To the Hartford Convention: The Federalists and the Origins of Party Politics in Massachusetts, 1789-1815

by James M. Banner Jr.

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378 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

A 1957 graduate from Yale University, James M. Banner, Jr. earned his Ph.D. degree in 1968 at Columbia University under Richard Hofstadter and Eric L. McKitrick. Banner taught at Princeton University from 1966 until 1980, when he resigned to found the American Association for the Advancement of the Humanities.

Reviews

[Evan C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the best book out there on the events that led to the Hartford Convention. I had to deduct a star because of two reasons:
1) This book brings up a lot of things and hopes you already know about them, A lot of things about Massachusetts religion and life mostly. I understand that people reading about early 19th century New England may know about the breakdown of religious groups... but I sure as hell didn't.
2) There has been a lot of later scholarship that talks about exactly how bad things got economically which fuelled the rage in Massachusetts and led to Hartford that the author couldn't possibly have known about, especially regarding the 1807 Embargo and 1808 Non-Intercourse Act.

For being a crucial moment in American history people are very silent about this topic. I'd also like to see what the rest of New England thought about all this.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much about Massachusetts federalism, and party genesis, this book is great. I'm slightly amazed that there were revolutionaries in this party, because their views are so unamerican. I understand why the administration viewpoint wasn't included regarding 1812, but I also would have liked to see that piece be reo represented.