Becoming America: The Revolution Before 1776 Fr... < COMPLETE › >

In 1680, most European settlers were English. By 1770, the colonies had become a "polyglot" society. Waves of Scots, Germans, Dutch, Swiss, and French Huguenots joined a landscape already inhabited by Native Americans and a rapidly growing population of enslaved Africans. This "unprecedented jumble of peoples" created a unique ethnic and racial diversity that we still recognize as fundamentally American today. 2. The Birth of Global Consumerism

The takeaway from is that the 1776 Revolution was possible only because the society was already "American" in every way but name. The colonies had already embraced diversity, global trade, and complex politics—the very traits we still debate today. Becoming America: The Revolution before 1776 fr...

The following blog post explores the themes of Jon Butler's book, . In 1680, most European settlers were English

Next time you think about the founders, remember that they were the products of a century-long cultural revolution that changed the world before the first shot was ever fired. Becoming America - Harvard University Press This "unprecedented jumble of peoples" created a unique

By the mid-1700s, the colonies were home to an incredible variety of spiritual beliefs. While religious "modern revivals" signaled a renewed commitment to faith, they also grew out of a pluralistic environment where no single church held total authority. However, Butler reminds us that this emerging tolerance had a dark side: it rarely extended to the Native American or African populations, whose own spiritual traditions were often suppressed or decimated. 4. Politics Beyond the Town Hall

Forget the image of the simple, self-sufficient pioneer. Butler reveals a colonial economy that was aggressive, profit-driven, and tied to international markets.