Book Review

Canada and the United States

Trevor Burnard argues that the social character of colonial Maryland evolved from a relatively egalitarian one in the earliest years to a hierarchical one by 1750. As a colonial elite emerged, however, it was snubbed by English aristocrats. While one cause of their disdain was a conviction that Maryland's striving fell short of the more impressive wealth of the Caribbean colonies, the English also remained unforgiving of the lowly origins of even the most successful Marylanders.

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Burnard's designation of the Maryland elite as "creole" expands that term's traditional association with French Caribbean culture. Burnard defines as "creole" anyone born of European ancestry in the New World. Marylanders should be understood not only through their relationships with each other but also according to their place within the British Empire overall, and particularly in reference to their association with fellow creoles. Gradually they abandoned their preoccupation with English elites and identified more with the elites of other North American colonies. While Burnard deliberately excludes the American Revolution from this analysis and even underscores the enduring loyalty of the elite to the crown, discerning readers may conclude that the process he describes contributed to Maryland's ultimate participation in the War for Independence. His thesis also suggests that when the war began, there was less work to be done in fashioning an American identity than we have traditionally believed. The American self-image was yet unclear, but at least they knew they were not English.

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