Plain and Simple Facts about the Revolutionary Era

[Paul Finkelman]

It think all of Doug's comments are on point. Most people were affected 
in some way. most people most have known someone who went off to fight, 
but, for example, after the British left New England, most New 
Englanders had no direct contact, althought sons and brothers and 
husbands and fathers were off fighting and dying and on British prison 
ships; there were requisitions from Congress which raised some taxes, 
and trade with Britain and other countries stopped.  When armies were 
nearby people sold to the armies, not always for worthless money; the 
British generally had gold and silver to pay with. There is a 
susbstantial literature on the war on the homefront and on the 
experiences of soldiers and civilians.  Scribners' Reference is now 
doing The Encyclopedia of the New Nation (I am the editor in chief of 
the project).  When it comes out that will be a great place to start, 
but it it not yet finished.

Paul Finkelman

Douglas Laycock wrote:

>         This was before the age of total war.  Armies in the field 
> were small, and civilians more respected than in 20th century wars.  
> The early fighting in the north had few direct effects in the south, 
> and vice versa for the later fighting in the south. 
>
>         On the other hand, New York was an occupied city for most of 
> the war.  Other cities were occupied at times, and state and local 
> governments were galvanized whenever the British approached their 
> jurisdiction.  Americans treated loyalists as traitors to the new 
> nation, and substantial numbers moved to Canada or elsewhere outside 
> the states in rebellion.  The American army requisitioned supplies and 
> paid in paper dollars or IOUs that were not made good for a long time; 
> I would not be surprised to learn that the British did the same.  I 
> don't know where to cite you for details, but it was not the case that 
> civilians were unaffected.
>
> At 05:04 PM 2/7/2004 -0500, RJLipkin at aol.com wrote:
>
>> In a message dated 2/7/2004 4:40:31 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
>> paul-finkelman at utulsa.edu writes:
>>
>>     The 2nd question cannot be fully answered; there were no opinion
>>     polls; John Adams claimed at the beginning of the war that 1/3
>> supported; 1/3 opposed; and 1/3rd were neutral on independence.
>>
>>             I'm trying to capture the lived experience of 
>> non-combatants during the Revolutionary War. What was it like? Better 
>> yet, how much did the war actually intrude in the every day life of 
>> the colonists? Could some (how many? I'm sorry to ask) for all 
>> intents and purposes ignore the war? Or were the actual battles, news 
>> and discussions of battles, the politics of the war, and the task of 
>> supplying the soldiers activities that inevitably intruded on 
>> everyday life at least in the cities? I'm not sure I've formulated my 
>> query precisely enough; nor am I at all sure that what I trying to 
>> discover can be discovered now.
>>  
>>         However, thanks to Paul for his efforts.
>>  
>> Bobby
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Robert Justin Lipkin
>> Professor of Law
>> Widener University School of Law
>> Delaware
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>
>
> Douglas Laycock
> University of Texas Law School
> 727 E. Dean Keeton St.
> Austin, TX  78705
>         512-232-1341 (voice)
>         512-471-6988 (fax)
>         dlaycock at mail.law.utexas.edu
>

-- 
Paul Finkelman
Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law
University of Tulsa College of Law
3120 East 4th Place
Tulsa, OK   74104-3189

918-631-3706 (office)
918-631-2194 (fax)

paul-finkelman at utulsa.edu


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