Semester
Summer
Date of Graduation
2005
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
History
Committee Chair
Mary Lou Lustig.
Committee Co-Chair
Kenneth Fones-Wolf
Committee Member
John Super
Abstract
As President of the Continental Congress, Henry Laurens was a firm leader amid a time of national emergency. When a dispute within the Continental Army threatened both the continuation of General Washington's command and the American alliance with France, Laurens went beyond his limited sphere of political authority to settle the matter. When a peace commission from England arrived in the United States to begin discussing terms for an end to the hostilities, Laurens found himself in an increasingly difficult diplomatic situation. While wrestling with the question of whether or not to accept the British offer, Laurens was also forced to hold the tenuous union of thirteen sovereign states together amid internal disputes, some of which had spilled over into the national government. Throughout his term, Laurens stood out as an advocate for national unification against the British and contributed an essential service to the American Revolution.
Recommended Citation
Gudzune, Jeffrey R., "Crisis manager of the American Revolution: Henry Laurens" (2005). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 773.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/773