Super Short Summary

Forced Founders by Woody Holton argues that the American Revolution was influenced not just by the high-minded ideals of Virginia Founding Fathers like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, but also by their personal debts to British merchants and the actions of American Indians, enslaved individuals, debtors, and the merchant class. Holton provides context around these Founding Fathers' self-serving motivations and describes how various groups, through protests, boycotts, and alliances, created an environment ripe for revolution. Sensitive topics such as slavery and class insurrection are discussed.