Bestselling historian Peter Moore traces how Enlightenment ideas were exported from Britain and put into practice in America where they became the most successful export of all time, the American DreamAbsorbing... fascinating... eloquent THE TIMESEngaging and thoroughly readerfriendly TELEGRAPHWonderfully absorbing and stimulating SARAH BAKEWELLEnlightenment Britain was ablaze with ambition and energy. Great writers like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, Samuel Johnson, John Wilkes and Catharine Macaulay were part of a pioneering generation that shaped and inspired the American Dream. For the first time, bestselling historian Peter Moore vividly traces the transatlantic friendships and revolutionary ideas that inspired the Declaration of Independence.Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness is the bestknown phrase from that document, which was drafted by Thomas Jefferson in the summer of 1776. Today this line is evoked as a shorthand for that ideal we call the American Dream. But the vision it encapsulates of a free and happy world has its roots in Great Britain.This book tells the story of the years that preceded the Declaration. From the accession of King George III to the astonishing tale of John Wilkes, from the notorious Stamp Act to the Boston Tea Party, it shows how Britain and her American Colonies broke apart. Following a star cast of Enlightenment characters, through their letters, arguments and rivalries, it reveals the rise of a rebellious and daring...

Binding: Hardback;512 pages; Publisher: Vintage Publishing; Classification: HBJD1; Weight: 918 g; Dimensions: 241 x 164 x 43

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