The history of the rise, progress, and establishment of the independence of the United States of America, Vol. 1 (of 3)

In Short

William Gordon’s first volume traces the origins and unfolding of the American crisis, beginning with early colonial settlements and culminating in the armed clashes of 1775. Writing as a contemporary observer dedicated to scrupulous accuracy rather than patriotic myth-making, Gordon frames the conflict as an inevitable friction between imperial overreach and established colonial habits of self-governance. He charts how disparate provincial populations—from New England puritans to Southern assemblymen—gradually unified under shared grievances against British taxation and parliamentary supremacy. Packed with letters, official resolves, and personal testimonies, the work records the escalation from peaceful petitions and non-importation agreements to local skirmishes like Lexington and Bunker Hill. It has endured as an irreplaceable primary chronicle, capturing the texture of political thought, institutional debate, and social friction at the exact moment the Thirteen Colonies severed their ties with the British crown.

The Story

Gordon’s history opens long before the first shots of the War of Independence, searching for the roots of American liberty in the soil of early colonial settlement. The narrative begins with the arrival of industrious, frugal emigrants who crossed the Atlantic to secure religious and civil self-determination. In New England, Plymouthians and non-conforming puritans established communities anchored by rational piety and a strict regard for law and morality. Gordon highlights how these early settlements, along with later colonies like Maryland, Carolina, and Georgia, immediately began forming democratic institutions. Early colonial assemblies asserted their sole right to tax their own citizens, establishing a century-old tradition of local governance.

This domestic tranquility breaks down following the Seven Years' War. Gordon documents how British authorities, seeking to consolidate control and revenue, began enacting restrictive trade acts and parliamentary taxes. When the Stamp Act and subsequent tax measures are introduced, they trigger immediate, coordinated resistance. In Virginia, Patrick Henry’s fiery resolves in the House of Burgesses declare that internal taxation without representation is the defining characteristic of British freedom, prompting the governor to dissolve the assembly. In New York and Connecticut, the Sons of Liberty form mutual associations, pledging to protect their ancient rights while maintaining theoretical allegiance to the crown.

As parliament doubles down on its claims of absolute supremacy, Massachusetts becomes the main theater of confrontation. Gordon details the growing hostility between royal governors, such as Francis Bernard and Thomas Hutchinson, and the provincial representatives. The arrival of British troops to enforce quartering acts and maintain order in Boston only inflames the population, leading to tragic violent encounters and famous legal trials. Bostonians utilize committees of correspondence to coordinate response efforts with other provinces, turning local blockades—like the closing of the Port of Boston—into shared continental causes. When Parliament passes punitive acts, neighboring towns like Salem refuse to profit off Boston’s misfortune, while colonies as far south as Maryland and South Carolina collect funds, build militias, and organize provincial congresses.

The final third of the narrative transforms from political maneuvering into open military conflict. Gordon recounts how British forces under General Gage attempt to secure military supplies in the Massachusetts countryside, triggering armed responses at Lexington and Concord. The narrative tracks the rapid transformation of local colonial militias into an organized continental force, despite alarming shortages of gunpowder and essential supplies. Major engagements, including the bloody battle at Bunker Hill (Charlestown Peninsula), demonstrate to British commanders that the provincial forces will fight with desperate bravery. Meanwhile, in the British Parliament, prominent statesmen like the Marquis of Rockingham and Lord Shelburne warn that military coercion will destroy the empire, but their motions are repeatedly defeated by a hardline ministerial majority. By the close of the volume, royal authority has collapsed across the colonies; provincial congresses in Virginia, New Hampshire, and South Carolina establish independent civil frameworks, laying the groundwork for a permanent rupture.

How It Unfolds

Puritans build a foundation Disaffected English non-conformists purchase territory in Massachusetts Bay, establishing settlements rooted in strict morality, biblical religion, and local self-governance. Their successful plantations inspire further colonial charters across the eastern seaboard.

Colonial assemblies assert early rights During the seventeenth century, colonial legislatures in Maryland and Virginia establish two-house systems and enact explicit laws forbidding taxation without the consent of their elected assemblies. These statutes solidify a long tradition of provincial self-determination.

The French War sparks western expansion A grant of land near the Ohio River to the Ohio Company triggers French resistance, creating friction over trade rights with native tribes. New England troops prove vital to British military triumphs in Canada and the Caribbean, reinforcing their devotion to the parent state.

Parliament imposes disputed taxes Following the peace, Great Britain introduces tax schemes that ignite resistance across the colonies. Virginia’s House of Burgesses adopts bold resolutions against external taxation, prompting the royal lieutenant-governor to dissolve the assembly.

The Sons of Liberty unite across borders Organizations across New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts form pacts to defend their rights under the British constitution. Despite expressing loyalty to King George III, they vow to resist parliamentary innovations.

Military forces occupy Boston British troops arrive in Boston to enforce crown authority, but their presence escalates local hostility. Royal governors lose political ground as popular resistance grows increasingly organized and defiant.

The Boston Massacre leads to a historic trial A fatal clash between British soldiers and Boston citizens leads to an intense trial where the rule of law is rigorously tested. Defense counsel successfully invokes the fundamental right of self-defense embedded in natural law.

Committees of correspondence align the colonies Leaders like Samuel Adams build networks linking various provincial assemblies, ensuring that punitive measures against Boston are met with continental solidarity. Towns like Salem reject commercial advantages that would harm their blockaded neighbors.

Parliament enforces military coercion In London, parliamentary debates split between minority statesmen advocating for reconciliation and a dominant ministry determined to force American submission by military power. Petitions from British merchants warning of commercial ruin are dismissed.

Hostilities break out in Massachusetts British troop movements into the countryside precipitate armed conflict, sparking immediate military mobilization across New England. Colonial forces surround Boston despite critical shortages of gunpowder and military equipment.

The Battle of Bunker Hill proves costly Provincial forces clash with British regulars on the Charlestown peninsula, resulting in heavy casualties for the crown, including numerous experienced officers. The tragic death of Patriot leader General Joseph Warren deeply affects the colonial cause.

Southern provinces dismantle royal rule Following open skirmishes off the coast of South Carolina, provincial congresses in the south seize military stores, establish financial credit, and create independent councils of safety, severing effective royal control.

The People

• Samuel Adams — A master strategist and leader within the Massachusetts assembly who works tirelessly to guide public opinion toward complete independence. Handicapped early by personal financial troubles as a Boston tax collector, he overcomes his detractors through political skill, eventually orchestrating the committees of correspondence that unite the colonies against crown policies.
• Francis Bernard — The royal governor of Massachusetts who finds himself caught between enforcing parliamentary mandates and managing an increasingly hostile populace. His confidential letters home reveal a man constantly losing political ground, whose growing personal resentment toward local assemblies ultimately impairs his political judgment.
• General Thomas Gage — The commander-in-chief of British forces in North America and military governor of Massachusetts. Tasked with executing punitive measures against Boston, he attempts to secure arms and maintain peace, but his military sorties inadvertently spark open war at Lexington and Concord.
• General Joseph Warren — A respected Boston physician, orator, and major general whose integrity commands widespread trust among the friends of liberty. Driven by a selfless devotion to colonial rights rather than personal ambition, his early death at Bunker Hill leaves a profound void in the provincial leadership.
• Lord Shelburne — A prominent British statesman in the House of Lords who fiercely opposes the ministry's coercive American policies. He argues that parliamentary proceedings have abandoned justice and warning that trying to enforce submission by arms will alienate the colonies permanently.
• Thomas Mifflin — A vibrant Pennsylvania leader who acts as the organizing spark of the province's resistance. Possessing exceptional charisma, zeal, and address, he energizes county meetings, encourages domestic manufacturing, and mobilizes local support for the Continental Congress.

In Its Own Voice

"History has been stiled, 'The evidence of time—The light of truth—The school of virtue—The depository of events.'"

— Gordon frames his historical task in the preface, defining the study of past conflicts as an essential moral guide for evaluating the rise and decay of free states.

"A regard to truth has often restrained him from the use of strong and florid expressions, that he might not impose upon the reader a pleasing delusion..."

— The author explains his commitment to plain, unadorned prose, prioritizing strict factual accuracy over partisan melodrama or exaggerated rhetoric.

"'The law (says he) no passion can disturb. ’Tis void of desire and fear, lust and anger. ’Tis mens sine affectu; written reason; retaining some measure of the divine perfection.'"

— Quoting Algernon Sidney during the account of the Boston trial, Gordon emphasizes that true liberty depends on immutable legal principles rather than the volatile whims of popular passion.

What It's Really About

At its core, this volume is an investigation into how free citizens are driven to revolt when traditional legal frameworks are eroded by arbitrary power. Gordon argues that the American Revolution was not born from a sudden, radical desire for lawlessness, but rather from a conservative defense of long-established rights. The central conflict pits the colonies' historical tradition of local self-taxation against Parliament's novel assertion of absolute imperial authority.

The narrative constantly examines the delicate balance between liberty and orderly government. Gordon explores how heavy-handed political coercion inevitably destroys the mutual affection required to sustain an empire. By detailing the miscalculations of British ministers alongside the calculated steps of colonial leaders, the book illustrates how inflexibility on one side and organized constitutional resistance on the other turn political disagreement into an irreversible separation.

Why Read It Today

Reading Gordon’s history today offers an authentic, front-row seat to the birth of the United States, free from the romanticized hindsight of later centuries. His perspective as a contemporary historian gives the text an immediate, grounded reality. Readers experience the revolution not as an inevitable sequence of victories, but as a tense, chaotic series of political gambles, legislative debates, and sudden military crises. His writing preserves the exact arguments, fears, and hopes of the people who lived through the breakdown of the British Empire.

The book will particularly fascinate readers who appreciate primary source history, constitutional debate, and detailed political narrative. Gordon’s style is deliberate, dignified, and candid, avoiding empty grandstanding to focus on documented facts, official letters, and speech transcripts.

The text does present certain period difficulties that require patience. Modern readers must navigate eighteenth-century sentence structures, dense transcriptions of legislative resolves, and meticulous detail regarding local colonial governance. Furthermore, the narrative reflects the period's cultural attitudes, including sharp religious biases against Catholicism when discussing colonial reactions to the Quebec Act. Yet, these friction points are precisely what make the work so valuable: it retains the raw, unpolished texture of its era, leaving the reader with a deep appreciation for the complex legal and human realities that forged a new nation.

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