Robert Morris: Financier of the American Revolution - Paperback

Robert Morris: Financier of the American Revolution

This biography by Charles Rappleye, acclaimed author and winner of the 2007 George Washington Book Prize for Sons of Providence, recovers the story of Robert Morris—the man who financed George Washington's armies and made the American Revolution possible.

From Apprentice to Revolutionary Leader

Robert Morris began his life in the colonies as an apprentice in a counting house. Through business acumen and determination, he became a wealthy merchant and commercial leader in Philadelphia by the time of the Revolution. His transformation from tradesman to one of the most powerful figures in revolutionary America demonstrates the opportunities and challenges of the founding era.

Financing the Revolution

Morris organized a clandestine trading network to arm American rebels and joined the Second Continental Congress. His financial support proved decisive at critical moments—he financed George Washington's forces at Valley Forge and funded the culminating battle at Yorktown that defeated Cornwallis and ended the war. Without Morris's financial backing, Washington's armies might not have survived.

Building America's Economic Foundation

As leader of a faction that included Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and George Washington, Morris ran the executive branches of the revolutionary government for years. A man of prodigious energy and adroit management skills, he was the most successful businessman on the continent. He laid the foundation for public credit and free capital markets that helped establish America as a global economic leader.

Political Enemies and Personal Downfall

Morris's wealth and influence made him powerful enemies who considered him a danger to public virtue in a democratic society. After his public service, he gambled on land speculations that failed, landing him in debtors prison where George Washington, his loyal friend, visited him. This once wealthy and powerful founding father ended his life in modest circumstances.

Restoring a Founding Father's Legacy

Charles Rappleye restores Robert Morris's rightful place as a patriot and immensely important founding father. This biography reveals how Morris's financial genius and political leadership were essential to American independence and the nation's early economic development.

About the Author: Charles Rappleye is an award-winning investigative journalist and editor who has written extensively on American history. His works include Sons of Providence: The Brown Brothers, the Slave Trade, and the American Revolution and Herbert Hoover in the White House: The Ordeal of the Presidency.