This book investigates the historical origins and gradual maturation of a distinct American identity and patriotic sentiment during the colonial era. Carl and Jessica Bridenbaugh, both established historians of the American colonial period, utilize a wide array of primary source documents, including colonial newspapers, diaries, and public records, to construct their argument. They posit that the ideological foundations of the American Revolution were not sudden developments but were the culmination of over a century of evolving social, political, and cultural integration among the disparate colonies.

Historians frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the pre-revolutionary social landscape of the American colonies. The prose is noted for its academic rigor and its focus on the intellectual evolution of the colonial population prior to the outbreak of war.