T. H. Breen’s theory about the colonial consumer market presents the most convincing explanation for why the American colonists mobilized for war against Great Britain. His argument effectively links the everyday economic frustrations of colonists to their broader political actions, showing how widespread boycotts and economic resistance unified people across different social classes and geographic regions. Breen emphasizes the tangible nature of these economic grievances, which made them accessible to ordinary colonists and allowed them to justify rebellion. Unlike the more abstract idea of a burgeoning national identity, economic hardships and restrictions were immediate and easy to understand, providing a powerful, shared motive for revolution (Breen, Marketplace of Revolution, 2).

A key piece of evidence Breen uses to support this argument is his analysis of colonial newspapers, which played a crucial role in galvanizing public …show more content…
As a wealthy merchant and prominent smuggler, Hancock stood to lose significantly from Britain’s enforcement of trade restrictions, such as the Navigation Acts. When British authorities seized Hancock’s ship, Liberty, for violating customs laws, the event sparked outrage and protests in Boston. Breen argues that this incident shows how deeply intertwined economic interests and political motivations were during the period, noting that Hancock’s experience, widely reported in colonial newspapers, illustrated the direct consequences of British policies on the livelihoods of even the wealthiest merchants (Breen, Marketplace of Revolution, 22). This incident not only propelled Hancock into a leadership role within the revolutionary movement but also demonstrated to ordinary colonists how British economic policies threatened their personal