The historian J. Franklin Jameson argued in 1926 that “the stream of revolution, once started, could not be confined within narrow banks, but spread abroad upon the land.”[1] That is, he saw the American Revolution as a dramatically transformative event that re-shaped not only the political relationship between Britain and her colonies (i.e., the United States), but also the very structure of society.
Discuss whether you agree with his statement, and assess the ways in which the United States as a society was a new and different place from the constituent colonies out of which it developed. Your answer should rely on readings, lectures, and discussions (though with an emphasis on the readings).
Requirements
- Your essay should be between 2,500-3,500 words (excluding footnotes).
- You should utilize at least six primary sources and six secondary sources from the course readings.
- All citations should be in proper Chicago Manual of Style format.
- Submit your paper via Dropbox by 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 21 (the time determined by the Registrar for our final exam period). Late papers will only be accepted with documented evidence of an emergency. Name your file “Lastname.docx.”
- Do not consult sources from outside the course without prior approval.
- As with other assignments, you must complete this work on your own so that it reflects your thinking and effort. You may ask someone to proofread your paper.
Appointment times are available via Starfish. I will not read full drafts of your essay, but I would be happy to comment on a thesis statement and a one-page outline if you send it to me by 9pm the night before your meeting time.
______
[1] J. Franklin Jameson, The American Revolution Considered as a Social Movement (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1926; reprint ed., 1967), 9.
Joseph M. Adelman 