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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 205 items
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Washington's Spies

Posted: March 16, 2016
This excerpt from Alexander Rose describes the establishment of the Culper Ring and the risks involved with eighteenth century espionage
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The Road to Guilford Courthouse

Posted: March 02, 2016
This excerpt from John Buchanan examines not only the battlefield strategy made in the Carolinas, but also the military careers of the major characters
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Forging Freedom

Posted: February 17, 2016
Read this excerpt from Gary Nash that details generations of free blacks as they pursued a secure and dignified existence based on self-employment.
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Black Patriots and Loyalists Book Cover

Black Patriots and Loyalists

Posted: February 08, 2016
This excerpt from Alan Gilbert details the creation of one of one of the most distinguished regiments comprised of both white and black soldiers.
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West of the Revolution

Posted: January 20, 2016
Read this excerpt from Claudio Saunt to learn about an ambitious, yet illegal under British law, land scheme to settle a fourteenth colony on the West Coast.
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Liberty's Exiles Original book cover

Liberty's Exiles

Posted: January 06, 2016
This excerpt from Maya Jasanoff illustrates exiled loyalists' experience and what it meant as an American colonist returning to Great Britain after defeat
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Thomas Paine : Collected Writings : Common Sense / The Crisis / Rights of Man / The Age of Reason / Pamphlets, Articles, and Letters book cover

The American Crisis

Posted: December 23, 2015
Read an excerpt from Thomas Paine's collected writings, including the first in his pamphlet series published on December 19, 1776.
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Forged in Philadelphia

Posted: November 18, 2015
Read an excerpt from Rebecca Eckfeldt Gibby's children's book where she uncovers the history of her Revolutionary-era ancestor from Philadelphia.
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Our Declaration: A Reading of the Declaration of Independence in Defense of Equality book cover

Our Declaration

Posted: October 27, 2015
This excerpt from Danielle Allen examines the Declaration of Independence, the document’s relevance today, and the relationship between freedom and equality
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Epic Journeys of Freedom book cover

Epic Journeys of Freedom

Posted: October 14, 2015
Read this excerpt from Cassandra Pybus that personalizes the wartime stories of black men and women who fled their American masters to seek freedom.
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