American Revolution: Analyzing Gordon Wood's Perspective

This essay delves into the American Revolution, examining its historical context, key figures, and lasting impact. It analyzes the perspectives of historian Gordon Wood, focusing on his Neo-Whig ideology and his interpretation of the revolution as a progressive movement driven by the masses. The essay explores Wood's concepts of American republicanism, revolutionary zeal, and the 'Empire of Liberty,' highlighting the significance of enlightenment ideals such as equality and egalitarianism. It discusses the challenges faced by the young nation after the revolution, referencing the views of prominent figures like James Madison and John Adams. The essay also explores the radical nature of the revolution and its impact on societal norms and individual identity, as well as the key events that shaped the revolution, such as the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act. In conclusion, the essay underscores the revolution's foundation in democratic principles and its profound influence on the United States.

Running head: American revolution
American Revolution
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Authors Note

Running head: American revolution
Gordon wood is one of the most influential and prominent writer of the modern era.
Wood himself belonged from a Neo-Whig ideology that considered revolution and American
republicanism as progressive. Born in 1993, creator of books like The creation of the
American Republic (1969), The confederation and constitution (1973), and the latest Empire
of Liberty: a History of the early Republic 789-1815 (2010), his books mainly deals with
political and revolutionary events. However, Wood tries to understand the revolutionary zeal
by referring to the New world and Enlightenment themes, he also examined the principles of
the enlightenment ethos like equality, egalitarianism, American exceptionalism and ideas of
consensus for understanding the significance of the political and revolutionary model.
According to him American revolution was supported by the mass therefore it lacked class
tension and the origin of the revolutionary zeal did not emerge from any intellectual strand, it
was derived from the most ordinary people. Wood demonstrated this thought by actually
referring it to as “Empire of liberty”.
The statue of liberty became the symbol of new American revolutionary zeal and the
symbol of hope. The idea of presenting a statue to the United States hatched in the mind of
French Hostorian Edouard de Laboulaye. The French provided the statue and the pedestal
down was constructed by the Americans themselves. Thus along with the ideals like liberty
and hop it also signifies the long-standing friendly relationship between Americana France.
At the aftermath of American Revolution, the basic questions that haunted was how would a
new nation survive, because the founders themselves were young and precarious. The
presumption was informed with the binary outcome, one they will either fail of they will last
in perpetuity. James Madison, rightly summarizes the moaning that united stated were in “in
a wilderness without a single footstep to guide us” (Madison, 1993). In order to understand
the role of the leader it is important to understand the social fabric in which things were
occurring. According to John Adams, “the revolution was effected before the war
commenced” (Montross, 1950). This refers to the “the change of kind and hearts of the
people. However, the change of mind was not an intellectual endorsement but it was great
part of the transformation that was carried in the United States of America. Woods in his
book recounts how George Washington spoke himself in third person, which shows that there
is resemblance with the old aristocratic order. However, unlike the perception of the old
order, America introduces the new system of republican government. It is important to
understand that the impact of revolution is quest to start a new leaf was so strong that it
shattered the traditional pattern of life. The heaviness of the traditional life style was no
longer there, it was a commencement of new area that was informed with the fluid of

Running head: American revolution
individual identity. Just as one of the clergyman promised “perishing world… a new world, a
young world, a world of countless millions, all in the fair bloom of piety” (Mann, 2011).
Woods hails the innovation that crept in regarding the constitution and the makers of
the constitution aimed to a more enduring and political system. As he recounts that, “We
American like of think of our revolution as not being radical. Indeed, most of the time we
consider it down right conservative. It certainly does not appear to resemble the revolution of
other nations in which people were killed, property was destroyed and everything was turned
upside down” (Wood, (2011). However, he again states the if one measure the amount of
transformation it took place during that phase, then the nature of the revolution was quite
radical, he states, “… as radicle and revolutionary as any in history” (Reisch & Andrews
(2014). He describes that the visionary leader who ideals were pragmatic and it was
enlightened by virtuous men also faced the revolution that resulted. As the every people
shared the conscious level, and they wanted to create a new living reality that will be
informed with utopian ideals. They themselves have become the ideal of faith, which was to
be fulfilled. However, they had a great expanse of possibilities that laid in front of them, this
does not mean that they struggles were devoid of any hurdles. For instance, the crisis of the
Stamp Act, the Sugar Act, and the Currency Act and so on. Thus, it can be concluded the
struggle and the aftermath of the American Revolution were premised on the logic of
democracy.

Running head: American revolution
References
Madison, J. (1993). We are in a wilderness without a single footstep to guide us. American
Politics in the Early Republic: The New Nation in Crisis, 17.
Mann, C. C. (2011). 1493: Uncovering the new world Columbus created. Vintage.
Montross, L. (1950). The Reluctant Rebels: The Story of the Continental Congress, 1774-
1789. Harper.
Reisch, M., & Andrews, J. (2014). The road not taken: A history of radical social work in the
United States. Routledge.
Wood, G. S. (2011). The radicalism of the American Revolution. Vintage.