logo

63 pages 2 hours read

Gordon S. Wood

The Radicalism of the American Revolution

Gordon S. WoodNonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1991

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Essay Topics

1.

How is radical defined in the book? According to Wood, why does history separate the founding fathers from other revolutionaries in history? How does Wood show that the founding fathers truly were radicals?

2.

When American colonies first began to form, they were primarily small communities that consisted of members of the same or several families. How did this contribute to the formation of the paternalistic social structure that existed during America’s colonial period? What evidence does Wood present to show that this social structure was formed by necessity, and how much of it was influenced by the monarchy?

3.

Why were common people were seen as unimportant to the national character in the colonial era? How did the horizontal hierarchy present in American society contribute to this point of view?

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 63 pages of this Study Guide

Plus, gain access to 8,650+ more expert-written Study Guides.

Including features:

+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools