Literature, gender and politics in Britain during the war for America, 1770-1785 /
The years of the American crisis and its escalation into the War of American Independence are a period of uncertain, even eccentric developments. As Britain argued with her once loyal subjects the nation appeared mired in luxury, its economy bloated by the rampant successes of the Seven Years'...
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| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge ; New York :
Cambridge University Press,
2011.
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| Summary: | The years of the American crisis and its escalation into the War of American Independence are a period of uncertain, even eccentric developments. As Britain argued with her once loyal subjects the nation appeared mired in luxury, its economy bloated by the rampant successes of the Seven Years' War. Her merchants had grown wealthy, but her people, especially the elite, seemed enfeebled by idle pleasures. Fops and Macaroni pranced on the streets, sipped coffee and dressed appallingly. They did not seem to be the men to fight a war. Worrying comparisons with Roman luxury and decline soon became the common currency of debate. The struggle for the colonies would indeed prove disastrous, huge and embarrassing defeats, at Saratoga in 1777 and later at Yorktown, lead to the loss of some of Britain's most valuable possessions. |
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| Physical Description: | xi, 267 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 241-262) and index. |
| ISBN: | 9781107007895 (hardback) 1107007895 (hardback) |