The Untold Story of the Industrial Revolution and the American Victory in the War for Independence Benjamin Franklin was serious when he suggested the colonists arm themselves with the longbow. The American colonies were not logistically prepared for the revolution and this became painfully obvious in war’s first years. Trade networks were destroyed; inflation undermined the economy; and American artisans could not produce or repair enough weapons to keep the Continental Army in the field. The Continental Congress responded to this crisis by mobilizing the nation’s manufacturing sector for war. With information obtained from Europe through both commercial exchange and French military networks; Congress became familiar with the latest manufacturing techniques and processes of the nascent European industrial revolution. They therefore initiated an innovative program of munitions manufacturing under the Department of the Commissary General of Military Stores. The department gathered craftsmen and workers into three national arsenals where they were trained for the large-scale production of weapons. The department also engaged private manufacturers; providing them with materials and worker training; and instituting a program of inspecting their finished products. As historian Robert F. Smith relates in Manufacturing Independence: Industrial Innovation in the American Revolution; the colonies were able to provide their military with the arms it needed to fight; survive; and outlast the enemy—supplying weapons for the victory at Saratoga; rearming their armies in the South on three different occasions; and providing munitions to sustain the siege at Yorktown. But this manufacturing system not only successfully supported the Continental Army; it also demonstrated new production ideas to the nation. Through this system; the government went on to promote domestic manufacturing after the war; becoming a model for how the nation could produce goods for its own needs. The War for Independence was not just a political revolution; it was an integral part of the Industrial Revolution in America.
#1267530 in Books Gotham 2004-01-26 2004-01-22Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.34 x 1.21 x 6.30l; #File Name: 1592400442328 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Views to ComprehendBy fredric leighI read an earlier edition several years ago. Later I gave books to three Kru men from the area _ they appreciated the gift and what it meant for their understanding. I bought this edition for a Kru woman who knows these three Kru men. She did not want to read it. I do not know why. Perhaps her suffering during the war years affected her differently.Now I have an older and newer version of the story. (smiles) Not much was new.Settling in Liberia and the subsequent dominance of the settler class is not the most profound story in this book. That reality is told well elsewhere. What is shamefully profound and still telling today is the account of family members who wanted to ignore the will and oppose the daughter that they might profit from enslavement and hold on to privilege. Redistricting; voter ID initiatives are the legacy of the shameful.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Awesome slave history from Africa to The U.S. And back to Liberia; Africa and back to the U.S.- must readBy Philip ThompsonOutstanding historical perspective of one man's ownership of slaves in Mississippi and his intent to free them so that they could emigrate to Liberia. One greedy member of his family took legal action to discredit the Will. The migration to Liberia was not well planned and filled with significant issues threatening the survival of the immigrants. Just an awesome story!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Wow! just Wow!By JoelI now live in this part of Mississippi and was very familiar with all the places around Port Gibson and Jefferson County. This book has filled in so many blanks and enriched my knowledge of the area. I wasn't able to put it down. I am reading it for the second time now. I love southern writers! so easy to read yet still rich in detail!
