Further thoughts on ‘America is Lost!’

Dr. Angel Luke O’Donnell, Teaching Fellow in North American History, King’s College London

The ‘America is Lost!’ piece was a short essay written by George III reviewing the causes and effects of the American Revolution. It potentially provides a fascinating insight into the thoughts of King George about the future of the British Empire after the loss of America; however, researchers need to be cautious about how they approach the essay. The words of the essay substantively replicate a published essay by Arthur Young, a leading British agricultural theorist who shared George’s passion for improving farming techniques. Therefore, before analysing the language of the piece, we must first determine why Young’s words appear in the handwriting of the King.

Read more of Dr. O’Donnell’s interpretation of the “America is Lost!” essay on the King’s College London blog, where it was first published.