William Hogeland is one of my all-time favorite guests on PA Books. In "Founding Finance" he tells how America's early economic system was established. It's a lot more interesting than it sounds.

Hogeland writes about the little-remembered election of May 1776 in which Pennsylvanians elected a General Assembly that was anti-independence and how, between then an July 4, mobs in Philadelphia overthrew the elected government and installed a pro-independence assembly. Without that coup, Pennsylvania might not have supported independence.

It's a fascinating story.

Hogeland has also appeared on PA Books for "The Whiskey Rebellion" and "Declaration," both fascinating books.