Robert F. Smith - Manufacturing Independence: Industrial Innovation in the American Revolution

THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OF WRITING THIS BOOK, I FOUND MY inspiration, as Ethan Allen said, in the name of the great Jehovah and the Continental Congress. The former has never let me down and has given me the strength to see this project through to the end. I am forever in His debt. The latter consistently let people down but nevertheless sparked a revolution in America that continues to impact the world. These dynamics of divine guidance and transformation continue to encourage me to study history and have hope for the future.

My sincere thanks go to my colleagues at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for their help with this book. Mike McGovern was always available with edits and suggestions. He offered his insights on more than one occasion, and I am proud to call him my mentor and friend. Christine Pense is a skilled problem solver and was consistently ready with ideas and optimism. She helped me see light at the end of the tunnel. Patrick Grubbs took time out of his busy schedule to make sure that all my ramblings made sense. I enjoyed our lengthy conversations and hope they continue. Cathie Grozier has kept me on task and is always willing to help. Thanks for never letting anything fall through the cracks.

My thanks extend to my mentors at Lehigh University who started me on this project as a graduate student. John Smith rarely offered answers but was quick to turn my questions into dozens more. He would load me up with queries and send me off to research. John encouraged me to keep digging into the papers of the Continental Congress to see what they would yield. Monica Najar was also unwilling to let me off with easy answers, and I appreciate continuously being challenged to search for the right answer. Steve Cutcliffe always took time to help me reflect on thebig questions, which taught me to put things in perspective. The seeds of this project were planted in seminars conducted by Jean Soderlund and Roger Simon. Thank you.

Further gratitude is owed to several historians who have assisted me. Merritt Roe Smith and John McCusker took time to offer their insights and guidance with elements of this project, while Rob Martello was kind enough to extensively edit my work. Michelle McDonald provided valuable feedback as a panel moderator when part of this book was presented at the 2014 annual meeting of the Society of Historians of the Early American Republic. Michelle also served as a mentor through the Landmarks in American History and Culture Workshop sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities. She and this program opened up several research opportunities for me in Philadelphia.

I offer my deep appreciation for the assistance I received from several organizations. The staff and resources at the old downtown Philadelphia branch of the National Archives were superb. Everyone was quick with answers, and any material not on-site was ordered. I enjoyed all the time I spent there poring over microfilm. Working with the staff of the Military History Institute was a pleasure, and they were always willing to dig deeper. The libraries of the Massachusetts Historical Society and Historical Society of Pennsylvania were invaluable. Thank you to the editors and staff of Westholme Publishing. I appreciate your willingness to bring this book to fruition, and I hold your creativity and attention to detail in the highest regard.

My final and greatest thanks go to my family, who have walked with me through this whole process. I could not ask for better, or more motivating, parents. Mom, thank you for your commitment to us. Dad, I appreciate all those stories you told, and I wish you were here to read mine. Sam and Henry, I am blessed that you are both here to read this book, and you brighten every day of my life. Robin, none of this was possible without you, and my life is richer because of you. I love you.