Revolutionary Dissent: How the Founding Generation Created the Freedom of Speech

by Stephen D. Solomon

When members of the founding generation protested against British authority, debated separation, and then ratified the Constitution, they formed the American political character we know today-raucous, intemperate, and often mean-spirited. Revolutionary Dissent brings alive a world of colorful and stormy protests that included effigies, pamphlets, songs, sermons, cartoons, letters and liberty trees. Solomon explores through a series of chronological narratives how Americans of the Revolutionary period employed robust speech against the British and against each other. Uninhibited dissent provided a distinctly American meaning to the First Amendment's guarantees of freedom of speech and press at a time when the legal doctrine inherited from England allowed prosecutions of those who criticized government.

Solomon discovers the wellspring in our revolutionary past for today's satirists like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, pundits like Rush Limbaugh and Keith Olbermann, and protests like flag burning and street demonstrations. From the inflammatory engravings of Paul Revere, the political theater of Alexander McDougall, the liberty tree protests of Ebenezer McIntosh and the oratory of Patrick Henry, Solomon shares the stories of the dissenters who created the American idea of the liberty of thought. This is truly a revelatory work on the history of free expression in America.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, American History, American Revolution

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 12, 2016

About the author

Stephen D. Solomon is a professor at New York University and associate director of the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. He is the founder and director of the Master of Arts program in Business and Economic Reporting. Steve teaches courses on First Amendment law (freedom of speech and press) to graduate and undergraduate students, and was awarded NYU's Golden Dozen Award for excellence in teaching. He earned a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. from Penn State University. He was a writer for Fortune magazine and his articles have appeared in many other publications, including The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The New Republic, and Technology Review. His work has been recognized with a Hillman Prize and the Gerald Loeb Award.

Reviews

[GrandpaBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Americans enjoy using their first amendment rights of freedom of speech and I believe most still appreciate the importance of freedom of the press, but I doubt that the vast majority know the history of the battles for those rights. This book was an extremely enlightening summary of those battles beginning in 1687 when Reverend John Wise was jailed for "seditious libel" for criticism of the imposition of taxes, through the years leading up to the first American Revolution/Civil War, the ratification of the Constitution followed by the adoption of the Bill of Rights, and the Alien & Sedition Acts of the John Adams administration. The author is repetitive, and the book might be best appreciated by reading one chapter per week as I'm sure the author does in the teaching his first amendment course at New York University. Highly recommended reading for students of American history and law.

[Ray Almeida · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book that really focuses on the evolution and origins of freedom of speech/press and expression via the pioneers and events that took place in early America. It was intriguing to learn how England saw freedom of press and the limitations they imposed. The book kind of jumped around a bit, overlapping some events and making itself a little redundant at certain parts. But otherwise, its a must read for people interested in the first amendment.

[Jenna Spinelle]

An interesting history of the First Amendment and the marketplace of ideas, both of which are in the news a lot these days. I had the chance to talk with Stephen about some of the book's main arguments on a podcast about democracy that I host and produce: https://www.democracyworkspodcast.com...

[Wesley Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent overview of the arc which led to the formation of freedom of speech. Solomon does a good job showing how expectations overwhelmed the English common law of Seditious Libel, while legal precedent took almost two centuries to catch up. It’s a fascinating read.

[FireFerrum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid read, but I absolutely hated the way he composed this book. His language is very repetitive, so much redundant details that are irrelevant and can be taken out without marring the themes in the least.

[David M · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sometimes repetitive discussion of the pre and post-revolutionary decline of the crime of seditious libel: Peter Zenger, the Sons of liberty, constitution ratification debate in Virginia, Alien and Sedition Acts.