Spain’s Forgotten Role in the American Revolution

Introduction In this interview: “So the politicians, the U.S. politicians at the time, were not very happy when Spain was victorious. They needed Spain to continue to be harassing the Brits in North America in order that those troops were not concentrated against them. But they did not want a victory from Spain.” Watch this […]

The American Revolution Myth We Learned Wrong

Introduction In this interview: “You had this thing called the Quartering Act, which forced soldiers into people’s homes, and Americans were so upset about it that they wrote the Third Amendment. That’s a very nice, easy story…. The story is wrong.” Watch this segment in the video below (07:33) Most Americans learned that the Quartering […]

The Bizarre Plot That Armed the American Revolution

Introduction In this interview: “What he doesn’t realize is that Bancroft is getting two salaries… one from Deane… and one from the British.” Watch this segment in the video below (00:24:59) Why did Benjamin Franklin send a Connecticut shopkeeper who spoke no French and had hardly traveled outside of Connecticut to France? How and why […]

First British Royalty to Visit the American Colonies

The First Member of the British Royalty to Visit the American Colonies One of the lesser-known episodes of the American Revolution involved the future William IV (r. 1830 to 1837), then known as Prince William Henry, who became the first and only member of Britain’s royal family to visit the American colonies. Arriving in British-occupied […]

The First Salute to America

For a fledgling nation fighting for its survival, any recognition of its sovereignty—however small and symbolic—becomes an important confirmation of its independence. And not surprisingly, for those who oppose that nascent nation’s independence, those very same gestures are viewed as potentially perilous steps toward full diplomatic recognition. That principle played out throughout the American Revolution. […]

Were Lexington and Concord Spontaneous? Rethinking April 19, 1775

April 19, 1775 was not a spontaneous uprising Did the of Battles of Lexington and Concord happen spontaneously? That’s what I learned in school. And I think that’s what most of us learned—if not explicitly, then through the way the story is told. From school, you probably remember Paul Revere’s Ride. The alarm spreading across […]

A Monarch Who Almost Abdicated During the American Revolution

The American Declaration of Independence lists 27 grievances against King George III. It portrays him as an all-powerful tyrant—or as Dr. Richard Bell puts it, “Nero, Richard III, and Attila the Hun all rolled into one.” But that image misses something important. Behind the posture of control, the American Revolution tormented and wounded the King […]

Continental Soldier Citizens – America’s People’s Army

Introduction “That equated to roughly 20% of the male population. That’s the highest percentage in American history. World War II, 12%.”  Watch this segment in the video below (01:04:22).  Militias existed. Local defense existed. So why did the Continental Congress create the Continental Army—only to limit its power? What was this army actually fighting for? […]

Why France Backed the American Revolution (And Got Nothing in Return)

Introduction In this interview: “Well, here’s the mindset of the French government. Coming out of the defeat, the humiliating, crushing defeat of the Seven Years’ War, the dominant mood in the French government among, really, the movers and shakers of that country is, really simple, revenge, revenge, revenge on England…. And the United States, North […]

Who Refused Britain’s Call for Troops in the American Revolution

Unlike the French, the Habsburgs and the Russians, the British Empire was predominantly a naval power. This was both its great strength and a persistent weakness. It was a strength because, well into early 20th century, no rival could match Britain’s command of the seas. Naval dominance meant control over global shipping lanes—the lifeblood of […]