ePub Mormonism: A Very Short Introduction by Richard Lyman Bushman in History

Description

In this superb volume in Oxford's acclaimed Pivotal Moments series; Colin Calloway reveals how the Treaty of Paris of 1763 had a profound effect on American history; setting in motion a cascade of unexpected consequences; as Indians and Europeans; settlers and frontiersmen; all struggled to adapt to new boundaries; new alignments; and new relationships. Britain now possessed a vast American empire stretching from Canada to the Florida Keys; yet the crushing costs of maintaining it would push its colonies toward rebellion. White settlers; free to pour into the West; clashed as never before with Indian tribes struggling to defend their way of life. In the Northwest; Pontiac's War brought racial conflict to its bitterest level so far. Whole ethnic groups migrated; sometimes across the continent: it was 1763 that saw many exiled settlers from Acadia in French Canada move again to Louisiana; where they would become Cajuns. Calloway unfurls this panoramic canvas with vibrant narrative skill; peopling his tale with memorable characters such as William Johnson; the Irish baronet who moved between Indian campfires and British barracks; Pontiac; the charismatic Ottawa chieftain; and James Murray; Britains first governor in Quebec; who fought to protect the religious rights of his French Catholic subjects. Most Americans know the significance of the Declaration of Independence or the Emancipation Proclamation; but not the Treaty of Paris. Yet 1763 was a year that shaped our history just as decisively as 1776 or 1862. This captivating book shows why. Winner of the Society of Colonial Wars Book Award for 2006