The high literacy rates amongst colonists created the perfect environment for revolutionary ideas to take root.
In this episode of Revolution Revisited, host Maggie Creech explores the pivotal role of print culture in the American Revolution with guests Dr. James Herrera-Brookes and Dr. Cathy Hellier.
Inside the Episode:
Highlighting the contributions of trailblazing printer Clementina Rind and the impact of Thomas Jefferson's radical pamphlet "A Summary View of the Rights of British America," this episode delves into how literacy and printed materials like newspapers and pamphlets spread revolutionary ideas. The discussion covers the intellectual foundations of the Enlightenment, the logistics of 18th-century printing, and the far-reaching effects of disseminated ideas, even among enslaved populations. The episode emphasizes the transformative power of the written word in mobilizing and unifying colonial resistance against British rule.