ebooks Sons of Providence: The Brown Brothers; the Slave Trade; and the American Revolution by Charles Rappleye in History

Review

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful. Remarkable book chronicling the issues; politics and personalities of the Revolutionary period in Rhode Island.By Paul TognettiThe tiny State of Rhode Island certainly played a significant role during the American Revolution. Few recall that when Roger Williams established Rhode Island in 1644 it was for all practical purposes the first practicing democratic state since the fall of Athens. Rhode Islanders were an exceptionally independent lot. The burning of the two masted British schooner "Gaspee" in June of 1772 by a group of leading citizens of the colony essentially struck the first blow in the nations quest for independence. In "Sons of Providence" author Charles Rappleye recalls the historic events that were unfolding in Rhode Island in those years and focuses on two brothers; John and Moses Brown; who would find themselves on opposite sides of so many of the important questions of their day. It is a compelling story.Until recently I never realized how important the issue of the slave trade was as the nations march toward independence proceeded. It seems slavery was a highly emotional issue even in the 1770's and 1780's. John and Moses Brown along with brothers James and Nicholas were members of one of the most prominent families in colonial Providence. The Brown family was involved in all manner of commerce and in 1765 they made the decision to enter the slave trade. And so it was that they outfitted a ship they christened "Sally" to make the voyage. In "Sons of Providence" you will discover why the slave trade was such a controversial and dirty business. If you have never read about the conditions that existed on these ships then you are sure to be horrified. It turns out that roughly half the slaves that were picked up on the West Coast of Africa died during the return voyage.In any event; in the years following the "Sally" debacle John Brown and his brother Moses would pursue entirely different paths. John was first and foremost a businessman and lobbied for laws and policies favorable to the merchant class. For the rest of his life John Brown would continue to oppose any measures that would outlaw slavery and restict commerce in any way. Moses Brown on the other hand would renounce his Baptist heritage (his great grandfather Chad Brown was the first pastor of the First Baptist Church in America)and become a Quaker. Quakers were among the earliest and most vocal opponents of slavery and the simple Quaker lifestyle held much appeal for Moses Brown. Moses Brown would divest himself of much of his fortune and become one of the leading abolitionists of his day.Although John and Moses Brown would continue to collaborate on a number of projects over the next quarter century they would nonetheless find themselves on opposite sides of any number of important issues.In his extraordinary book "John Adams" author David McCullough gets much of his source material from the voluminous letters between John and Abigail Adams. Likewise; much of the material for "Sons of Providence" appears to be culled from letters between John and Moses Brown. As such this book provides tremendous insight into the thought processes of those on both sides of so many of the important issues of that era. "Sons of Providence" is exceptionally well-written and meticulously researched. This is a must read for history buffs and a great choice for general readers as well. Highly recommended!2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. I enjoyed it for many reasonsBy Anne MI enjoyed it for many reasons. I grew up in Providence and the book made many names I was familiar with come alive. It provided a sense of who people were; how and why they acted the way they did. It brought historical figures to life. The reader gets a sense of complex individuals with ambivalences and contradictions and also a sense of life in 18th century Rhode Island. It also gave a sense of history rarely taught in school until very recently - the presence of slavery in New England and the role of New Englander traders in the slave trade.The book was well researched and well written.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Great information about the slave tradeBy Nancy64Provides excellent descriptions of the slave trade as it involved New England merchants. Fascinating interplay among the Brown brothers. I'm afraid that I compare everything to David McCullough. I found that getting through this took some determination. The information is worth it.