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The Counter-Revolution of 1776: Slave Resistance and the Origins of the United States of America

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'The Counter-Revolution of 1776: Slave Resistance and the Origins of the United States of America' by Gerald Horne delves into the critical and paramount role of race, class, and the oppressive system in the birth of America, shedding light on the hidden truths behind the American Revolution. Through meticulous research and cogent observations, the author unveils how greed, chaos, and the counter-revolutionary spirit have driven historical events, exposing the hypocrisy of the Founding Fathers and the dark legacy of slavery that shaped the nation. Horne's narrative not only challenges the traditional founding myths but also highlights the intelligence, resourcefulness, and rebellious nature of enslaved individuals who played a significant role in shaping American history.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is dense and complex, which some readers found challenging and unnecessarily verbose, detracting from the important analysis.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot focuses on the influence of slavery and slave resistance on the American Revolution, arguing that these forces were critical in shaping historical events.

Setting:

The setting spans the Caribbean and Eastern USA during the 18th century, focusing on slave resistance and colonial dynamics.

Pacing:

The pacing is slow and dense, making it difficult for readers to digest the abundant information presented.
I had been working on the book at hand for some time and had traveled extensively. However, building renovations had prevented my access to the New York Historical Society in Manhattan until my tardy ...

Notes:

Gerald Horne's book focuses on the significant role of slave revolts in shaping the American Revolution.
Many Eastern settlements in the US and the Caribbean had majority black populations in the 18th century.
The American ruling class actively encouraged white immigration to shift racial demographics away from black dominance.
Horne argues that slavery was a primary force behind key decisions leading to the American Revolution.
The legacy of slavery still influences American society and politics today, including the events of January 6, 2021.
Horne asserts that the founding fathers' hypocrisy was evident as they spoke of freedom while denying it to enslaved people.
The same counter-revolutionary spirit seen during the Civil War existed during the founding of America.
Horne highlights that enslaved individuals were often intelligent and resourceful, actively resisting their conditions.
The book critiques the myth of America's exceptionalism and its impact on contemporary politics.
Historical analysis is needed to educate American schoolchildren about the complexities of slavery's role in history.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings would include discussions of slavery, racial violence, oppression, and potential trauma related to historical injustices.

From The Publisher:

Illuminates how the preservation of slavery was a motivating factor for the Revolutionary War

The successful 1776 revolt against British rule in North America has been hailed almost universally as a great step forward for humanity. But the Africans then living in the colonies overwhelmingly sided with the British. In this trailblazing book, Gerald Horne shows that in the prelude to 1776, the abolition of slavery seemed all but inevitable in London, delighting Africans as much as it outraged slaveholders, and sparking the colonial revolt.

Prior to 1776, anti-slavery sentiments were deepening throughout Britain and in the Caribbean, rebellious Africans were in revolt. For European colonists in America, the major threat to their security was a foreign invasion combined with an insurrection of the enslaved. It was a real and threatening possibility that London would impose abolition throughout the colonies-a possibility the founding fathers feared would bring slave rebellions to their shores. To forestall it, they went to war.

The so-called Revolutionary War, Horne writes, was in part a counter-revolution, a conservative movement that the founding fathers fought in order to preserve their right to enslave others. The Counter-Revolution of 1776 brings us to a radical new understanding of the traditional heroic creation myth of the United States.

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