Throughout history, when approaching the task of analyzing moments in history, there are several angles that can be used to formulate an argument regarding the cause and significance of the issue. The American Revolution is no exception to this. Throughout the centuries of debate, two distinct perspectives have formed, both creating different stories of history for their specific audiences. Two historians, H.W Brands and Gary B Nash, display these differing perspectives, altering history to fit the contemporary ideas formed from the social and political environments of their time. 

 Throughout both excerpts of Our First Civil War: Patriots and Loyalists in the American Revolution by H.W. Brands  and The Urban Crucible: The Northern Seaports and the Origins of the American Revolution by Gary B.Nash , the increasing colonial conflicts between both themselves and the British Crown are showcased.  H.W Brands takes a macroscopic approach to his writings, prioritizing the influence of the institutions at that time–more specifically, the narratives of political figures within those systems. His writings, intended for the everyday 21st century American, retells the stories of the war primarily through the eyes of the founding fathers. He utilizes exact dialogue between Benjamin Franklin gathered from Franklin’s written accounts. “I cannot conceive, my lord, why the consent of the governor should be thought necessary to the appointment of an agent for the people,” Franklin said. “It seems to me—”. By doing so, he creates a familiarity between the audience and his subject. Moreover, he grants the founding fathers, who are commonly displayed as stoic, a sense of personableness.  

In contrast, Gary B Nash chooses to focus on the escalation of tensions leading up to the war using a microscopic perspective–choosing to share the experiences of the individual and community. Inspired by the contemporary social movements of the early 20th century and his own time, Nash takes a neo-progressive approach to the issue. Furthermore, in his writings he addresses issues like social welfare and minority rights, subconsciously reflecting his own ideologies as an active member of the civil rights movements throughout the 1950s until the 70s.  Unlike Brands who focused his studies on the economic effects on the war, Nash takes a different approach. By showcasing the impacts the war had on the economic stability of community members and low-class individuals he is able to highlight a different narrative of the cause of the Revolution. For example, he discusses the disparity within the colonies that left many individuals homeless and in debt due to unemployment. Specifically, he highlights the struggles of the working class, showing how the British influence or lack thereof on the colonial market could be either beneficial or detrimental to the colonists depending on their class rank and most importantly occupation. For instance, he states, “Trade doldrums hurt merchants, artisans, and mariners, but they also tended to drive land values and house rents down, thus easing budgetary pressures on laboring people who rented rooms or houses.”. Through this he exemplifies the fact that while most laboring jobs were impacted by the halt of British trade. 

Though Brand and Nash had differing approaches to the issue, both can agree that the tensions in Britain is a direct contributor to the increase of revolutionary push within the colonies. Brands leads with this thesis, stating “The turbulence in America was mirrored by turmoil in Britain. Indeed, the troubles were twins, for the turnover in the British government and the accompanying reversals of British policy toward the colonies encouraged the Americans to think their protests were working, and therefore to continue them”. To convey this, Brand brings up conflicts between Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Hutchinson, including the consequences that came with Franklin’s letters being leaked. Throughout his text, there is little reference to lower class individuals or those without any political influence. Nash’s writing supports a similar idea to Brands, comparing colonial life before and after the British Credit Crisis that impacted the colonies. Furthermore, he credits their way of living as a deciding factor for the Whig ideology. 

Overall, it can be concluded that while Brands and Nash write about the same events they chose to prioritize the narrative of different individuals and groups in society. Several factors of the author’s personal background can contribute to this. For instance, their personal experiences, the social and political standards of their time, as well as the audience they intended for. Despite this, both give two necessary insights to the development and progression of the conflicts between the British and the colonies that would eventually lead to the American Revolution. 

Bibliography

Brands, H. W. Our First Civil War: Patriots and loyalists in the revolution. New York, New York : Penguin Random House, 2021.

Nash, Gary B. The urban crucible: Northern seaports and the origins of the American Revolution. Cambridge (Mass.), Mass: Harvard University Press, 1986.