Somersett

Benjamin Franklin and the Masterminding of American Independence

De: Phillip Goodrich

Narrado por: Robert Petkoff, Joe Morton, Simon Jones, Euan Morton, Nicola Barber

An Audiobook Original

There is no dearth of writings about the founding of America, but in this under-reported and under-taught story of the American Revolution, light is shed on the role Benjamin Franklin played in bringing the northern and southern colonies together against corrupt British rule. Along with an “Inner Circle” of British Abolitionists, Franklin worked behind the scenes to secure the freedom of a single American slave, James Somersett; and then, in cooperation with a vast network of colonial allies, set in motion a series of events that provided the impetus for northern patriots and politically cautious southern slaveholders to join forces.

In 1757, Benjamin Franklin cared most about the security and prosperity of his beloved adopted home of Philadelphia. Threatened by the French during King George’s War and with little help from the proprietors of Pennsylvania, the hated Penn family, Franklin sought assistance and support in London to no avail, thus leading him to develop a secret plan to gain freedom from Great Britain for Pennsylvania, and ultimately all the colonies. The success of this plot would hinge upon politically motivating the northern and southern colonies, each with vastly different interests. In the end, it was two unrelated historical events: that of the freeing of the slave Somersett in London’s highest court; and the discovery, and leaking of, the Hutchinson letters, that turned the tide in favor of independence.

Part courtroom drama, part political thriller, this assiduously researched work of American history is enacted by a cast of award-winning actors who electrify the drama as they bring to life over thirty historical characters in intermittent scenes presented in stage play form. In the London Courtroom of King’s Bench, we meet the most brilliant legal minds of the era as both sides argue their case for or against Somersett’s manumission. In the drawing room of London’s most prestigious physician, John Fothergill, we are witness to Franklin and the members of his Inner Circle as they grapple with, and meet, the massive challenges that planning a revolution entail.

Here is a critically important, little known story that adds to our understanding of yet another complicated founding father. By laying out Franklin’s audacious plan to convince southern slaveholders that revolution, and only revolution, was sufficient to ensure their right to chattel labor, we are offered further evidence that the ugly stain of racism and slavery is embedded in every moment of our history.

©2021 Phillip Goodrich (P)2021 Phillip Goodrich

Reseñas de la Crítica

“With a sense of unbound curiosity, narrator Robert Petkoff narrates this fascinating account…A 1772 judgment by the Earl of Mansfield, [is] voiced with perfect British authority by Simon Jones…Essential listening. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.” (Audiofile)

"Goodrich blends meticulously researched history with imaginatively rendered scenes and conversations... [in] a fascinating narrative about lesser-known events that sparked the American Revolution. His book is sure to intrigue anyone with a love of American history." (Blueink Starred Review)

“In concise, crisp chapters, the volume provides both an overview of Franklin’s life and his relationship to a larger network of Colonial and early Republic figures. It is particularly adept at weaving Franklin’s personal story within the grand scheme of 18th-century international politics. Goodrich offers general readers an engrossing, well-written narrative history full of rich details." (Kirkus Reviews)

Nope

When will I learn? I cannot stand this narrator’s vocal styling. Every sentence sounds like a petty argument.

Intrigue, compelling characters, great listening!

Really excellent work by Goodrich and great use of the Audio Book format. A little overzealous in the license taken to wrap up the ending but a great tapestry of history to reveal highly likely and believable telling of events.

Very Good, wrong title

very interesting and entertaining. the title of the book seems misleading. the author's preface tries to address this. There is a section regarding Sommerset. However, I'm not sure that warrants the title.

Great telling of the many backstories of the American Revolution

This book is an amazing tale of the people and circumstances leading into the Revolution. So many interesting details about individuals such as Thomas Paine are woven into the book to really explain motivations and outcomes of the conflicts. I recommend the book highly. The reader is excellent, BTW.

I have 2 suggestions- first, the title does not do the book justice. Future printings or editions might gain greater readership with a title dropping the moniker Sometsett altogether, such as “Benjamin Franklin and the Long Road to Independence.”

The author’s knowledge of politics, society and history of the era is impressive. My least favorite part was the brief Afterword, which was written on the cusp of the 2020 election. The book itself stands quite solidly on its own, and was not enhanced, in my view, by the left-leaning Afterword. Future editions might omit those last few pages without loss.

I recommend highly!

worth reading! interest alt narrative!

well worth the time to listen too and in turn expand ones assumed history of the American revolution

Wealth of History

I learned so much. I felt like I was lurking along the walks unseen in all conversations. alot of information to digest but see now how we came to be in America and reparations that need to be made. If only now and our near future we can save equality, women's right and racial just as long before has been done for us.

new information on a subject have studied for year

enjoyed the new perspective and the reading by the author, with if the cuff inights

fantastic

Amazing story, beautifully told. I thought I knew Franklin well, but i discovered much new information.

The most disruptive history of Benjamin Franklin in 50 years. A MUST READ.

If Somersett is to believed, much of the established scholarship regarding Benjamin Franklin is plagued by superficiality and faulty conclusions. Some of Franklin’s most distinguished biographers will find this book a direct challenge, while other revolve in their graves, either from discontent or embarrassment. We’ve long been told that Franklin was utterly dedicated to preserving unity between the colonies and the crown up until the pivotal attack he suffered in the cockpit after the Hutchinson letter affair and the Boston tea party, where he is said to have undergone a revolutionary,conversion. We’ve similarly learned that Franklin was no political philosopher, and had but the relatively average interest in political systems shared with most of his peers.

This book throws all of that away. It claims Franklin not only committed himself to the separation far earlier, but was, in fact, working behind the scenes to bring that revolution to reality in a very deliberate, very clandestine effort to free Pennsylvania and her sister colonies from British control.

I will have to heavily fact check this book, but if even half of is accurate, our understanding of Benjamin Franklin must undergo a serious overhaul.

Franklin, the Mastermind

In “Somersett,” Phillip Goodrich, who is a general surgeon but is also an amateur historian, has written an interesting book that gives Benjamin Franklin a significant background role in fomenting the American revolution, and he builds it around a British legal case that few probably know about.

Much of what is in the book is already known. Pennsylvania was a proprietary colony, unlike the other colonies. In other words, the colony was the property of the Penn family and the younger Penn inheritors of the colony took little interest in the colony or its needs. Franklin was terribly frustrated with their failure to aid the colony during the French and Indian War and even traveled to London in 1757 to make personal appeals only to be humiliatingly scorned. Franklin met regularly with a group of likeminded men over the years and they had been moving toward the idea that the colonies must inevitably seek independence. The problem was how to make that happen.

According to Goodrich, Franklin responded to a statement by David Hume saying, “This requires a single protagonist throughout the process to maintain that provocation.” After much thought, Franklin decided to take that mantle upon himself. However, any revolution needs something to get it started, something that would not only light the fire but would have the emotional ability to keep it going.

And that is where the title of the book comes from. William Somersett was bought in Boston and taken to Britain, as were many other enslaved. But while there, Somersett escaped and was later caught. As punishment, his master had him imprisoned on a ship and intended to send him to Jamaica. A suit was filed since Britain had no laws regulating slavery. The judgment of the court came down on June 22, 1772 stating that the master had no right to assume that he could apply the law of his home country to his enslaved person and by falsely imprisoning him and threatening to deport him, he had broken British law. The result was that Somersett was to become free. This was meant to be a local case for a specific individual, but it created unrest for slaveowners throughout the empire.

Franklin saw this as part of his catalyst and wrote letters to prominent leaders in the colonies encouraging them to consider their self interests. However, to the southern colonies that meant that there was a potential threat to their fortunes and livelihoods. And since, in some southern colonies the population of enslaved people far outnumbered those wo were free, it also meant a threat to their security if there was a sudden decision to end slavery throughout the empire. But for states who had already ended the practice or where it was almost ended, he reminded them that in any unrest, Britain was likely to send thousands of troops and garrison them in their cities, then later leaked letters written by the Massachussets Governor Hutchinson to the British government requesting troops to quell unrest and suppress the civil rights of its citizens. He believes that those letters were as much a reason for the Boston Tea Party as the taxes.

His book is very interesting and well researched although there were errors that should have been caught. His main thesis that Franklin orchestrated the revolution might be a little too strong but he makes a good case that Franklin at least had a bigger role than most of us have thought before. As for the issue of slavery, Franklin seems to have thought that the Constitution would take care of that. As we know, it did not and the author provides his explanation of why in an afterword, but I’ll leave that for you to find out for yourself.