Books by Michael J Eamon
The Canadian Historical Review, 2020
This article reconstructs the benevolent campaign mounted in London after the devastating Montrea... more This article reconstructs the benevolent campaign mounted in London after the devastating Montreal fire of 1765. Appealing to a greater sense of British identity, the trustees framed the French Canadian sufferers as “new subjects” entitled to both imperial benevolence and Christian charity. At the core of the subscription were notable London philanthropist Jonas Hanway and Marine Society peers John Thompson and Fowler Walker. Well versed in the mechanics of a successful charitable subscription, the trustees employed a familiar Georgian strategy using a robust print and coffeehouse campaign to solicit public support. However, the trustees overestimated the public’s acceptance
of their construction of a “greater Britain” and underestimated the elevated political enmity towards the British American colonies in the era following the Seven Years’ War. A lack of donor interest compelled them to enlarge their efforts and shift away from newer charitable tactics, instead embracing more traditional avenues such as gaining the patronage of King George III and engaging the greater British public through parish fundraising. This case study highlights the complexities of transatlantic benevolence and its use to push the boundaries of British identity in the mid-eighteenth century.
Imprinting Britain: Newspapers, Sociability and the Shaping of British North America
An in-depth look at how colonists created a vibrant print culture that shaped the foundations of ... more An in-depth look at how colonists created a vibrant print culture that shaped the foundations of modern Canada.
Printing presses were instrumental in creating and upholding a sense of community during the eighteenth century. While the importance of print in the development of colonial America and the nascent United States is well-established, Imprinting Britain extends the historical discussion northward to explore the dynamic and interrelated world of newspapers, coffee houses, and theatre in the British imperial capitals of Halifax and Quebec City.
Michael Eamon describes how an English-language colonial community coalesced around the printed word, establishing public spaces for colonists to propose, debate, and define their visions of an ideal society. Whereas American newspapers functioned as incubators of republican and revolutionary thought, their British North American counterparts featured a moderate discourse that rejected republicanism, favoured civic engagement, advocated liberty with propriety, extolled democracy under monarchy, promoted reason over superstition, and encouraged social criticism without revolution. The press also safeguarded against the uncertainties of colonial life by providing a steady stream of transatlantic news, literature, and fashion that helped construct a sense of Britishness in an environment rife with mixed loyalties.
Imprinting Britain is the story of communities that turned to the press for a canon of British norms, literary touchstones, and Enlightenment-inspired ideas, which offered a blueprint for colonial growth and a sense of stability in an ever-changing, transatlantic milieu.
Peer-Reviewed Articles by Michael J Eamon
In October 2011, the Government of Canada began a two-year, nation-wide celebration of the bicent... more In October 2011, the Government of Canada began a two-year, nation-wide celebration of the bicentenary of the War of 1812. The widely-criticized initiative returned the public eye to a traditional 'interpretive tableau' of war heroes, namely Isaac Brock, Tecumseh, Charles de Salaberry and Laura Secord. While the scope and expense of the federal government's efforts have been unprecedented, the political battle to maintain certain memories of the War is one that is not new. A struggle against the forgetfulness of Canadians, and particularly young Canadians, has animated commemorations of the War for almost two centuries. Looking at a selection of past commemorative efforts this essay explores how the inertia of a traditional tableau of heroes has tended to overshadow other narratives and newer interpretations. Yet all is not lost. Using the example of the author's exhibition, Faces of 1812, it is suggested that publicly-constructed histories can be employed as a useful departure point for the public historian and provide a foundation from which the public can obtain a broader, more critical perspective on both the commemorated events and history writ large.
In December 1790, a proposal advocating the creation of a weekly club for merchant clerks was pub... more In December 1790, a proposal advocating the creation of a weekly club for merchant clerks was published in the Quebec Herald, sparking a controversy over the propriety of sociability, public debate, and the proper conduct of youth. This article explores the concerns expressed by contributors to the newspaper, many of whom purported to be of the city's young, ambitious -though little-regardedclerical class. Over a five-month period, letters arguing the importance of personal and civic betterment and valuing free association, rational discussion, and democratic order came into opposition with missives embodying more traditional fears such as the inherent restlessness, disorder, and impatience of youth. The use of the Quebec Herald to voice these concerns illustrates that a dynamic public sphere of opinion existed in late-eighteenth-century Quebec. Furthermore, the controversy provides a window into the diffusion of the spirit of Enlightenment among the colony's English-language society on the eve of the Constitutional Act.
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, a... more JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
Study in Documents Finding "Enlightenment" in the National Archives of Canada: The Commonplace Bo... more Study in Documents Finding "Enlightenment" in the National Archives of Canada: The Commonplace Book of James Sholto Douglas * MICHAEL EAMON RÉSUMÉ Cet article présente l'exploration qu'a faite l'auteur relativement à la provenance et au contenu des documents d'archives laissés par James Sholto Douglas, qui fut étudiant de l'Université d'Edinbugh durant les années 1750. Dans la foulée du concept de science prêt-à-porter ("ready-made" science) mis de l'avant par l'historien des sciences Bruno Latour, l'auteur tente de démontrer que le processus d'acquisition, d'organisation et de description crée autour des documents une « boîte noire ». En ouvrant cette boîte, l'archiviste peut obtenir une meilleure compréhension, non seulement des documents, mais du processus de leur acquisition et de leur description. Ainsi, les archives de James Sholto Douglas ne sont pas qu'une excellente illustration de l'éducation et de la pensée durant la période des Lumières écossaise, ils permettent également de bien démontrer comment la déconstruction du contexte des documents est éclairante. ABSTRACT This article chronicles the author's exploration of the provenance and content of the papers of James Sholto Douglas, a student at the University of Edinburgh during the 1750s. Extrapolating from science historian Bruno Latour's concept of "ready-made" science, the author argues that the processes of acquisition, organization, and description create a "black box" around the record. Through opening the black box, the archivist gains a better understanding, not only of the documents but also of the process behind their acquisition and description. The James Sholto Douglas papers are an excellent example of the education and thought which existed during the Scottish Enlightenment; they also constitute an excellent case study of how deconstructing a record's context can bring enlightenment. Usefull knowledge can have no enemies, out [sic] the ignorant, it cherishes youth, delights the aged, is an ornament in prosperity, and yields comfort in adversity. The great business of man is to improve his mind and govern his manners. ...
Public History & Popular Articles by Michael J Eamon
“From Sports to Scarves: Examining Trent’s Unique Traditions (Part II)”
Arthur (Peterborough), 17 November 2014, 5.
“Trent University and the Collegiate Legacy (Part 1)”
Arthur (Peterborough), 14 October 2014, 10.
"The Downtown Colleges: Trent’s DNA Then, Now, Into the Future.”
Arthur (Peterborough) Peter Robinson College Reunion Special Issue, 9 August 2014, 3.
“War of 1812: When Aboriginal Warriors Held the Line”
Toronto Star, 16 June 2013
Plaque text and supporting paper for provincial historic site.
Plaque text and supporting paper for provincial historic site.
Papers by Michael J Eamon
Scottish-Trained Medical Practitioners in British North America and Their Participation in a Transatlantic Culture of Enlightenment
McGill-Queen's University Press eBooks, Feb 8, 2008
Imprinting Britain: newspapers, sociability, and the shaping of British North America
Choice Reviews Online, Oct 20, 2015
Printing presses were instrumental in creating and upholding a sense of community during the eigh... more Printing presses were instrumental in creating and upholding a sense of community during the eighteenth century. While the importance of print in the development of colonial America and the nascent United States is well-established, Imprinting Britain extends the historical discussion northward to explore the dynamic and interrelated world of newspapers, coffee houses, and theatre in the British imperial capitals of Halifax and Quebec City. Michael Eamon describes how an English-language colonial community coalesced around the printed word, establishing public spaces for colonists to propose, debate, and define their visions of an ideal society. Whereas American newspapers functioned as incubators of republican and revolutionary thought, their British North American counterparts featured a moderate discourse that rejected republicanism, favoured civic engagement, advocated liberty with propriety, extolled democracy under monarchy, promoted reason over superstition, and encouraged social criticism without revolution. The press also safeguarded against the uncertainties of colonial life by providing a steady stream of transatlantic news, literature, and fashion that helped construct a sense of Britishness in an environment rife with mixed loyalties. Imprinting Britain is the story of communities that turned to the press for a canon of British norms, literary touchstones, and Enlightenment-inspired ideas, which offered a blueprint for colonial growth and a sense of stability in an ever-changing, transatlantic milieu.
Imprinting Britain
Imprinting Britain
This dissertation will argue that, from the mid eighteenth-century introduction of printing press... more This dissertation will argue that, from the mid eighteenth-century introduction of printing presses in Halifax (1751) and Québec City (1764), printers, readers and print contributors informally coalesced around the newspapers and magazines produced in the British American capitals. This group was an eclectic mix of close friends, acquaintances and complete strangers of varied education, backgrounds and professions. Whether they realized it or not, print drew these individuals together, uniting them in their literacy and a shared belief in the power of the press to shape opinion, regulate behaviour and inspire action. The individuals who were drawn to the domestic press in the two colonial capitals can be considered as comprising a colonial print ascendancy. As we will see, some of the most active members of this print ascendancy appealed to the colonial press-and the British traditions it communicated-to create a cohesive vision of privileged, English-speaking conduct. Indeed, in both colonial capitals, those who envisaged and aspired to this elite conflated British gentility, literature and elevated sociability with civility and modernity. Print was not only used by some as a means of privileged sociability, it was also used to debate or promote the objectives of other select fora such as the theatre, coffee houses, clubs and societies. The domestic press forged social networks that lay claim to erudition and refined sociability believed requisite to colonial advancement. efforts in the microfilming and digitization of archival documents undertaken by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions (CIHM), Bob Huggins and Cold North Wind, the Champlain Society, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales de Québec and Library and Archives Canada. External financial assistance has been invaluable to the production of this work and I would like to acknowledge the generous funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for a Canada Graduate Scholarship (2005-2008), the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities for Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2008-2009) and to Queen's University for various internal scholarships including the Chambers and Rickerd awards. From the very start of my studies I had strong support from the Queen's history department. Yvonne Place, Cathy Dickison, Cindy Fehr, professors Andrew Jainchill,
Book Reviews/Comptes Rendus: The Western Medical Tradition 1800 to 2000 by W.F. Bynum, Anne Hardy, et al
British Philanthropists and the Imperial Imagination or The Case of the Canadians Distressed by Fire at Montreal
Canadian Historical Review, 2020
This article reconstructs the benevolent campaign mounted in London after the devastating Montrea... more This article reconstructs the benevolent campaign mounted in London after the devastating Montreal fire of 1765. Appealing to a greater sense of British identity, the trustees framed the French Canadian sufferers as “new subjects” entitled to both imperial benevolence and Christian charity. At the core of the subscription were notable London philanthropist Jonas Hanway and Marine Society peers John Thompson and Fowler Walker. Well versed in the mechanics of a successful charitable subscription, the trustees employed a familiar Georgian strategy using a robust print and coffeehouse campaign to solicit public support. However, the trustees overestimated the public’s acceptance of their construction of a “greater Britain” and underestimated the elevated political enmity towards the British American colonies in the era following the Seven Years’ War. A lack of donor interest compelled them to enlarge their efforts and shift away from newer charitable tactics, instead embracing more trad...
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Books by Michael J Eamon
of their construction of a “greater Britain” and underestimated the elevated political enmity towards the British American colonies in the era following the Seven Years’ War. A lack of donor interest compelled them to enlarge their efforts and shift away from newer charitable tactics, instead embracing more traditional avenues such as gaining the patronage of King George III and engaging the greater British public through parish fundraising. This case study highlights the complexities of transatlantic benevolence and its use to push the boundaries of British identity in the mid-eighteenth century.
Printing presses were instrumental in creating and upholding a sense of community during the eighteenth century. While the importance of print in the development of colonial America and the nascent United States is well-established, Imprinting Britain extends the historical discussion northward to explore the dynamic and interrelated world of newspapers, coffee houses, and theatre in the British imperial capitals of Halifax and Quebec City.
Michael Eamon describes how an English-language colonial community coalesced around the printed word, establishing public spaces for colonists to propose, debate, and define their visions of an ideal society. Whereas American newspapers functioned as incubators of republican and revolutionary thought, their British North American counterparts featured a moderate discourse that rejected republicanism, favoured civic engagement, advocated liberty with propriety, extolled democracy under monarchy, promoted reason over superstition, and encouraged social criticism without revolution. The press also safeguarded against the uncertainties of colonial life by providing a steady stream of transatlantic news, literature, and fashion that helped construct a sense of Britishness in an environment rife with mixed loyalties.
Imprinting Britain is the story of communities that turned to the press for a canon of British norms, literary touchstones, and Enlightenment-inspired ideas, which offered a blueprint for colonial growth and a sense of stability in an ever-changing, transatlantic milieu.
Peer-Reviewed Articles by Michael J Eamon
Public History & Popular Articles by Michael J Eamon
Papers by Michael J Eamon