Customer Reviews

The Marketplace of Revolution: How Consumer Politics Shaped American Independence

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Breen writes a nice book here with lots of detail on colonists as consumers, and how the so-called market revolution impacted America prior to the Revolution. He suggests that this mass consumerism was the bond that tied Americans together and was the reason they were able to unite and rebel in 1775. My concern is that when he does expand upon the idea that this consumerism is what made colonists have something in common and allowed them to act in 1775 as a coordinated community, evidenceis lacking and Breen mostly speculates. It must have been so thus it was so, seems to be Breen's basis for conclusion.

I found myself approaching this book as an excellent framework, or skeleton, upon which could be hung all of the other histories and biographies of the Revolutionary period. Here we do not deal so much with great historical figures, but rather with the civic discussions that evolved over time among and between everyday people as they transitioned from British patriots into American patriots. This is a compelling explanation of how and why that happened. As primary sources, Breen draws significantly upon the newspapers, letters, advertisements and broadsides that increasingly circulated among what was, at the time, one of the most literate societies on the planet. I found this to be an outstanding piece of work that contributed greatly to my understanding and comprehension of the forces that shaped the birth of this nation.

A strong book written in a very readable style that highlights the contribution of a developing consumer society to the political environment surrounding the revolution.

This book puts the familar events of the revolution in a new (to me) perspective. I had never really considered how incongrous it was for the colonists to attack Tea, but as I was reading those events felt both newly strange and inevitable.

I never felt bogged down in theory or arcane events, and I also felt newly empowered to effect political change through my own consumer choices.

It also provided new insight to me regarding the american art in the period.

The American Revolution was one of the pinnacle events in history. T.H. Breen examines the effect that ordinary citizens had toward influencing middle-class gentility in order to democratize colonial society. THE MARKETPLACE OF REVOLUTION: HOW CONSUMER POLITICS SHAPED AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE extends on Gordon Wood's idea of the common man, i.e., farmers and shopkeepers who were despondent on Monarchical rule, and set out to abandon the so-called "Baubles of Britain." Breen explores events that preceded 1775, and draws an emphasis on material culture and its revolutionary effect on the marketplace as well political influence.

Breen expounds that popular mobilization and trust were pertinent factors that helped to create the movement. One of several events that provoked political protest was the Sugar Act of 1764, which brought the realization to the colonists that they had indulged far too long with British goods, services, and regulations that did not produce fair and equal results. Therefore, as a result of their dissatisfaction, the movement against oppressive parliamentary tactics began. And in general terms, the Sugar Act as well as the Stamp Act eventually led to the Boston Tea Party, one of history textbook's most overwrought narratives, but important link toward consumer and political independence.

Although the issues addressed in THE MARKETPLACE OF REVOLUTION are not new, this is yet another event in American history that may have been neglected. For some unfortunate instances, some events take precedent over others amidst patriotic and national independence sentiment thus creating historical myth. However, this is not a myth but an essential part of the chronology of the American Revolution. From historical accounts by anonymous writers and colonial newspapers, the mention of one of the first occurrences of women participating in political activity, and an the explanation of array of material artifacts that shaped American identity, Breen adds another perspective and understanding of the American Revolution.

Don't get me wrong T.H. Breen has created a very important research thesis which breaks down stereotypes of the American revolution, his research flows brilliantly but in fact he says in 370 pages what should have been said in 275.

His points are great but he makes the same ones over and over and over. If you love research books than this is your book! I learned quite a bit from it but couldn't read through it again.

This book presents a dense and detailed account of consumer activity leading up to the american revolution. At first I was intimidated and worried that it wouldn't hold my interest. But I was wrong. It's so well-written and so interesting that I (almost) can't put it down. Some nights I only read 4 or 5 pages. But I relish each page, and I especially enjoy all the original quotes included from colonial americans.

This book isn't just for historians or people that are already interested in american history. It's for everybody who wonders how our country came to be the way it is. Have you ever pondered our rampant consumerism? What caused it? Where did it come from? Maybe even how to curb it? Read this. This book tells the (true) story of an incredibly successful collective consumer effort that literally changed the world. It's been done before folks...

T.H. Breen has done a masterful job of recreating late consumerist Colonial America, and how Americans' understanding of the marketplace shaped their political views. He breaks the book down into two parts. The first part is a bit tedious as Breen essentially does an inventory, or "Vade Mecum" of the Colonial American marketplace, culling records far and wide to show how attached the thirteen colonies had become to Britain in terms of consumer goods. But, his ironic tone and number of wonderful anecdotes lighten the massive load of information. He illustrates how Great Britain had become an "Empire of Goods" with the colonies its prime market. British Americans grew ever more in debt due to the lack of their own manufacturers and hard cash. Whether in active sea ports like Charleston and New York or in the backwoods of the colonies, Americans had become increasingly dependent on British goods and the relatively easy credit that merchants provided.

In the second part, Breen shows how all that changed after the French and Indian War with Britain imposing new taxes to cover the costs of the war. Breen shows how Americans answered back with consumer boycotts, first over the Stamp Act, then the Townshend Acts and eventually the lingering tax on tea, which had become the drink of choice among colonists. British Americans were successfully able to repeal the Stamp and Townshend Acts thanks to a growing sense of communal resolve, and Benjamin Franklin's spirited defense before the British parliament.

What makes these chapters particularly interesting is how women came to be an ever important part of the political equation. Breen points out that these boycotts would have never succeeded had not women given up their lace and fine linens and tea in the name of liberty. Societies formed around spinning groups and women contributed articles to newspapers, countering the condescending editorials by men. With each boycott, confidence grew and by the time of the Boston Tea Party, Americans had established a new political identity that would carry them through the revolution.

The book presents the view from the bottom up, focusing on communal resolve moreso than acts by colonial leaders. A new collective spirit had emerged by 1774. No longer did the colonies see themselves independent from each other, but rather inextricably linked in their resolve against the Intolerable Acts of Britain. This, Breen effectively argues, set the stage for the revolution.

This book is an excellent look at the social and economic life of Colonial America and how each of these factors played into the Revloutionary War. Some of the most facinating aspects of this book are his discussions of the use of danty European goods, such as fine China and silks, used on the frontier, and how the use of these goods gave the impression of colonial America to visiting Europeans as a nation of vast wealth and frivolous consumers. This aspect of Colonial history gives great insight into not only the deep connections to British manufacturing in the colonies, but futhermore gives excellent insight into the work of creditors, debt, and the true break that came with the American Revolution.

Breen's analysis of North-South divisions that contributed to the difficulties of the boycotts of the Stamp Act and eventual bonds that were created between the two during the boycott of the Intollerable Acts that helped the progression to independence are facinating to say the least. Furthermore, one can not help but smile at Breen's discussion of the boycotts and Thomas Jefferson's dismay of not being able to import is treasures from Europe.

Though much of this was covered in Gordon Wood's The Radicalism of the American Revolution, Breen condences Wood's work into a much more managable read.

First off, I enjoyed the book and it's premise. A great angle on the causes of the revolution and attitudes of the citizens of colonial America. As other reviews said, it was a bit repetitive but I throughly enjoyed the beginning and the end of the book. I always try to think how we can learn from our past and it was a beautiful show of community when the citizens tried to think of ways to show their displeasure with England. I enjoyed the analysis of the Boston Tea Party and "meanings" of tea was interesting too. This is a great book for the curious US history buff but not for a general reader.