Journal article
The Narcissism of Petty Differences? Thomas Jefferson, John Graves Simcoe and the Reformation of Empire in the early United States and British-Canada
The American review of Canadian studies, Vol.42(2), pp.130-141
06/01/2012
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/117337
Abstract
This article compares the prescriptions for trans-continental empire articulated by two Anglo-American executives in the late eighteenth century: Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States (1801-1809), and John Graves Simcoe, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada (1792-1798). While the political character of the republican Jefferson and the ultra-monarchist Simcoe differed, they articulated strikingly similar prescriptions for trans-continental empire. Both emphasized the importance of white settlement and commercial development in the West. The article explains this apparent paradox by arguing that Jefferson and Simcoe represent variations on a common Anglo-American theme of empire. The similarity of Jefferson's and Simcoe's prescriptions for new forms of empire reflected their common experience of imperial governance, the American Revolution and exposure to political and economic thought in the British Atlantic World, as well as the common challenges of winning over the volatile allegiance of western settlers and the opposition of native peoples in the trans-Appalachian West.
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Details
- Title
- The Narcissism of Petty Differences? Thomas Jefferson, John Graves Simcoe and the Reformation of Empire in the early United States and British-Canada
- Creators
- Lawrence B.A Hatter
- Publication Details
- The American review of Canadian studies, Vol.42(2), pp.130-141
- Academic Unit
- History, Department of
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Identifiers
- 99900548574201842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article