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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 151–160 of 199 items
The Counter-Revolution of 1776 Book Cover

The Counter-Revolution of 1776

Posted: February 27, 2019
This excerpt from Gerald Horne demonstrates how the Revolution reinvigorated the slave trade and subsequently bore a counter-revolution of slavery.
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Book cover for Wayne Lee's The Cutting-Off Way.

The Cutting-Off Way

Posted: September 27, 2023
Read an excerpt from Wayne E. Lee's new book, The Cutting-Off Way: Indigenous Warfare in Eastern North America, 1500–1800.
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The Dawn of Detroit by Tiya Miles

The Dawn of Detroit

Posted: February 10, 2021
Read an excerpt from Tiya Miles' recent book, The Dawn of Detroit: A Chronicle of Slavery and Freedom in the City of the Straits.
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The Day the American Revolution Began Book Cover

The Day the American Revolution Began

Posted: April 12, 2017
In this excerpt from military historian William H. Hallahan he recounts April 19, 1775, the Day the American Revolution Began.
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The Declaration of Independence Book Cover

The Declaration of Independence

Posted: June 22, 2016
This excerpt by David Armitage examines how the Declaration of Independence became a political and philosophical model for nations across the globe.
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 Rtr The Disaffected

The Disaffected

Posted: September 25, 2019
Read an excerpt from Aaron Sullivan's book, The Disaffected: Britain’s Occupation of Philadelphia during the American Revolution.
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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 Expanding Blaze book cover

The Expanding Blaze

Posted: March 14, 2018
This excerpt from Jonathan Israel investigates radical ideas of self-government, liberty, and republicanism that challenged the Old World institutions.
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The First Congress Book Cover

The First Congress

Posted: July 06, 2016
Read this excerpt from Fergus Bordewich that covers the debates over Alexander Hamilton’s financial plan to the simple question of how we address the president.
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The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn Book Cover

The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn

Posted: September 13, 2017
This excerpt from Robert Watson weaves together details of the horrifying conditions experienced aboard the HMS Jersey during the American Revolutionary.
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