While Fred Anderson's main goal is to put the contingency back in the history of the American Revolution, as the last thing that men like Benjamin Franklin and George Washington could have imagined at the conclusion of the French & Indian Wars is that they would be leading a revolution against London in the not-so-distant future, the pivot of this story would appear to be "blowback" to empire.

Consider that the last round of the game of empire between France and Britain had more to do with the Iroquois Nation losing their hold on their satellite nations in the Ohio County, having compromised the interests of those peoples one time too many. Thus leading to the situation where a subject leader of the Iroquois overrides George Washington to stage a sanguinary massacre against French captives to try and regain his authority, thus leading to a great war.

Or look at how British Empire quickly runs upon the rocks at the end of the Seven Years' War, as differing understandings of what it means to be a British subject could no longer be fudged, between the American attitude that empire was a collaborative effort, and the British effort to forge an efficient system in keeping with their understanding of what constituted proper order. This is while in a maelstrom of demographic changes and economic dislocation, the affects of which would have challenged the most daring of political leaders.

That last point might be the key issue, as the dislocations of empire, even in a winning cause, did open the door to daring leadership in America, and these are the men who swept away the old British order in the 13 Colonies; men who realized that popular sovereignty could now only be disregarded at one's own risk. The thing is that Anderson does not interpret this turn of events in a romantic "great man" fashion, but as a wave of chaos that could only be channeled, not held back. ( )

After three background chapters, George Washington steps onto the stage . . . and stumbles, starting the French and Indian Wars in Colonial America and the Seven Years War in Europe. At the end of that war in 1763 Great Britain had a world empire but the war also started the events that in thirteen more years would trigger the American Revolutionary War. This book tells the story in considerable detail and is very readable. ( )

3435. Crucible of War: The Seven Years' War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766, by Fred Anderson (read Apr 21, 2001) I cannot believe the story which Anderson tells of this significant time could be better told. This is history of the highest order, and tells and interprets as good history should. ( )

Anderson presents and elegantly defends the thesis that the American Revolution is founded in American experiences directly related to the Seven Years' War. Utilizing historical documents, the author shows how the conflict in the colonies lead to a war England did not want to fight and could not afford to fight; how the taxation measures intended to pay the colonists' part of the war lead to the fight against taxation without representation; how the treatment of British soldiers was in direct conflict with what the colonists' saw as their rights as Englishmen; and how the freedoms generally taken for granted by the colonists were is conflict with the realities in England and what the rulers (governors, etc) saw as their roles.

One other thing brought forth very clearly in his discourse is that the Seven Years' War really was a 'world war' as it was fought around the globe by the English and the French.

I found the book to be a very good read and very stimulating. While I may have had minor quibbles with some points, I think the author has done a very good job of presenting, defending and proving his thesis. ( )

The length of the book was daunting, but it proved to be very well written, and for a history book, very readable. My then six year old son would come up and ask me about what was happening, then we would read bits together. He may not have understood why the colonists went to war with the British, but he understood what was on the pages. Highly recommended for a anyone looking for a broader view of what the American Revolution was all about. ( )