SWA’s Thoughts
Fred Anderson’s Crucible of War is often cited as one of the most authoritative histories of the Seven Year’s War. Also known as the French & Indian War here in America, Britain and France used conventional armies, colonial militias, and allied Indian tribes to fight what many consider to be the first true “world war”. But the impact and importance of this book goes well beyond a history of colonial empires. Anderson’s research and use of primary sources makes this a must read for anyone who needs to understand the root causes of the American Revolution. Just as World War I set the stage for World War II in the 20th century, the French & Indian War created many of the conditions and circumstances that led England’s colonies to rebel less than ten years later. This book is in a league of its own and should be considered a “must-read” for every student of American history.
ZKN
Pros:
- Deeply researched
- Well-written
- Brings incredible details and insights to an important period that many Americans know little about.
Cons:
- It’s a long book and may take a while to work through. But it’s worth the effort.
Amazon’s Description
In this vivid and compelling narrative, the Seven Years’ War–long seen as a mere backdrop to the American Revolution–takes on a whole new significance. Relating the history of the war as it developed, Anderson shows how the complex array of forces brought into conflict helped both to create Britain’s empire and to sow the seeds of its eventual dissolution.
Beginning with a skirmish in the Pennsylvania backcountry involving an inexperienced George Washington, the Iroquois chief Tanaghrisson, and the ill-fated French emissary Jumonville, Anderson reveals a chain of events that would lead to world conflagration. Weaving together the military, economic, and political motives of the participants with unforgettable portraits of Washington, William Pitt, Montcalm, and many others, Anderson brings a fresh perspective to one of America’s most important wars, demonstrating how the forces unleashed there would irrevocably change the politics of empire in North America.
Best Quotes of the Book:
Ben Franklin’s Thoughts on Taxation:
“However it might vanish, a dollar out of one’s pocket will never be more than a dollar gone. But the feeling that comes from handing it over to a friend will always differ from the sensation one gets for surrendering it to a mugger.” p. 651.
Planted By Your Care:
Anderson quotes from Isaac Barre’s speech to Parliament where the phrase, “Sons of Liberty” is said to have been first used. Barre was a Lieutenant Colonel in the British army during the French & Indian War and fought alongside American soldiers in North America. His experience instilled a deep respect for American tenacity, toughness, and perseverance. At the time of the speech, Parliament was debating the repeal of the Stamp Act, and many of Barre’s fellow MPs were incredulous about how their countrymen from across the sea dared to question the crown’s governance. In their minds, the American’s were “planted” in North America for England’s benefit. Barre’s speech is both a rebuttal and warning.
“They planted by your care? No! They fled from your tyranny to an uncultivated land and unhospitable country…. And yet, actuated by principles of true English liberty, they met all these hardships with pleasure, compared with what they suffered in their own country, from the hands of those who should have been their friends. They nourished up by your indulgence? They grew by your neglect of them: as soon as you began to care about them, that care was exercised in sending persons to rule over them, …to spy out their liberty, to misrepresent their actions and to prey upon them; men whose behavior on many occasions has caused the blood of those Sons of Liberty to recoil with them….”
“They protected by your arms? They have nobly taken up arms in your defense, have exerted a valor amidst their constant and laborious industry for the defense of a country, whose frontier, while drenched in blood, its interior parts have yielded all its little savings to your emolument. And believe me, remember I this day told you so, that the same spirit of freedom which actuated that people at first, will accompany them still.”
Details
Author: Fred Anderson
Publisher Vintage Books (2001)
Number of Pages: 862
Nonfiction, History
Subject: French & Indian War
Price: $25.00
What do the Ratings Mean?
Is the book objective or is it an attempt to justify bias by selective editing, omission, or false statements? Is it trustworthy? Can it be used to divide people? Does the author have a political bias? Would you consider it neoprogressive or counter-factual? These are subjective assessments that will help you place the book in context.
