Gordon S. Wood: The Radicalism Of The American Revolution
Precis and Source Analysis of The Radicalism of the American Revolution
By
Charlie Hwang
History of the Americas I
Dr. Drouin
Word Count: Gordon S. Wood’s Radicalism of the American Revolution challenges historian’s views regarding the nature of the American Revolution. The Radicalism of the American Revolution is an academic monograph written in 1991 in the midst of age long belief that American Revolution was not radical. The Radicalism of the American Revolution reevaluates the American Revolution in a unique angle to highlight its historical significance the impacts it made on the American society. Wood argues that the American Revolution was radical by outlining how historians misinterpret the American Revolution through an incorrect …show more content…
For evidence, Wood provides some specific social changes of the American Revolution. Evidence used by Wood to support this argument is the destruction of hierarchy during the time of the revolution. Wood provides the example of elder Charles Carroll and his son in which the elder Charles Carroll raised in pre-revolutionary generation shows his emphasis on hierarchy by scolding his son who antagonized the governor of Maryland in a newspaper. However, his son who is from the revolutionary era was not contempt to “abide the insincere dissembling of that older monarchial courtier world” (Wood 4). The American Revolution changed social relationship amongst the people in the revolutionary era. Such evidence along with examples of other social changes during the revolution show that the American Revolution brought upon drastic social changes. By the definition of the word “radical” from his previous argument, the American Revolution was radical due to the social impacts it had on American Society. Such changes allowed the people to see each other on equal footing, equally able to create change in their government particularly by the voting
By
Charlie Hwang
History of the Americas I
Dr. Drouin
Word Count: Gordon S. Wood’s Radicalism of the American Revolution challenges historian’s views regarding the nature of the American Revolution. The Radicalism of the American Revolution is an academic monograph written in 1991 in the midst of age long belief that American Revolution was not radical. The Radicalism of the American Revolution reevaluates the American Revolution in a unique angle to highlight its historical significance the impacts it made on the American society. Wood argues that the American Revolution was radical by outlining how historians misinterpret the American Revolution through an incorrect …show more content…
For evidence, Wood provides some specific social changes of the American Revolution. Evidence used by Wood to support this argument is the destruction of hierarchy during the time of the revolution. Wood provides the example of elder Charles Carroll and his son in which the elder Charles Carroll raised in pre-revolutionary generation shows his emphasis on hierarchy by scolding his son who antagonized the governor of Maryland in a newspaper. However, his son who is from the revolutionary era was not contempt to “abide the insincere dissembling of that older monarchial courtier world” (Wood 4). The American Revolution changed social relationship amongst the people in the revolutionary era. Such evidence along with examples of other social changes during the revolution show that the American Revolution brought upon drastic social changes. By the definition of the word “radical” from his previous argument, the American Revolution was radical due to the social impacts it had on American Society. Such changes allowed the people to see each other on equal footing, equally able to create change in their government particularly by the voting