Land, Jeremy. Colonial Ports, Global Trade, and the Roots of the American Revolution, 1700–1776

Jeremy Land's book Colonial Ports, Global Trade, and the Roots of the American Revolution, 1700-1776 presents evidence that the seaports of Boston, New York, and Philadelphia were extremely important points of commercial interests and were central in the genesis of American rebellion against Great Britain.Land's book is organized into six chapters focused on the three American northern ports, merchant and mercantile networks, trade and commodities, inter-colonial trade, trans-imperial trade, and his theory concerning the origins of American independence.His writing style is classic pedagogy: tell the audience what you plan to present, make your detailed presentation, and then carefully summarize to reinforce the important points.The author presents a wealth of research concerning the commercial world of northern American merchants in the eighteenth century.Using mercantile accounts from the Massachusetts Historical Society and invoice books from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, as well as other sources, Land fills his book with many details.There is much evidence that trade and the multifaceted transatlantic economy led to the American Revolution, and this is the overriding focus of the book.The international and intra-colonial trade data displayed in Land's many tables make this an important contribution to the scholarly literature.The author examines the complex economic factors that presaged the governmental and military turmoil occurring around the world during this time, thus making the case that America was well-advised to contemplate economic and political independence.In doing so, Land presents a well-organized argument that British control of its North American colonies was an outmoded imperialist idea.Land also makes the case that scholars should think of Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia, as well as the smaller towns around them, as functioning as a big network of ports rather than just separate places.Newport, New London, Charleston, and Savannah are relegated to secondary but valuable roles.Although competitors, merchants in these three port cities often collaborated and, in turn, formed a multifarious commercial trade system with connected business structures that was largely independent from imperial Britain.After the costly Seven Years' War (1756-1763), the British needed revenue and tried to enforce American colonial mercantilism but largely failed at the local merchant level.Smuggling and tax evasion flourished.Without