Ward, The American Revolution - Nationhood Achieved, 1763-1788; Conway, The War Of American Independence, 1775-1783

Abstract

These two broad synthetic works have much in common. Both seek to explain why thirteen of Britain's North American colonies rebelled, how they won their independence, and what that struggle meant for the participants. Both authors rely most heavily on secondary sources published over the last half century for analysis. Each quotes from the papers of participants to convey a sense of their feelings concerning the war and their part in it. Finally, both of the books are well written, and the authors render sound assessments of controversial individuals and events.