Britain, the Slaves and the American Revolution

[Hakluyt]

Cruel ironies
By Christian Tyler
Published: December 16 2005 10:18 | Last updated: December 16 2005 10:18

ROUGH CROSSINGS: Britain, the Slaves and the American Revolution
by Simon Schama
BBC Books £20, 488 pages

Simon Schama’s book on the beginnings of the anti-slavery movement is based on a glorious, and for today’s Americans shocking, paradox. When the colonists declared independence from the tyranny of British rule, brandishing the rights of man, many of their slaves ran off to join the King’s army. One of those refugees was Henry Washington, whose owner was George Washington; another was a comrade of Henry’s who rechristened himself “British Freedom”. Like the thousands who joined them, they believed they stood a better chance of emancipation under the British king than under an American republic.

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/509da668-6d1e-11da-90c2-0000779e2340.html

[Felix the Cat]

Schama is a fine historian.

But he's also Jewish, and his books must be treated with caution because of it

He's not trustworthy on any issue dealing with race, Christianity or Judaism

[Hakluyt]

I'm reading 'Citizens' atm, very good. I don't think I'll bother with this one anyway, though, doesn't seem like much new content aside from his dramatic interpretation.

We are shown the first black church to be established in America, the first black marriages and mixed dancing (during the British occupation of New York city),
heh

[Felix the Cat]

Yes, Citizens is good. His best work by far.