Peaceable Kingdoms: New England Towns in the Eighteenth Century

By Michael Zuckerman

Book Overview

In this provocative analysis of the New England town before the Revolution, and of its enduring impact on the American character, Michael Zuckerman makes a major contribution toward a reinterpretation of the nature of American society and the origins of the non-liberal tradition in America. Arguing that the true concern of these towns was not the individual rights or liberties of the citizen, but rather the homogeneity and tranquility of the community, Mr. Zuckerman opens a new perspective on the phenomenon of American "town-meeting democracy."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393008959
• ISBN13: 9780393008951
• Release Date: October 1978
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Historical Account

Zuckerman is detailed in providing a description of what life in eighteenth century New England was like. His starting place is a description of the value placed on community. He writes, "A man could remain comfortably in colonial Massachusetts only as long as his actions and his ideas coincided with those of his neighbors." In its founding, we're told that provincial governors viewed themselves as servants of the Crown. The transition to autonomous government was gradual. "It represented the very real choices of thousands of men around the colony upon the advent of the royal charter of 1691" Zuckerman tells us.Throughout this book, documentation is provided that shows the evolution of thought as the decision-makers made transitions. This book sheds light on a given time and place in a very readable manner.