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ENTERED, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1834, by SAMUEL F WILSON, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Maryland.

PREFACE.

THE first intention of the writer of this book was to prepare an abstract of some one of the larger histories of the American Revolution, in a more compact form than any which he had met with in his own reading. The object was to present a convenient volume, which should embrace all the principal occurrences, civil, military, and political, in America and Europe, having a direct influence on the principles and progress of the revolutionary contest, at the same time that it should avoid all minor details not positively necessary to the continuity or integrity of the narrative. The military events were to be made less prominent than is usual; and all circumstantial accounts of battles and manoeuvres in the field, beyond leading incidents important for the understanding of the issue, were to be avoided. After examining several of the principal authorities, the design of following any particular author was abandoned, and the present plan adopted, of re-writing and re-arranging the whole, without regard to the order or language of previous histories. These are the claims of the work to originality. Its merits are submitted to the judgment of the public. The writer has diligently compared the received authorities, and exercised his judgment freely in selecting and arranging the essential facts; and he thinks he has brought within the compass of a volume convenient for popular use, a connected narrative of the revolution, embracing all the principal events-foreign and domestic. Those portions which relate to the foreign negotiations, are more full in proportion, than the other divisions of the subject. They will be found, it is believed, correct and valuable.

The author believes that this volume might be advantageously used in the instruction of youth. For the purpose of determining this point, he invites the examination of teachers, within whose system the subject is embraced, on the scale to which the size of the work is adapted.

The chief authorities consulted by the writer, are: Holmes' Annals; the histories by Botta, Paul Allen, Ramsay, and Pitkin; Marshall's Life of Washington; Lives of the Signers; Lives of Arthur Lee, and Richard Henry Lee, by Richard Henry Lee; Life of John Jay, by his son, William Jay; Wirt's Patrick Henry; Spark's Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution; Bancroft's life of Washington; Walsh's Appeal; Hale's Premium History; Austin's Life of Gerry; Life of Quincy; Lee's Southern Campaigns; English Histories by Bisset, Belsham, and Miller; and other histories of particular States.

Baltimore, May, 1834.

S. F. WILSON

CHAPTER 1.

Page 59

Effects of the Repeal-Compensation Acts-New York Legislature-New Cabinet

in England-Scheme of Taxing America revived-Other Bills adopted-Tea Act

passed 1767-Excitement in America-Sloop Liberty-Disturbances in Boston-

Convention in Massachusetts-Changes in the Ministry-Parliament-Coercive

Resolutions, 1769-Provision for the Trial of suspected Persons-Colonial Pro-

ceedings-Question stated by Philadelphia Merchants-Lord North becomes the

head of Administration January 1770-Duties repealed except that on Tea-Riot

and Massacre at Boston-Affair of the Gaspee, Act passed in England in conse-

quence-Committees of Correspondence-Governor Hutchinson's Letters-Ex·

amination of Dr. Franklin before the Privy Council-East India Company exports

Tea to America-Its reception-Boston, destruction of the Tea, 1773, . Page 75

CHAPTER VI.

Proceedings in Parliament, 1770-Boston Port Bill-Other Bills-Reception in the

Colonies-First Congress meets-Their Proceedings-Proceedings of Massachu

setts-Legislature organized into a Convention-Arms the Province-New Par-

Miament-Massachusetts declared in Rebellion-More Penal and Coercive Acts-

North's first Scheme of Conciliation-Increasing Excitement-Battle of Lexing

ton-Its Influence-Seizure of Ticonderoga and Crown Point-Reinforcements

from England-Second Congress-WASHINGTON appointed Commander-in-Chief

-Battle of Bunker Hill-Siege of Boston-Dispositions with respect to Indepen-

dence-Proceedings of Congress-Affairs at the Close of the Year-Expedition

against Canada-Attack upon Quebec, and Death of Montgomery,.. Page 89

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