Samuel Adams: America's Revolutionary Politician (American Profiles) - Softcover

Alexander, John K.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 074252115X ISBN 13: 9780742521155

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2004

Synopsis

Samuel Adams: America's Revolutionary Politician offers a fresh full-life biography of the man Thomas Jefferson once described as the helmsman of the American Revolution. In his study, historian John K. Alexander uses narrative history to argue that Samuel Adams was both America's first professional politician and its first modern politician. Adams, Alexander argues, was an unwavering politician who strove to protect the people's basic rights and who emphasized the importance of virtue, liberty, a sense of duty, and education in fashioning a republican society. John K. Alexander's fresh reading of Adams's record, and a uniquely close look into his personal life, uncovers a masterful politician and a man consistent in his beliefs.

About this title

About the Author

John K. Alexander is professor at the University of Cincinnati where he specializes in American revolutionary era history. Along with a number of scholarly articles, he has authored Render Them Submissive: Responses to Poverty in Philadelphia, 1760–1800.

Review

This is a deep, solid, well researched, and highly readable work of history. I am particularly impressed by Alexander's contribution to the history of the Boston 'mob' in the American Revolution. Criticizing the 'myopic' views of those at the time (as well as more recent scholars) who saw the crowd as manipulated and propagandized by Adams, he gives due credit to Adams's role while nonetheless presenting us with a crowd with agency and a mind of its own. (Jesse Lemisch, professor of history emeritus, John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York)

John K. Alexander has written an intelligent, thoughtful, and concise biography of one of the most important leaders of the revolutionary generation. (Richard E. Ellis, SUNY Buffalo, author of The Jeffersonian Crisis and The Union at Risk)

It is chock full of original research and fresh observations on moments in Massachusetts's revolutionary struggle. (Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography)

A sparkling biography of a street-level politician who battled in the trenches for the American Revolution. (Paul Green, director of policy studies, Roosevelt University)

About this edition

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 074252115X
• ISBN 13: 9780742521155
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 264