The Democratic Republicans of New York: The Origins, 1763-1797

by Alfred F. Young

Through an intensive study of party origins in the state of New York, this volume reexamines and reevaluates the whole of the Democratic Republican movement. It will compel changes in present concepts of anti-Federalist and Republican connections with banking, mercantile, land-speculation, and manufacturing interests.

Originally published in 1967.

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656 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1967

About the author

Alfred F. "Al" Young was a pioneering American historian known for reshaping the study of the American Revolution by centering it on the lives and experiences of ordinary people. Born in New York City in 1925, Young’s early academic influences at Queens College and Columbia University helped develop his focus on working-class history. He earned his PhD from Northwestern University in 1958 and later taught for 25 years at Northern Illinois University, where he became a leading voice in social and political history.
Young’s landmark work, The Democratic Republicans of New York, earned the Jamestown Prize and established his reputation. He was a staunch advocate for academic freedom during the Vietnam War era, defending scholars facing political retaliation. After retiring from teaching, he expanded his scholarship at Chicago’s Newberry Library, authoring influential works like The Shoemaker and the Tea Party and Masquerade, which explored lesser-known Revolutionary figures.
In 2004, Young helped found Labor: Studies in Working-Class History of the Americas, further solidifying his legacy. He died in 2012 at the age of 87, remembered for his deep commitment to elevating the voices of everyday people in historical narratives.