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Read the Revolution

A curated collection of thought-provoking books about the American Revolution.

Featured Books

The Marquis: Lafayette Reconsidered

Read an excerpt from Laura Auricchio's book The Marquis: Lafayette Reconsidered.

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One Minute A Free Woman

Read an excerpt from Emilie Piper and David Levinson's book, One Minute A Free Woman: Elizabeth Freeman and the Struggle for Freedom.

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The Bill of Obligations

Read an excerpt from Richard Haass's book, The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens.

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The Contagion of Liberty

Read an excerpt from Andrew M. Wehrman's book, The Contagion of Liberty: The Politics of Smallpox in the American Revolution.

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An American Triumph

Read an excerpt from Tom Hand's book, An American Triumph: America’s Founding Era Through the Lives of Ben Franklin, George Washington, and John Adams.

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    This image shows the book cover for The Marquis: Lafayette Reconsidered with a large side profile portrait of Lafayette looking to the left with a blue to red gradient tint.
    This image shows the book cover for One Minute A Free Woman with the title in large navy blue serif font over script writing on beige paper.
    This image shows the book cover for The Bill of Obligations with black text on a cream background and an American flag sown back together with a needle and thread in the center.
    This image shows the book cover for The Contagion of Liberty featuring the book title large in blue and white font over a brown beige background on the top half with an engraving of a crowd of people getting vaccinated against smallpox.
    The book cover for Tom Hand's An American Triumph features an image of the iconic painting of Georg Washington crossing the Delaware River.

    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 111–120 of 204 items
    Paul Revere's Ride book cover
    History

    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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    Philadelphia: A 300-Year History book cover
    History

    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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    This image depicts the cover of Plain Honest Men: The Making of the American Constitution by Richard Beeman. The title of the book is written in the middle with a red background. The top of the book covers shows a black illustrated eagle with a white background. The bottom image is of the Founding Fathers and is in color.
    History

    Plain, Honest Men

    Posted: July 28, 2021
    Read an excerpt from Richard Beeman's book, Plain, Honest Men: The Making of the American Constitution.
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    This image depicts the cover of Power and Liberty: Constitutionalism in the American Revolution by Gordon S. Wood. The top of the cover is an image of the Founding Fathers, most of them standing and pointing at one another, in the midst of conversation. The bottom half of the cover is the title of the book, which is written in blue and red colors.
    History

    Power and Liberty

    Posted: October 20, 2021
    Read an excerpt from Gordon S. Wood's new book, Power and Liberty: Constitutionalism in the American Revolution.
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    Cover for Norman Donoghue's book Prisoner's of Congress which features a blue illustration of the top of Independence Hall atop the book title in blue over a beige background.
    History

    Prisoners of Congress

    Posted: October 25, 2023
    Read an excerpt from Norman E. Donoghue II's book, Prisoners of Congress: Philadelphia’s Quakers in Exile, 1777-1778.
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    Reading List Cities Book Cover
    History

    Reading List: The Role of Cities in the American Revolution

    Posted: June 17, 2020
    Check out nine suggested readings from our collection of Read the Revolution book excerpts addressing the role of cities in the American Revolution.
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    Rebels Rising Book Cover
    History

    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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    Two ships on the cover of a took titled Rebels at Sea
    History

    Rebels at Sea

    Posted: June 22, 2022
    Read an excerpt from Eric Jay Dolin's book, Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution.
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    Remarkable Women New England Book Cover
    History

    Remarkable Women of New England

    Posted: August 18, 2020
    This excerpt from Carole Owens explores women’s various roles and responsibilities between 1754 and 1787, including those of laborers and business owners.
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    Renegade Revolutionary Book Cover
    History

    Renegade Revolutionary

    Posted: June 03, 2014
    This excerpt from Phillip Papas shows the tension building between George Washington and General Charles Lee and their very different military ideologies.
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