A Factious People -- Contents -- I. Some Problems in Colonial New York History -- 1. Carl Becker's View of Colonial New York -- 2. The New York "Aristocracy": A Problem of Definition -- 3. Political Factionalism: A "divided" and "contentious" People -- 4. "As the twig is bent ..." -- 5. "Who should rule at home"? -- II. Settlement and Expansion -- 1. "A mixture of Nations" -- 2. Local Government: A Random Growth -- 3. The "City-State" of Albany -- 4. The "Albany Spirit" -- III. Economic Interests and Political Contentions -- 1. The Merchant Interest -- 2. The Landed Interest -- 3. The Backdrop: The Leislerian Upheaval-Fiscal Policies -- 4. Politics and Governor Hunter: 1710-1719 -- 5. Politics and Governor Burnet: 1720-1727 -- 6. Shifting Patterns: 1728-1731 -- IV. The Morris-Cosby Dispute: A Political and Constitutional Crisis -- 1. The Resurgence of Parties: Governor Cosby and the Van Dam Affair -- 2. A Twofold Strategy: The Founding of Zenger's New-York Weekly Journal -- the Westchester Election of 1733 -- 3. A Flanking Maneuver: Lewis Morris in London -- Petitions in New York -- 4. A Crisis of Identity in the Making -- V. James DeLancey, Anglo-American: The Politics of New York at Mid-Century -- 1. Building an Anglo-American "Interest" -- 2. James DeLancey versus Governor George Clinton -- 3. Governor Clinton Builds a Party: 1748-1752 -- 4. Henry Beekman and the Politics of Dutchess County -- 5. James DeLancey Becomes Acting Governor of New York -- VI. New York's Land System: Problems and Opportunities -- 1. Problems of Interpretation and Definition -- 2. Legal and Economic Aspects of the Great Patents -- 3. A Favorable View of Tenancy -- 4. The Causes of Agrarian Unrest -- 5. A "Drove of Banditt Rovers" -- 6. The Riots of 1766 -- 7. Some Considerations -- VII. Politics, The "Universal Topick": 1765-1770 -- 1. The Parties Take Shape.

2. On Party Labels -- 3. The Election of 1768 -- 4. Party Conflicts in the Assembly: 1768 -- 5. The Election of 1769 -- 6. Assembly Maneuvers: 1769 -- 7. Alexander McDougall and "the grand Cause of America" -- VIII. Ideology and Politics: A Concluding Note -- Appendix A: Genealogies -- Appendix B: English Governors of New York -- Appendix C: Representatives in the Colonial Assembly -- Appendix D: Council of the Colony of New York -- Bibliography -- Index.