Dr. Jonathan Mayhew (1720–1766) was; according to John Adams; a “transcendental genius . . . who threw all the weight of his great fame into the scale of the country in 1761; and maintained it there with zeal and ardor till his death.†He was also; J. Patrick Mullins contends; the most politically influential clergyman in eighteenth-century America and the intellectual progenitor of the American Revolution in New England. Father of Liberty is the first book to fully explore Mayhew’s political thought and activism; understood within the context of his personal experiences and intellectual influences; and of the cultural developments and political events of his time. Analyzing and assessing his contributions to eighteenth-century New England political culture; the book demonstrates Mayhew’s critical contribution to the intellectual origins of the American Revolution.As pastor of the Congregationalist West Church in Boston; Mayhew championed the principles of natural rights; constitutionalism; and resistance to tyranny in press and pulpit from 1750 to 1766. He did more than any other clergyman to prepare New England for disobedience to British authority in the 1760s—and should; Mullins argues; be counted alongside such framers and fomenters of revolutionary thought as James Otis; Patrick Henry; and Samuel Adams. Though many commentators from John Adams on down have acknowledged his importance as a popularizer of Whig political principles; Father of Liberty is the first extended; in-depth examination of Mayhew’s political writings; as well as the cultural process by which he engaged with the public and disseminated those principles. As such; even as the book restores a key figure to his place in American intellectual and political history; it illuminates the meaning of the Revolution as a political and constitutional conflict informed by the religious and political ideas of the British Enlightenment.
#474679 in Books 2012-08-23Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.20 x 1.20 x 6.10l; 1.30 #File Name: 0700618708382 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. with lots of great information and insight regarding this fascinating and romantic RoadBy CustomerDeeply satisfying read; with lots of great information and insight regarding this fascinating and romantic Road. The Author begins with Spanish exploration in the New World; the Indian cultures encountered; Mexico's independence from Spain and the beginning of trade with America; over what became the Santa Fe Trail. The overall context of American history before; during and after the Trail's glory days provide a rich backdrop for this enduring legacy of our providential heritage as Americans.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Outstanding accomplishmentBy F. ClarkWhile there have been many excellent books published over the years; many of which were written during the Santa Fe Trail's glory years. They lacked the overall picture since they were from the era itself;depicting only a fragment of the Trail's history. A Full historical account can only be achieved after the fact. Mr. Dary's book is a masterpiece combining his vast collection of materials relating to his subject and his ability to weave them into a most interesting time table that takes the reader from the very beginning all the way to the end of the trial. Rich with colorful accounts that create a visual picture of the Trail's life and importance to a bygone era. Thanks to Mr. Dary we can relive the past through this important work. As a youmgster I always wondered what it would have been like to travel the Trail and now I know.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Enjoyable historyBy avid reader U.S.I'm enjoying this read of the Santa Fe Trail as I lived very close to where the trail was in Southeastern Colorado. Reading the history of some of my ancestors; I can fill in more info on what the writer has not written in detail about specific people. I have been along some of the trail but have not viewed any ruts which I would love to see.
