the British Isles and War of American Independence

This book examines a sometimes neglected aspect of the War of American Independence, providing an exploration of the impact of this 18th-century conflict upon the economy, society and culture of the British Isles. It provides a probing account of the profound impact of the war in the British Isles. This book examines a hitherto neglected aspect of the War of American Independence, providing the first wide-ranging account of the impact of this eighteenth-century conflict upon the politics, economy, society and culture of the British Isles. The author examines the level of military participation - which was much greater than is usually appreciated - and explores the war's effects on subjects as varied as parliamentary reform, religious toleration and attitudes to empire. The books casts new light upon recent debate about the war-waging efficiency of the British state, and on the role of war in the creation of a sense of 'Britishness'. The thematic chapters are supplemented by local case studies of six very different communities the length and breadth of the British Isles.