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About

Curated by Museum staff since 2013, Read the Revolution features excerpts from thought-provoking books about the American Revolution. Read the Revolution was created with thanks to a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Subscribe to get the biweekly Read the Revolution featured excerpts emailed right to your inbox for free.

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Speaker Series

Inspired by the Read the Revolution featured excerpts, the Read the Revolution Speaker Series brings celebrated authors and historians to the Museum for lively, facilitated discussions of their work. Each Read the Revolution Speaker Series program, hosted by Museum President & CEO Dr. R. Scott Stephenson, includes a special talk and audience Q&A.

About the Series

All Books

Showing 171–180 of 206 items
Philadelphia: A 300-Year History book cover

Philadelphia

Posted: May 12, 2015
This excerpt from a multitude of authors shows how the events of 1776 led an uneasy population to shore up their defenses and eventually flee.
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Paul Revere's Ride book cover

Paul Revere's Ride

Posted: April 07, 2015
This excerpt from David Hackett Fischer delves into Paul Revere's history as well as the tumultuous world he lived in, and highlights that fateful day.
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The American Plate Book Cover

The American Plate

Posted: March 10, 2015
Read this excerpt from Libby O'Connell's The American Plate about the role patriotism played in leading us towards our now ubiquitous coffee culture.
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Rebels Rising Book Cover

Rebels Rising

Posted: February 24, 2015
This excerpt from Benjamin Carp explains the role of colonial meeting spaces as opinions of everyday people gained increasing political influence.
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This image shows the book cover of The Age of Homespun: Objects and Stories in the Creation of An American Myth by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. The cover shows a stitching of a man and woman fishing on the banks of a river. In the background, there is a large house on hills.

Age of Homespun

Posted: February 10, 2015
Read an excerpt from Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s telling of the importance of women's patriotism during the boycotting of British goods.
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Image Rtr A Devil Of A Whipping

Battle of Cowpens

Posted: January 20, 2015
This excerpt from Lawrence Babits transports us to 1781, when Americans finally achieved victory at the Battle of Cowpens after a series of southern losses.
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Image Rtr Common Sense

Common Sense

Posted: January 06, 2015
This excerpt comes from the section "Thoughts on the Present State of American Affairs" from Common Sense, the influential pamphlet by Thomas Paine.
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The Secret Six book cover

The Secret Six

Posted: December 31, 2014
This excerpt from authors Kilmeade and Yaeger shows George Washington's use of intelligence and counterintelligence, including Culper Spy Ring
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Image Rtr The Divided Ground

The Divided Ground

Posted: November 18, 2014
Read this excerpt from Alan Taylor that tells of an important ally in the American Revolution: the Oneida Nation, a nation of the Iroquois Confederacy.
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The American Revolution: A Historical Guidebook book cover

The American Revolution: A Historical Guidebook

Posted: October 21, 2014
This excerpt from Frances H. Kennedy describes more than 100 landmarks from the American Revolution in the chronology of their importance to the war.
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