris May, 2009 APPLES ABOUND: FARMERS, ORCHARDS, AND THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPES OF AGRARIAN REFORM, 1820-1860 John Henris Dissertation Approved: Accepted: ____________________________ ____________________________ Advisor Department Chair Dr. Kevin Kern Dr. Michael M. Sheng ____________________________ ____________________________ Committee Member Dean of the College Dr. Lesley J. Gordon Dr. Chand Midha ____________________________ ____________________________ Committee Member Dean of the Graduate School Dr. Kim M. Gruenwald Dr. George R. Newkome ____________________________ ____________________________ Committee Member Date Dr. Elizabeth Mancke ____________________________ Committee Member Dr. Randy Mitchell ____________________________ Committee Member Dr. Gregory Wilson ii ABSTRACT This dissertation argues that apple cultivation was invariably intertwined with, and shaped by, the seemingly discordant threads of scientific agricultural specialization, emigration, urbanization, sectionalism, moral reform, and regional identity in New England and Ohio prior to the American Civil War. As the temperance cause gained momentum during the 1820s many farmers abandoned their cider trees and transitioned to the cultivation of grafted winter apples in New England. In turn agricultural writers used
    [Show full text]
  • Biodefense and Constitutional Constraints
    Georgetown University Law Center Scholarship @ GEORGETOWN LAW 2011 Biodefense and Constitutional Constraints Laura K. Donohue Georgetown University Law Center, [email protected] Georgetown Public Law and Legal Theory Research Paper No. 11-96 This paper can be downloaded free of charge from: https://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/facpub/677 http://ssrn.com/abstract=1882506 4 Nat'l Security & Armed Conflict L. Rev. 82-206 (2014) This open-access article is brought to you by the Georgetown Law Library. Posted with permission of the author. Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/facpub Part of the Constitutional Law Commons, and the Military, War, and Peace Commons BIODEFENSE AND CONSTITUTIONAL CONSTRAINTS Laura K. Donohue* I. INTRODUCTION"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" & II. STATE POLICE POWERS AND THE FEDERALIZATION OF U.S. QUARANTINE LAW """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 2 A. Early Colonial Quarantine Provisions""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 3 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 4 """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""&)
    [Show full text]
  • FISHKILLISHKILL Mmilitaryilitary Ssupplyupply Hubhub Ooff Thethe Aamericanmerican Rrevolutionevolution
    Staples® Print Solutions HUNRES_1518351_BRO01 QA6 1234 CYANMAGENTAYELLOWBLACK 06/6/2016 This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, fi ndings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily refl ect the views of the Department of the Interior. FFISHKILLISHKILL MMilitaryilitary SSupplyupply HHubub ooff tthehe AAmericanmerican RRevolutionevolution 11776-1783776-1783 “...the principal depot of Washington’s army, where there are magazines, hospitals, workshops, etc., which form a town of themselves...” -Thomas Anburey 1778 Friends of the Fishkill Supply Depot A Historical Overview www.fi shkillsupplydepot.org Cover Image: Spencer Collection, New York Public Library. Designed and Written by Hunter Research, Inc., 2016 “View from Fishkill looking to West Point.” Funded by the American Battlefi eld Protection Program Th e New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1820. Staples® Print Solutions HUNRES_1518351_BRO01 QA6 5678 CYANMAGENTAYELLOWBLACK 06/6/2016 Fishkill Military Supply Hub of the American Revolution In 1777, the British hatched a scheme to capture not only Fishkill but the vital Fishkill Hudson Valley, which, if successful, would sever New England from the Mid- Atlantic and paralyze the American cause. The main invasion force, under Gen- eral John Burgoyne, would push south down the Lake Champlain corridor from Distribution Hub on the Hudson Canada while General Howe’s troops in New York advanced up the Hudson. In a series of missteps, Burgoyne overestimated the progress his army could make On July 9, 1776, New York’s Provincial Congress met at White Plains creating through the forests of northern New York, and Howe deliberately embarked the State of New York and accepting the Declaration of Independence.
    [Show full text]
  • New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol 21
    K<^' ^ V*^'\^^^ '\'*'^^*/ \'^^-\^^^'^ V' ar* ^ ^^» "w^^^O^o a • <L^ (r> ***^^^>^^* '^ "h. ' ^./ ^^0^ Digitized by the internet Archive > ,/- in 2008 with funding from ' A^' ^^ *: '^^'& : The Library of Congress r^ .-?,'^ httpy/www.archive.org/details/pewyorkgepealog21 newy THE NEW YORK Genealogical\nd Biographical Record. DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF AMERICAN GENEALOGY AND BIOGRAPHY. ISSUED QUARTERLY. VOLUME XXL, 1890. 868; PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY, Berkeley Lyceuim, No. 23 West 44TH Street, NEW YORK CITY. 4125 PUBLICATION COMMITTEE: Rev. BEVERLEY R. BETTS, Chairman. Dr. SAMUEL S. PURPLE.. Gen. JAS. GRANT WILSON. Mr. THOS. G. EVANS. Mr. EDWARD F. DE LANCEY. Mr. WILLL\M P. ROBINSON. Press of J. J. Little & Co., Astor Place, New York. INDEX OF SUBJECTS. Albany and New York Records, 170. Baird, Charles W., Sketch of, 147. Bidwell, Marshal] S., Memoir of, i. Brookhaven Epitaphs, 63. Cleveland, Edmund J. Captain Alexander Forbes and his Descendants, 159. Crispell Family, 83. De Lancey, Edward F. Memoir of Marshall S. Bidwell, i. De Witt Family, 185. Dyckman Burial Ground, 81. Edsall, Thomas H. Inscriptions from the Dyckman Burial Ground, 81. Evans, Thomas G. The Crispell Family, 83. The De Witt Family, 185. Fernow, Berlhold. Albany and New York Records, 170 Fishkill and its Ancient Church, 52. Forbes, Alexander, 159. Heermans Family, 58. Herbert and Morgan Records, 40. Hoes, R. R. The Negro Plot of 1712, 162. Hopkins, Woolsey R Two Old New York Houses, 168. Inscriptions from Morgan Manor, N. J. , 112. John Hart, the Signer, 36. John Patterson, by William Henry Lee, 99. Jones, William Alfred. The East in New York, 43. Kelby, William.
    [Show full text]
  • The Impact of Weather on Armies During the American War of Independence, 1775-1781 Jonathan T
    Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2011 The Force of Nature: The Impact of Weather on Armies during the American War of Independence, 1775-1781 Jonathan T. Engel Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES THE FORCE OF NATURE: THE IMPACT OF WEATHER ON ARMIES DURING THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE, 1775-1781 By JONATHAN T. ENGEL A Thesis submitted to the Department of History in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2011 The members of the committee approve the thesis of Jonathan T. Engel defended on March 18, 2011. __________________________________ Sally Hadden Professor Directing Thesis __________________________________ Kristine Harper Committee Member __________________________________ James Jones Committee Member The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members. ii This thesis is dedicated to the glory of God, who made the world and all things in it, and whose word calms storms. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Colonies may fight for political independence, but no human being can be truly independent, and I have benefitted tremendously from the support and aid of many people. My advisor, Professor Sally Hadden, has helped me understand the mysteries of graduate school, guided me through the process of earning an M.A., and offered valuable feedback as I worked on this project. I likewise thank Professors Kristine Harper and James Jones for serving on my committee and sharing their comments and insights.
    [Show full text]
  • Environment and Culture in the Northeastern Americas During the American Revolution Daniel S
    The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Electronic Theses and Dissertations Fogler Library Spring 5-11-2019 Navigating Wilderness and Borderland: Environment and Culture in the Northeastern Americas during the American Revolution Daniel S. Soucier University of Maine, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd Part of the Canadian History Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, Military History Commons, Nature and Society Relations Commons, Other History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Soucier, Daniel S., "Navigating Wilderness and Borderland: Environment and Culture in the Northeastern Americas during the American Revolution" (2019). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2992. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/2992 This Open-Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. NAVIGATING WILDERNESS AND BORDERLAND: ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE IN THE NORTHEASTERN AMERICAS DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION By Daniel S. Soucier B.A. University of Maine, 2011 M.A. University of Maine, 2013 C.A.S. University of Maine, 2016 A THESIS Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (in History) The Graduate School University of Maine May, 2019 Advisory Committee: Richard Judd, Professor Emeritus of History, Co-Adviser Liam Riordan, Professor of History, Co-Adviser Stephen Miller, Professor of History Jacques Ferland, Associate Professor of History Stephen Hornsby, Professor of Anthropology and Canadian Studies DISSERTATION ACCEPTANCE STATEMENT On behalf of the Graduate Committee for Daniel S.
    [Show full text]
  • The Founders on the Founders : Word
    INTRODUCTION TO THE FOUNDERS ON THE FOUNDERS : WORD PORTRAITS FROM THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY ERA BY JOHN P. KAMINSKI The Founders were extraordinary individuals--they were not cold statues. The fog of fame and time, however, has obscured them as flesh and blood human beings. Most of us think of them only as a group--the Founders--not as individuals with their own personalities, strengths and weaknesses. Those who do warrant individual attention have become caricatures. How many Americans know the real Washington, Franklin, and Jefferson; let alone Madison, Jay, and Hamilton? Occasionally we have been blessed or cursed with a public television documentary on the life of one or another of these Founders. Often they are filled with almost as many errors as facts. Before the Revolution most of the Founders pictured their ancestors--not themselves--as special individuals who braved the treacherous trans-Atlantic voyage and the subsequent travails of a hostile new, often unforgiving land. Once the Revolutionary movement was well underway, however, the Founders came to appreciate their own unique place in history. It was their “lot to live in perplexing and eventful times.” 1 John Adams wrote that “I am but an ordinary Man. The Times alone have destined me to Fame.” 2 Thomas Jefferson believed that “Nature intended me for the tranquil pursuits of science, by rendering them my supreme delight. But the enormities of the times in which I have lived, have forced me to take a part in resisting them, and to commit myself on the boisterous ocean of political passions.” 3 Speaking for his contemporaries, Adams wrote that “We of this Generation are destined to Act a painful and a dangerous Part, and We must make the best of our Lot.” 4 Adams denigrated the “Idea of the great Men .
    [Show full text]