In a long career-he finished his dissertation in 1953 and his most recent book was published just four months before his death at age 97-Bailyn helped to revitalize the study of the colonial era and the Founding, bringing both lay readers and his fellow historians toward a richer understanding of the role of ideas and ideology in early American politics.Įarly in Bailyn’s career, the reigning academic orthodoxy-inspired by Progressive Era historians like Charles Beard-held that the American Revolution was hardly revolutionary and that the complaints of tyranny coming from the patriots were really propaganda to disguise and defend their economic self-interest. Bernard Bailyn, a historian celebrated both for his work on early America and for mentoring a generation of scholars who would go on to make their own major contributions to the field, died last week.
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