Liberty and American Experience in the Eighteenth Century

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Written by leading scholars of American history, this volume examines key themes and ideologies central to the formation of the United States. David Womersley’s introduction discusses Edmund Burke’s theories on property rights and government, laying the groundwork for the themes of liberty explored throughout the book. Jack Greene’s case study on Jamaica highlights the colonies' influence over their governance in “Of Liberty and the Colonies.” Robert Ferguson investigates the interplay between religious and legal concepts of liberty in “The Dialectic of Liberty.” Barry Shain supports Ferguson’s argument by exploring the significant impact of religion on the colonists’ outlook in “Religious Conscience and Original Sin.” John Danford analyzes the Founders' economic views in relation to the Enlightenment in “Riches Valuable at All Times and to All Men,” emphasizing their preference for established governance over untested theories. R. G. Frey discusses conflicting viewpoints between moral sense theory and natural rights in “Moral Sense Theory and the Appeal to Natural Rights.” David Wootton presents an opposing view, suggesting that Enlightenment ideas shaped the Founders' innovative yet resistant system in “Liberty, Metaphor, and Mechanism.” Ronald Hamowy pays tribute to the intellectual force of American affairs in “Scottish Thought and the American Revolution.” Lance Banning examines revolutionary divisions regarding liberty i