Description
Book SynopsisUsing the court records of every American colony that existed before 1700 and an analysis of over 1,200 seditious speech cases sifted from those records, this book shows how colonists experienced a dramatic expansion during the seventeenth century of their freedom to criticize government and its officials.
Trade ReviewAnyone who has not read
A Distant Heritage cannot know the history of freedom of speech. This splendid book, based on excellent research, fills a void on the subject of seditious utterance and is a valuable corrective, as well as a substantial addition to, all previous works touching that subject. -- Leonard W. Levy
Larry Eldridge has crafted a major reinterpretation of the expansion of political speech in the American colonies. What is especially impressive is Eldridges ability to find support for his thesis in both the growing stability of colonial society and the powerful upheavals that convulsed it. This is an original, provocative, and penetrating contribution to the literature on freedom of speech, in the colonial or any other era. -- Kermit L. Hall,Dean, Henry Kendall College of Arts & Sciences and Professor of History and Law, The University of Tulsa
Larry Eldriges superb scholarship greatly expands our knowledge of how free speech took root in the American colonies. This exceptional book offers both engaging reading and new insights into the development of a fundamental right. -- Jeffery A. Smith,University of Iowa, author of Printers and Press Freedom
The book constitutes a good contribution to our professional knowledge, and it is a must reading. * Law and Politics Book Review< *
A remarkably clear, concise history . . . Eldridge has provided impressive documentation of an often misunderstood, and vitally important, aspect of American History. * William and Mary Quarterly *
