As If an Enemy's Country: The British Occupation of Boston and the Origins of Revolution

In the dramatic period leading to the American Revolution, no event did more to foment patriotic sentiment among colonists than the armed occupation of Boston by British soldiers. As If an Enemy's Country is Richard Archer's gripping narrative of those critical months between October 1, 1768 and the winter of 1770 when Boston was an occupied town. Bringing colonial Boston to life, Archer moves between the governor's mansion and cobble-stoned back-alleys as he traces the origins of the colonists' conflict with Britain. He reveals the maneuvering of colonial political leaders such as Governor Francis Bernard, Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hutchinson, and James Otis Jr. as they responded to London's new policies, and he evokes the outrage many Bostonians felt toward Parliament and its local representatives. Equally important, Archer captures the popular mobilization under the leadership of John Hancock and Samuel Adams that met the oppressive imperial measures--most notably the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act--with demonstrations, Liberty Trees, violence, and non-importation agreements. When the British government responded with the decision to garrison Boston with troops, it was a deeply felt affront to the local population. Almost immediately, tempers flared and violent conflicts broke out. Archer's tale culminates in the swirling tragedy of the Boston Massacre and its aftermath, including the trial of the British troops involved--and sets the stage for what was to follow.

About the Author :
Richard Archer is Professor of History Emeritus at Whittier College. He is the author of Fissures in the Rock: New England in the Seventeenth Century.

Review :
"Richard Archer's book is a remarkably fresh examination of the story of the British occupation of Boston in the years before the Revolution. Its close attention to the social and economic context of the dramatic events of those years gives the book much of its richness; and its telling of the events themselves, ending with a splendid account of the Boston Massacre, is accomplished with great clarity, detail, and verve. Altogether it is a fascinating book."--Robert Middlekauff, author of The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789 "In ways that are familiar today when American forces occupy faraway lands, the British military occupation of Boston in October 1768 deeply radicalized the town's citizens. In this crisply written account, Richard Archer walks the reader through Boston's crooked streets and along the waterfront with such narrative verve that we can almost see, hear, and feel the seething tension that grew for seventeen months before the Boston Massacre. With his careful research and nose for telling detail, Archer allows us to understand why Boston led the colonies into independence."--Gary B. Nash, author of The Unknown American Revolution: The Unruly Birth of Democracy and the Struggle to Create America "As If An Enemy's Country provides a long-overdue explanation of how the American Revolution began. Richard Archer has connected the dots in this extraordinarily well-written, concise, thorough and engaging account of the British occupation of Boston after 1768. Archer shows how the relationships between the Boston mob and the provincial elite, among merchants, trade, and religion in Boston's unique political culture turned rebellion into Revolution. An essential book--a fascinating story well-told."--Robert Allison, author of A Short History of Boston "Archer utilizes a wealth of primary sources, from diaries to depositions, to provide an edifying account of the 17-month British occupation of Boston from October 1768 to the winter of 1770. ... Beginning with British attempts to consolidate the empire and gain revenue from the Colonies in the form of innovative taxes and concluding with a perceptive analysis of the Boston Massacre, Archer astutely delves into the milieu of a Colonial city alive with mobs, patriots, and the omnipresent British army. The uniqueness of Archer's superbly crafted tale lies in his discussion of how the politics of nonimportation polarized the elite of Boston society on the eve of revolution. Combining engaging prose and a wealth of interesting characters, Archer has provided students and general enthusiasts alike with a concise, appealing work of first-rate scholarship."--Library Journal, starred review "Archer goes into [...] detail, drawing good portraits of several principals, including John Hancock and cousins John and Sam Adams."--Tampa Tribune "A gripping narrative of the occupation of Boston."--LAmag.com, The Reading List "[T]his is a serious historical analysis rich in details, primary sources, and the minutiae that make up our history. Excellent."--Sacramento Book Review "Archer has done a great job describing Boston, the tension in the people, and the way the tragedy unfolds. ... I recommend [his book] to anyone interested in the events leading up to the American Revolution."--1776mag.com "In a fresh look at the Boston Massacre, Richard Archer searches for the tie between foreign occupation and political violence."--Dissent "A lively and sympathetic history of pre-Revolutionary Boston under British occupation." --The New Yorker