Nash’s Argument: Unknown American Revolution
The Unknown American Revolution by Gary Nash discusses revolution radicalism by focusing on all races of the American Society. Nash defines radicalism as an indiscriminate change that is based on the belief of a better and prosperous future as believed by those who felt oppressed by the Great Britain Government (Hollitz 60). Through radicalization aspect, Nash agrees and differs with some of the primary sources covered in chapter 4. However, I will focus on the ones matching with his view which are A Mob Punishes Merchant, Mecklenburg County Resolves, and Black Protest Taxation. Nash takes a different stance by helping the readers to find “hope, an antidote of historical amnesia.” In doing so, Nash strives to help the readers to remember participants and the influencers of the American Revolution who were buried in history amnesia and hence the title, The Unknown American Revolution. According to Nash, the majority of the American Revolution contributors who have gone unnoticed consisted of common farmers, the enslaved and the females seeking equality.
A Mob Punishes Merchant source agrees with the Nash in revealing the influencers of the American Revolution who have gone unnoticed. Nash depicts the common citizens, especially the farmers who staged short and quick mass mobs that were almost equivalent to “militia men civil acts.” To showcase the action of the common citizens, Nash has used the example of Boston city when he says the men, “turned the city upside down.” Likewise, the primary source, A Mob Punishes Merchants reveals how mob action attacked the British merchants who were rioting against Stamp Act (Hollitz 70). This source supports Nash’s revelation of unrecognized participants of the American Revolution who indirectly pushed for the weakening of the British Colonial Government.
Mecklenburg County Resolves source suits in the list of Nash’s unknown contributors of the American Revolution. This source shows how the Mecklenburg citizens thrived all the threats to sign independence declaration from Britain. The declaration marked the first move of the American Revolution, but it was never recognized until the later years. The historical records have proved that in 1775 the Mecklenburg Committee of Safety made resolutions declaring that any law or directive coming from parliament or the King should be avoided; all civil and royal military actions should be suspended; other colonies should start governing themselves and any royal official found doing their duties should be arrested (Hollitz 73). These are courageous acts that should not be despised in recognizing the participants of the American Revolution although they did not succeed because of lack of unity and support from other colonies.The Blacks Protest Taxation source can be viewed from the lenses Nash’s stance on The Unknown American Revolution. This source shows how the Seven-American individuals managed to present a thoughtful petition to the legislature. The Blacks argued that they were being taxed yet they were not represented since they were not allowed to vote (Hollitz 77). The petitioners went further by pointing out that the relationship between representation and taxation was well-known. Although the Blacks Protests Taxation may have had little significance in the American Revolution, it was a notable mark that American could stay firm and demand for what was rightfully theirs from the British Government.