Book Review: "Our First Civil War" by H.W. Brands

*Spoiler warning!*

4/5 stars

Our First Civil War gives a new perspective on American history surrounding the American Revolution, emphasizing how contentious independence was and examining the motives surrounding those who fought under the banner of the Patriots or Loyalists. 

Far from the simplistic narrative taught about this moment in American history, Our First Civil War reveals the inherent complexity of this time. Brought into this narrative is the often glossed-over experience of slaves forcibly removed from Africa and the indigenous peoples of America, forced to take sides in a conflict between the erstwhile United States of America and the British. 

For slaves, the British offered freedom in exchange for helping them in the fight against the rebel colonists, something that the American side was not as willing to do, and then, only when need was greatest, open recruitment to enslaved Africans under terms less favorable than the British offered. 

Meanwhile, indigenous peoples wanted their ancestral lands secured as various imperial powers fought over the continent. Various tribes ended up switching sides when it became clear that the power promising them to preserve their rights to their territories and keep marauding settlers from intruding on their lands was on the losing side in the struggle. 

Although we hear mostly from elites supporting the Loyalist cause more than the commoners, the correspondence and personal writings shared by leading figures of the time reveal that each side was fighting for what it believed was right, with motives that cause readers to ponder what they would do in such a situation. History rarely is as simple as the leading historical narratives we are taught in school. 

One thing that I had not previously learned in my history courses was the poignant divide in the Franklin family, with Benjamin Franklin of inventor and statesman fame firmly on the side of the Patriots, while his son, William, equally fervent in his support of the British. 

William was at one time a colonial governor and believed that he was doing the right thing for his country and his family; he saw a split from Britain to be disastrous. Imperial protection had ensured prosperity and safety for the fledgling colonies, who otherwise would be hard-pressed to defend themselves against the rest of the world. Not to mention that revolution was basically treason against king and country. 

Meanwhile, the elder Franklin, who'd been publicly scorned when going to testify before the Crown's administration in London, absolutely detested Britain and put all his efforts towards securing American independence. It was the Loyalists who were committing treason against the American colonies by supporting the arbitrary rule of the British Parliament and Crown. 

The surprising thing was that Benjamin Franklin had been, up until that pivotal moment in London, working for reconciliation with the mother country, even when it became evident that popular sentiment against taxation without representation was reaching a boiling point. Even early on in the American Revolution, Franklin held out hope that a peaceful settlement could yet be arranged where the colonies could secure representation in Parliament without further bloodshed on either side.

This book covers much of the time leading up to the Revolution, prophesizing the divides that would eventually determine the military power one fought for. For example, mercantile interests (unsurprisingly) went with whatever side could secure its commerce, which was the British at the outset. Britain had a formidable navy that allowed it to project its power around the world. 

Until the bite of the newest taxation measures proclaimed by the Crown to pay off the significant debts it accrued in the French-Indian War made lower level players, such as artisans and farmers lean revolutionary. Although, it must be noted that some large landholders, like George Washington, also went with the revolutionary cause, even though much of their stature (economic and socially) was gained under British rule. 

It was fascinating getting a closer look at the political wranglings of the American colonies that would lead to violence later on in the Revolution. While the Revolution was covered as well in the book, I found more intriguing the political dynamics of the American colonies pre-Revolution. 

While starting off slowly and sometimes meandering, Our First Civil War is an enlightening read on the American Revolution and its very complicated history. Well worth the read for history buffs like myself.

--BookOwl