American inheritance : liberty and slavery in the birth of a nation, 1765-1795
by Larson, Edward J. (Author)
Summary
"From a Pulitzer Prize winner, a powerful history that reveals how the twin strands of liberty and slavery were joined in the nation's founding. New attention from historians and journalists is raising pointed questions about the founding period: was the American revolution waged to preserve slavery... Full description
- Introduction: Crèvecoeur's question: "What is an American?"
- "A rabble of negros &c.": The first shots for Liberty, 1770
- Imperial protests and the metaphor of slavery: 1765-1769
- A practice "so odious": The legality of slavery, 1770-1774
- The declaration of liberty: 1774-1776
- "Liberty is Sweet": an illusive promise, 1776-1778
- "Contending for the sweets of freedom": 1778-1781
- A house dividing: liberty and slavery under the Confederation, 1781-1787
- The compromised convention: 1787
- "We, the states": ratifying liberty and slavery, 1787-1788
- "I am free": liberty and slavery under the federal government, 1789-1795
- Banneker's answer: I am an American.