Revolutionary Outlaws: Ethan Allen and the Struggle for Independence on the Early American Frontier (Paperback)

~ Michael Bellesiles (Author) "SURVEYING the northern frontier of the new United States, the Loyalist Peter Oliver could only shake his head in disbelief..." (more)
Key Phrases: absentee proprietors, land jobbers, town records, New York, Ethan Allen, New Hampshire (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Emory professor Bellesiles examines the history of the New England frontier and the life of fabled Revolutionary hero Ethan Allen; History Book Club selection in cloth.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Anyone looking for a straight biography of Ethan Allen will not find it here. If, however, one is looking for a scholarly examination of the social history of Vermont and Allen's role in its development, this is a good book to read. Bellesiles (history, Emory) details the creation of Vermont, from the fraudulent land sales by New Hampshire's Royal Governor Benning Wentworth in the 1740s to statehood in 1787. In between, we see how concerns for family welfare brought people into an unsettled wilderness; the social conflicts produced by various religious sects; and, most importantly, Allen's role and activities in the conflict between the settlers and New York, which prepared them for the larger conflict with Britain. The scholarly nature of this book makes it more suitable for academic libraries than for general collections.
- Robert A. Curtis, Taylor Memorial P.L., Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: University of Virginia Press (February 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813916038
• ISBN-13: 978-0813916033
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #317,112 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The revolution within the Revolution, November 6, 1998

By A Customer

Yes, my name really is Ethan Allen. This is an excellently researched and well documented account about a very little known chapter of the American Revolution. The book is the story of Vermont's struggle for statehood. It explores the economic, social, and political pressures that led Vermonters to create their own government in spite of threats from Enland, New York, and Continental Congress. This book is a good study of how government derives its power from the people. The reading is a little slow at times, but good history often is, and this is more than worth the effort.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very fine and stimulating book, July 15, 2002

By A Customer

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in 18th century American history. It deals with a light hand with complex issues of both economic, political and religious history. It is also very cogently argued and entertaining.
Great stuff.

3 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Author is suspect, March 9, 2003

By	Michael W. Martinez (Gainesville, FL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After the fraud Belleisles perpetuated in his Arming America book, I must confess that I read Revolutionary Outlaws with a more than sceptical eye. It is well written, but I find myself wondering if I can trust this author again.