Read the Revolution

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

Featured Books

Female Genius

Read an excerpt from Mary Sarah Bilder's book, Female Genius: Eliza Harriot and George Washington at the Dawn of the Constitution.

King Hancock

Read an excerpt from Brooke Barbier's book, King Hancock: The Radical Influence of a Moderate Founding Father.

Witness to Revolution Exhibit Reading List

See five books recommended by the Museum that explore key people connected to George Washington’s tent and were critical to researching and constructing the exhibition.

The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley

Read an excerpt from David Waldstreicher's book, The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley: A Poet’s Journeys Through American Slavery and Independence.

Brothers in Liberty

Read an excerpt from Phillip Thomas Tucker's book, Brothers in Liberty: The Forgotten Story of the Free Black Haitians Who Fought for American Independence.

Book cover for Female Genius written in a wavy font across the bottom third features Columbia holding the American flag.

Book cover for King Hancock book featuring a large portrait of John Hancock's face with the title King Hancock in gold and Hancock written in his famous signature.

Introductory wall panel in the Witness to Revolution special exhibit with white text on a red background.

Cover for David Waldstreicher's book The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley with the book title and author name in bold black font against an orange background with a colorized version of Phillis Wheatley's portrait in the center.

Book cover for Brothers in Liberty features the book title in yellow on a red background in the middle of the cover with the subtitle right below in white.

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

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History

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.

History

The American Revolution

Posted: October 08, 2013

Read this excerpt of a letter by Benedict Arnold 'to the Inhabitants of America' that reveals the ideological shift he experienced over the course of war.

History

The American Revolution

Posted: August 26, 2014

This excerpt from Gordon Wood shows how the ideals of 'republicanism' influenced the governments being formed at the start of the Revolutionary War.

History

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.

History

The Battle for the Fourteenth Colony

Posted: January 14, 2014

This excerpt from Mark Anderson reveals the beginnings of the Quebec Campaign when colonists were trying to bring Canada into the Continental confederation

History

The Boston Massacre

Posted: March 11, 2020

Read an excerpt of Serena Zabin's The Boston Massacre: A Family History.

History

The British Are Coming

Posted: December 22, 2021

Read an excerpt from Rick Atkinson's book, The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777.

History

The Burning of His Majesty’s Schooner Gaspee

Posted: October 25, 2017

This excerpt from Steven Park tells how a group of colonial protestors captured and burned a British naval schooner a year before the Boston Tea Party.

History

The Common Cause

Posted: December 27, 2017

This excerpt from Robert Parkinson explores the creation of a common cause to rally colonists from South Carolina to Massachusetts against a common enemy.

History

The Compleat Victory

Posted: September 14, 2022

Read an excerpt from Kevin J. Weddle's The Compleat Victory: Saratoga and the American Revolution.

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