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American RevolutionThe American Revolution (1765-89) was a period of political upheaval in Great Britain's 13 North American colonies. It culminated in a seven-year war, the Declaration of Independence, and the formation of the world's earliest modern republic through the US Constitution.
The conflict came during the Age of Enlightenment, a century-long intellectual movement emphasizing reason over tradition and authority. Delegates at the Second Continental Congress framed critiques of British actions as violations of universal human rights and laws. Such principles would form the basis of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Independence forced the Americans to develop their own system of government, first with the Articles of Confederation, whose lack of tax power and weak central authority led to a more robust US Constitution in 1789—and inspired independence movements around the world.Explore American Revolution
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Watch how the Stamp Act in 1765 sparked the American RevolutionThe reaction to the first direct tax on colonists prompted the second-ever colonial congress and a broad boycott of British goods. It also gave birth to the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, the congress's document articulating the "no taxation without representation" stance. The act's passage was a major stepping stone to revolution. PBSWatch Ken Burns' documentary series on the American RevolutionIn "The American Revolution," filmmaker Ken Burns presents the conflict as both a global war and a civil war, telling its story through the lives of soldiers, civilians, enslaved people, Native nations, and international allies. PBSA virtual tour of Philadelphia’s American Revolution MuseumPhiladelphia’s Old City hosts one of the largest museums on the American Revolution. This virtual tour allows you to view the museum’s exhibits as if you were there by zooming in on descriptions, browsing images, and learning about artifacts, portraits, and more. Museum of the American RevolutionThe American Revolution became a template for a colonized worldThe robust and radical transformation during the American Revolution created a template for dozens of future independence movements. Its key ideas of republicanism, individualism, and equality inspired revolutions in France, Haiti, Ireland, and more, paving the way for the broadly democratic world we know today. HistoryDebunking myths about the American RevolutionThe history of the American Revolution and the establishment of democracy are proudly taught in the US, but a number of incorrect details continue to be circulated. This article debunks some of the myths that persist in the public consciousness, like the idea that the war was solely driven by taxes or that Paul Revere was the only rider warning the rebels about the British. History FactsSpies of the American RevolutionWho was Nathan Hale? Who were Knowlton’s Rangers? Learn more in this overview by the US government. Intelligence.govThe American Revolution: your guide to the 18th century war of independenceHow close did the British come to winning? When did the French intervene? Read this article to learn more. HistoryExtraRoosevelt resigned from a prominent women's organization after it barred a Black singer from performingWhen the Daughters of the American Revolution refused to allow Marian Anderson to perform at their Washington hall in 1939 because she was Black, Roosevelt publicly cut ties with the group. She worked to arrange an alternative outdoor concert for Anderson at the Lincoln Memorial, which drew a crowd of 75,000. EBSCOAn interactive map of 250 American places worth visiting before you dieThe Smithsonian created ten categories of landmarks—from history and food to oddball Americana and architecture—to enrich your celebration of America's semiquincentennial. You can sort by region or category, see a map of each location, and learn each spot's significance in a clean, aesthetic user interface. Smithsonian MagazineRead the resolutions of the Stamp Act CongressAdopted October 19, 1765, the resolutions argued that taxation without colonial consent violated the British constitution, that admiralty courts without juries subverted English liberties, and that paying the tax in hard currency was practically impossible. Each grievance was framed not as rebellion but as a defense of rights the colonists already believed they possessed. Teaching American HistoryThe Stamp Act's real purpose was protecting colonists from Native AmericansThe troops the act funded weren't left in America to guard against France, but to manage the aftermath of Pontiac's Rebellion and keep the peace between colonists and Indigenous nations. Some historians argue this means Native American resistance to British expansion indirectly triggered the tax that sparked the Revolution. National Endowment for the HumanitiesFew actual Stamp Act stamps survived, as colonists destroyed nearly all of them in protest
The elaborate stamp bore royal symbols and the word "America" and was printed in Britain and shipped to the colonies to be sold by government officials. Protests erupted in nearly every colony before it could take effect, often violently targeting stamp collectors. American Revolution MuseumThe Stamp Act Congress made 'no taxation without representation' into a constitutional argumentThe 1765 gathering of 27 delegates from nine colonies at New York's Federal Hall produced the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, which asserted that colonists could only be taxed by their own elected representatives. The document codified the principle that would define the road to revolution. National Constitution CenterA timeline of the Stamp Act crisis from the view of Colonial WilliamsburgColonial Williamsburg's timeline situates the act within the local political culture of Virginia: colonists accustomed to taxing themselves through their own representatives in Williamsburg's House of Burgesses were outraged that Parliament could reach into their pockets from across the ocean. The timeline also covers Patrick Henry's proposed "Resolves," which prompted shouts of "treason" from his co-legislators, as well as commemorative objects (buttons, teapots) that followed the repeal. Colonial WilliamsburgJefferson's Fossils - JSTOR Daily JSTOR DailyMarshall served in the Continental army under WashingtonBefore his judicial career, Marshall served in a Virginia regiment during the American Revolution, rising to the rank of captain. He fought at Brandywine and Monmouth, endured the winter at Valley Forge, and developed a personal connection with Gen. George Washington. George Washington's Mount VernonWashington, DC, was designed by French-born architect Pierre L'EnfantPierre Charles L'Enfant was an engineer who fought in the American Revolution. George Washington chose him to design the capital for his military service, artistic training, and vision of a monumental national city. CBS Sunday MorningEmanuel Leutze's painting 'Washington Crossing the Delaware' is one of the defining images of the Revolutionary WarThe scene depicts George Washington leading Continental forces across the icy Delaware River on Christmas Day, 1776, enabling a surprise attack on British-paid mercenary troops at Trenton. This risky maneuver revived the revolution after months of defeat. American Revolution InstituteGovernments have historically used counterfeiting for economic warfareInserting fake currency into an economy can help destabilize it. During the American Revolution, for instance, the British distributed counterfeit “Continental Dollars” in an effort to devalue the currency being used in the US at the time with the goal of undermining America’s growing financial credibility. The Nazis also ran an extensive counterfeiting scheme during WWII. Berlin ExperiencesThe Wrights descended from English-born migrants to Boston in the 1630sSamuel Wright was a Puritan who arrived in Massachusetts just two decades after the Pilgrims. His great-great-grandson Daniel Wright, born in Connecticut in 1757, fought in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, seeing action at the Battle of Saratoga. National Air and Space MuseumRevolutionary War reenactments have taken place for centuriesThe first known reenactment of the war occurred in 1778, while the war was still ongoing. A journal entry from a lieutenant colonel in the Continental Army remarked that soldiers had commemorated a “Glorious victory obtained over the British” at Saratoga with “a Grand sham fight.” The AtlanticThe Americans abandoned Philadelphia to the British in 1777While George Washington's army was encamped in Valley Forge, the British took over the capital of Philadelphia (and the colonies, at the time), including Ben Franklin's house. It wouldn't last long. This is one of a series of podcast episodes exploring the war's battles. Key Battles of the Revolutionary War'The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.'- Former President Theodore Roosevelt's (1858–1919) Theodore Roosevelt CenterReflections on the Erie Canal’s 200-year historyReflections on the Erie Canal traces the waterway from its 1825 opening to its evolving role today. Each short video in this 10-part series explores a different aspect of the canal and its legacy today. PBSThe canal carried germs as well as goodsIn 1832, North America’s first cholera epidemic spread inland by way of the Erie Canal, carried by immigrants arriving on ships. Fearful towns barred passengers from disembarking, yet cholera, smallpox, and other diseases still traveled the waterway. Smithsonian MagazineLocal limestone made waterproof cement for the Erie CanalIn 1818, engineer Canvass White discovered that limestone near Chittenango, New York, could be processed into hydraulic (or waterproof) cement. This breakthrough replaced costly European imports, enabling watertight locks and aqueducts and revolutionizing American construction. The Linda Hall LibraryThe first Boston Marathon was held the next yearIn 1897, the manager of the US Olympic team organized the first Boston Marathon, which featured a field of 15 runners. The race took place on Patriots Day, a holiday commemorating the first battles of the American Revolution. Boston Athletic AssociationExplore the social and cultural history of the Mexican-American WarHistorian Peter Guardino joins host Don Wildman to explore how the war shaped ordinary lives on both sides of the border. Drawing from The Dead March, the episode reveals how culture, class, and ideology shaped the conflict and its consequences. American History HitThe Compromise of 1850 tried to settle disputes over land gained from MexicoTerritory acquired in the Mexican-American War reignited fierce debates over slavery’s expansion. The Compromise of 1850 aimed to ease tensions by admitting California as a free state and letting other territories decide the issue—but the compromise ultimately failed and helped pave the way to the Civil War. Encyclopedia BritannicaThe inventor of fantasy football first experimented with two other sports In the mid-1950s, Wilfred “Bill” Winkenbach, a part-owner of the Oakland Raiders, concocted two fantasy sports games: one for Major League Baseball and one for the Professional Golfers’ Association. In 1962, he invented fantasy football alongside two writers from the Oakland Tribune. The Partitions of Poland led to the erasure of the Polish-Lithuanian CommonwealthPolitical instability and foreign interference weakened the Commonwealth, which was eventually divided between Prussia, Austria, and Russia. Poland would not be re-established until after World War I and decades of imperial oppression. The Ohio State UniversityJoe DiMaggio's hitting streak cost him a sponsorship deal with HeinzThe ketchup company promised the Yankees player $10,000 if he reached 57 hits to match the number on its iconic labels. When he snapped the streak, it was just one hit shy, at 56. HISTORYThe national debt is the total amount the US government owes its creditorsThis US Treasury page explains what the national debt is, how it accumulates from annual deficits, and why rising debt can affect interest costs, fiscal flexibility, and long-term economic stability. Treasury.govThe Declaration was a calculated appeal for foreign alliesThis article argues that the Declaration of Independence wasn’t just a statement of separation from Britain. It was a strategic message aimed at France and Spain, designed to secure military support against the far stronger British Empire. Smithsonian MagazineHear about the Enlightenment origins of the Declaration's ideasThis podcast examines the Enlightenment thinkers and earlier political texts that influenced the Declaration, demonstrating how Jefferson built upon existing ideas rather than inventing them wholesale. My Constitution PodcastMartin Luther King Jr. invoked the Declaration to demand equalityThis article examines how Martin Luther King Jr. drew on the language and ideals of the Declaration of Independence to frame the Civil Rights Movement as a continuation of the nation’s founding promises. Museum of the American RevolutionMeet the 56 signers and see their original signaturesThis online exhibit from the Daughters of the American Revolution presents a visual slideshow of all 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, pairing portraits and biographies with photographs of their handwritten signatures. Daughters of the American RevolutionThe Declaration was also a list of grievancesThis article breaks down the Declaration’s 27 grievances against King George III, illustrating how they were intended not only to express colonial anger but also to justify rebellion and garner support abroad. HISTORYBen Franklin’s edit helped define the Declaration’s philosophyWhen Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration, he wrote that its truths were “sacred and undeniable.” Benjamin Franklin urged replacing that phrase with “self-evident,” grounding the document in reason rather than religious authority and sharpening its Enlightenment logic. PBSSee a timeline of the Declaration's creationThis National Archives timeline walks through the Declaration’s creation step by step—from early calls for independence to drafting, approval, and final signatures—highlighting the key moments that led to the Colonies’ break from Britain. National ArchivesWhat the Declaration actually says and how to see itThis official page from the National Archives breaks down the Declaration of Independence in plain English, explaining its purpose, key ideas, and grievances against King George III. It also shows how the document was created and where it’s displayed today. National ArchivesWhitman revolutionized American poetryWhitman was a groundbreaking force in American literature, legitimizing the national idiom, capturing the spirit of the evolving country, and inspiring younger generations of writers for centuries to follow. BiographyWhy roller coaster loops are never circular The beloved looped roller coaster rides used to be shapes as perfect circles and constructed with wood, resulting in wobbly machinery that gave people whiplash. After the invention of steel and further scientific understanding, Six Flags debuted The Great American Revolution—a modern, oval loop with steel that offered a safer and smoother experience. VoxThe Founders placed the pursuit of happiness at the center of good governanceThis podcast explores the central place happiness played in the American founding, highlighting the influence of Greek and Roman moral philosophy on the founders’ constitutional ideas. Ben Franklin's WorldOpposition to British taxes, regulation of trade was key to American independenceThe economic situation in the colonies formed the backbone of the central events of the Revolution. British war debts caused it to lay the first direct taxes on colonists, cease their westward expansion claims, and adhere to stringent trade regulations, leading to backlash and eventual separation. Economic History AssociationThe causes of American rebellion were multifacetedBritish taxes on colonists to pay for the French and Indian War were just one element. Thousands of miles of separation between London and the Colonies, expanding territories, a distinct Colonial identity, and political conflicts combined to prompt the Revolution. World History EncyclopediaWalter Camp revolutionized American FootballWhen Walter Camp was introduced to the game of football in the late 1800s, the rules weren’t set, the field wasn’t uniform, and the game was brutal. Camp joined early rules committees and was instrumental in shaping the modern game. Read this deep dive into Camp’s early life and influences, and find out how he established the line of scrimmage and the series of downs. Connecticut ExploredPeggy Shippen, Benedict Arnold's wife, was the highest-paid spy of the RevolutionFew names conjure up the idea of betrayal more than Benedict Arnold, the notorious American military officer who was caught attempting to hand over West Point to the British during the Revolutionary War. This podcast episode dives into the key role his wife, wealthy spy Peggy Shippen, played in the plot. Significant OthersHow were Black Americans affected by the Revolutionary War?Explore the stories of five Black Americans in wartorn Virginia in this interactive by the Museum of the American Revolution. Museum of the American RevolutionThe American War of Independence included over 1,500 military engagementsSeveral hundred of these were major battles like Yorktown, Saratoga, and Bunker’s Hill. This interactive map shows the locations of key locations of the conflict, highlighting major factors in each battle and their outcome. American Battlefield Trust
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