Title The constitutional origins of the American Revolution / Jack P. Greene

Published Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2011

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Description 1 online resource (xxiv, 198 pages) Series New histories of American law New histories of American law. Contents Prologue : inheritance -- Empire negotiated, 1689-1763 -- Empire confronted, 1764-1766 -- Empire reconsidered, 1767-1773 -- Empire shattered, 1774-1776 -- Epilogue : legacy Summary "Using the British Empire as a case study, this succinct study argues that the establishment of overseas settlements in America created a problem of constitutional organization. The failure to resolve the resulting tensions led to the thirteen continental colonies seceding from the empire in 1776. Challenging those historians who have assumed that the British had the law on their side during the debates that led to the American Revolution, this volume argues that the empire had long exhibited a high degree of constitutional multiplicity, with each colony having its own discrete constitution. Contending that these constitutions cannot be conflated with the metropolitan British constitution, it argues that British refusal to accept the legitimacy of colonial understandings of the sanctity of the many colonial constitutions and the imperial constitution was the critical element leading to the American Revolution"-- Provided by publisher "Using the British Empire as a case study, this succinct study argues that the establishment of overseas settlements in America created a problem of constitutional organization that created deep and persistent tensions within the empire during the colonial era and that the failure to resolve it was the principal element in the decision of thirteen continental colonies to secede from the empire in 1776. Challenging those historians who have assumed that the British had the law on their side during the debates that led to the American Revolution, this volume argues that the empire had long exhibited a high degree of constitutional multiplicity, with each colony having its own discrete constitution and the empire as whole having an uncodified working customary constitution that determined the way authority was distributed within the empire. Contending that these constitutions cannot be conflated with the metropolitan British constitution, it argues that British refusal to accept the legitimacy of colonial understandings of the sanctity of the many colonial constitutions and the imperial constitution was the critical element leading to the American Revolution"-- Provided by publisher Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index Notes Print version record In EBL SUBJECT Umschulungswerkstätten für Siedler und Auswanderer Bitterfeld gnd Subject Constitutional history -- United States -- States Constitutional history -- Great Britain -- Colonies. Constitutional history -- Great Britain. LAW -- Constitutional. LAW -- Public. British colonies Constitutional history Constitutional history -- British colonies Constitutional history -- U.S. states Politics and government Verfassung Amerikanische Revolution Verfassung. Amerikanischer Unabhängigkeitskrieg. Kolonie. Regierung. Constitutional history -- United States -- States. Constitutional history -- Great Britain -- Colonies. Constitutional history -- Great Britain. SUBJECT United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85140139 United States -- Politics and government -- To 1775. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85140411 United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85140413 Great Britain -- Colonies -- America -- History Subject America Great Britain United States Großbritannien USA. Großbritannien. United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783. United States -- Politics and government -- To 1775. United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783. Great Britain -- Colonies -- America -- History. Genre/Form History Form Electronic book ISBN 9780511909986 0511909985 9780511778452 0511778457 9780511908484 0511908482 9780511907180 0511907184

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