Whose Revolution?

Although a number of historians questioned this statement, Holton argues that protecting slavery was in fact a significant motivation for many American patriots, especially in colonies where the slave plantation was the foundation of the economy. The only people who experienced a genuine enhancement of freedom, Holton writes, were African American slaves, who pursued their own revolution alongside the one pursued by white Americans. In Holton's account, they were land speculators, smugglers, and slave owners for whom self-interest often took precedence over principle. Holton's title, Liberty Is Sweet, is taken from a 1775 letter by Lund Washington to his cousin George. [Extracted from the article]