Losing America, Securing an Empire

The American Revolution is seen as a colossal defeat of the powerful British Empire by colonial rebels. Yet the British emerged from the conflict in better shape than the newly independent United States. After the revolution became a global conflict with the entry of France, Spain and later the Netherlands on the American side, Britain’s desire to maintain prestige in Europe through dominance of her many colonies—particularly the West Indies and India—was the driving force behind British strategy. Military victories late in the war, along with retention of the rest of the empire, allowed Britain to remain a significant power. This history explores the view that Great Britain did not really “lose” the Revolutionary War.

Daniel H. Boone has published in historical journals and presented his work at historical conferences in both the United States and the United Kingdom. He currently lives in Westminster, Maryland.

Daniel H. Boone

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 255
Bibliographic Info: notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2022
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8172-6
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4617-6
Imprint: McFarland

Preface 1
Introduction 3
Chapter I. The Wars for Empire, 1689–1748 17
Chapter II. The Seven Years’ War and the Economic Aftermath, 1754–1770 47
Chapter III. The American Colonial Situation at the War’s Onset, 1770–1775 78
Chapter IV. Canada, India, and the West Indies at the War’s Onset, 1770–1775 99
Chapter V. War in the Colonies, 1775–1778 117
Chapter VI. Global War, 1778–1780 141
Chapter VII. British Successes, British Failures, 1781–1782 161
Chapter VIII. The War’s Conclusion, Late 1781–1783 186
Chapter IX. Aftermath of the American Revolution 204
Chapter Notes 219
Bibliography 241
Index 247