The Real Story of the American Revolution 

Non-Military History of the American Revolution

New Hope in America 1600-1700	What did the early colonists hope to establish on this Continent?
Colonial Charters 1606-1754	What governance issues were the source of great turmoil in England during the formation of the colonies? What liberties were mentioned in the colonial charters?
Documents of Liberty 1100-1823	What books developed the concepts of liberty and discussed governance structures that would protect liberty?
Origins of Resistance 1700-1763	Why did the colonists decide to declare independence? During the French and Indian War (1754-63) George Washington and many other British colonists fought against the French army in America. How did this war change the relationship between Great Britain and the American colonies (excluding the new colonies of Canada and Florida)? Note: Fifteen years later (1778) France became the principal ally of the U.S., and for five years the French army fought alongside the Continental army against Great Britain.
Escalation of the Conflict 1764-1774	How did the interplay of colonial resistance and imperial determination progress to the final breakup into two warring camps?
Declaring Independence to Restore Liberties 1774-1776	With the odds so great against them, what words could express the issues and goals in such a clear and compelling way that a very diverse population would work together, thousands of people in hundreds of towns would contribute sons and taxes to the war, and military support from foreign powers would match that of Great Britain? The Declaration of Independence was only one of many persuasive documents.
Coordinating Governance 1776-1787: The Continental Congress; Early State Constitutions; State Presidents/ Governors; the Articles of Confederation	How did the states' initial constitutions differ from their royal charters? What document defined the roles of the states in the confederation during the Continental Congress prior to the adoption of the Articles of Confederation? Why did it take so long for Congress to adopt the Articles of Confederation? How did the Articles change the structure of governance? What did it say about individual liberties (rights)?
The U.S. Constitution and later State Constitutions 1787-1820	Why did Congress decide that a new governance structure was necessary? What were the principal issues for debate and resolution during the Constitutional Convention? How did the rights and responsibilities of the states change from the Articles of Confederation to the new Constitution? How did the states incorporate in their constitutions (a) the change in national structure from a confederation to a republic and (b) the Bill fo Rights?
Extending Liberty to Groups Originally Omitted 1820-1971	How have society and the U.S. Constitution changed since 1787 to acknowledge the voting rights ("sufferage") and other legal rights of groups that had originally been barred from participation in governance? People of African descent, women, youth below the age of 21, residents of purchased, captured, or ceded territories ("protectorates"), etc.
Brief Biographies of leaders in the fight for liberty	Who were the people who influenced and informed public opinion, represented the public interest, and managed the finances, governance, international relations, and military during the Revolution?
U.S .Social/Ethnic	What were the major social and ethnic groups in the United States during the Revolution? How did they participate? How did they benefit? This section includes Loyalists as well as the Indians and Canadians (both those who against U.S. independence and those who fought for it)
France / W3R	The kingdom of France was the only nation that extended diplomatic recognition to the United States during the Revolution. In what ways did France support the cause of the United States?
Spain	The kingdom of Spain did not extend diplomatic recognition to the United States until after the Revolution, but joined the fight against Great Britain because Spain was allied with France. How did the victories of Spainish armies help the cause of the United States?
Others in Europe	How did the other kingdoms of Europe respond to the declaration of U.S. independence and U.S. requests for assistance? Included are people from the Germanic states -- both those who fought for Great Britain and those who fought for France.
Anecdotes of Liberty	How was the spirit of independence and the courage to fight for liberty passed on to adults and children through oral tradition?
Bibliography, Annotated      Reference Resources	What resources were consulted in creating "The Real Story of the American Revolution"? What are some of the best scholarly treatises, history text, and articles available for further study?

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