Novanglus, and Massachusettensis, Or, Political Essays


Book Description

Published on the eve of the American Revolution, this volume of essays contains John Adams' earliest thoughts on the American republic. Adams attacks essays by Daniel Leonard that assert that the British Parliament had absolute control over the colonies. Adams thoroughly refutes Leonard's essays and then launches into a learned and nuanced counterargument. Using his deep knowledge of English and colonial legal history, Adams proves decisively that the British Parliament's jurisdiction is limited to domestic affairs. The colonies were connected to Britain only through the king.










Novanglus and Massachusettensis


Book Description




Novanglus, and Massachusettensis


Book Description

In 'Novanglus, and Massachusettensis', readers are presented with a pivotal anthology that encapsulates the fervent ideological and polemical debates leading up to the American Revolution. This collection uniquely juxtaposes the perspectives of John Adams, under the pseudonym 'Novanglus,' and Daniel Leonard, who wrote as 'Massachusettensis,' providing a comprehensive look at the contrasting views on colonial independence and governance. The range of literary styles, from impassioned argumentation to meticulous legal analysis, underscores the complexity of the era's political discourse, making this anthology a stand-out compilation that sheds light on the broader context of American letters and legal thought of the 18th century. The contributing authors, Adams and Leonard, were both deeply entrenched in the political and legal frameworks of their time, albeit on opposite sides of the revolutionary divide. This anthology does more than present adversarial viewpoints; it offers an intimate glimpse into the intellectual and historical currents that influenced each writer. The collection is significant not only for its content but also as a reflection of the broader dialogues and cultural movements of the period, capturing the essence of a nascent America grappling with its identity and governance. For those fascinated by American history, legal theory, or the art of persuasive writing, 'Novanglus, and Massachusettensis' offers a unique opportunity. Readers are invited to explore the rich tapestry of ideas and arguments that formed the bedrock of American independence. This anthology is not merely educational; it is a journey through the minds of two pivotal figures whose words continue to echo in discussions about governance, freedom, and the right to self-determination. A testament to the enduring power of written discourse, this collection is essential for anyone seeking to understand the foundations upon which America was built.




Novanglus Essays


Book Description

This is a collection of invaluable political essays by John Adams, the second president and the first vice president of the United States. He was an American founding father, diplomat, and the most influential advocate of American independence from Great Britain. Adams wrote these essays between 1774 and 1775, describing the controversy between Great Britain and her colonies.










Tracts of the American Revolution, 1763-1776


Book Description

This volume brings together seventeen of the most important pamphlets produced by the American colonies as they opposed British measures and policies after 1763, and as they disputed the issue of independence with one another between 1774 and 1776. The most famous pamphleteers--James Otis, John Dickinson, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Thomas Paine--are here; so too are lesser-known ones. Students of American history and political thought will find in these tracts rich evidence of the colonists' grievances against Britain, their methods of persuasion, and the development of political thought that led to the Declaration of Independence. A student-oriented introduction presents a capsule history of the events of the period and an analysis of the context of each tract.




The Revolutionary Writings of John Adams


Book Description

The Revolutionary Writings of John Adams presents the principal shorter writings in which Adams addresses the prospect of revolution and the form of government proper to the new United States. Though one of the principal framers of the American republic and the successor to Washington as president, John Adams receives remarkably little attention among many students of the early national period. This is especially true in the case of the periods before and after the Revolution, in which the intellectual rationale for independence and republican government was given the fullest expression. The Revolutionary Writings of John Adams illustrates that it was Adams, for example, who before the Revolution wrote some of the most important documents on the nature of the British Constitution and the meaning of rights, sovereignty, representation, and obligation. And it was Adams who, once the colonies had declared independence, wrote equally important works on possible forms of government in a quest to develop a science of politics for the construction of a constitution for the proposed republic.