Revolution & Founding

Benjamin Franklin is the founding father who winks at us - an ambitious urban entrepreneur who rose up the social ladder, from leather-aproned shopkeeper to dining with kings....

Historians have long told the story of America’s birth as the triumph of Jefferson’s democratic ideals over the aristocratic intentions of Hamilton....

From National Book Award winner Ron Chernow, a landmark biography of George Washington....

The first book to appear in the illustrious Oxford History of the United States, this critically-acclaimed volume - a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize - offers an unsurpassed history of the Revolutionary War and the birth of the American republic....

In The Year of Living Constitutionally, A.J. Jacobs tries to get inside the minds of the Founding Fathers by living as closely as possible to the original meaning of the Constitution....

The must-have companion to Bill O'Reilly's historical docudrama Legends and Lies: The Patriots, an exciting and eye-opening look at the Revolutionary War through the lives of its leaders....

The number one New York Times best seller by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough rediscovers an important chapter in the American story that's "as resonant today as ever" (The Wall Street Journal) - the settling of the Northwest Territory....

Killing England chronicles the path to independence in gripping detail, taking the listener from the battlefields of America to the royal courts of Europe....

An illuminating study of the intertwined lives of the founders of the American republic - Adams, Burr, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Madison, and Washington....

President of the National Constitution Center Jeffrey Rosen examines what “the pursuit of happiness” meant to our nation’s Founders and how that famous phrase defined their lives and became the foundation of our democracy....

From the massively popular podcaster and New York Times best-selling author comes the story of the Marquis de Lafayette's lifelong quest to protect the principles of democracy, told through the lens of the three revolutions he participated in....

Alexander Hamilton has become a global celebrity. Millions know his name and imagine knowing the man. But what did he really want for the country? What risks did he run in pursuing those vaulting ambitions? Who tried to stop him? How did they fight?

The explosive true saga of the legendary figure Daniel Boone and the bloody struggle for America's frontier by two best-selling authors at the height of their writing power - Bob Drury and Tom Clavin....

A sweeping narrative ranging from the unsettled early American frontier and the battlefields of the Revolution to the history-making clashes within Philadelphia’s Independence Hall....

In The Words That Made Us, Akhil Reed Amar unites history and law in a vivid narrative of the biggest constitutional questions early Americans confronted, and he expertly assesses the answers they offered....

Stacy Schiff brings her masterful skill as historian and storyteller to the life of Samuel Adams, examining his transformation from the listless, failing son of a wealthy family into the tireless, silver-tongued revolutionary....

The American Revolution is often portrayed as a high-minded, orderly event whose capstone, the Constitution, provided the ideal framework for a democratic, prosperous nation....

Rick Atkinson recounts the first 21 months of America’s violent war for independence, from the battles at Lexington and Concord in spring 1775 to those at Trenton and Princeton in winter 1777....

From the best-selling author of Washington’s Immortals and The Unknowns, an important new chronicle of the American Revolution heralding the heroism of the men from Marblehead, Massachusetts...

Based on remarkable new research, acclaimed historian Alexander Rose brings to life the true story of the spy ring that helped America win the Revolutionary War.....

Hailed by Thomas Jefferson as "the best commentary on the principles of government which was ever written," The Federalist Papers is a collection of 85 essays published by Founding Fathers Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay from 1787 to 1788....

In this powerful, epic biography, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough unfolds the adventurous life-journey of John Adams, the brilliant, fiercely independent...

American History, Volume 1 surveys the broad sweep of American history. Drawing on a deep range of research and years of classroom teaching experience, Thomas S. Kidd offers students an engaging overview of the first half of American history....

A startling and eye-opening look into America's first family, Never Caught is the powerful narrative of Ona Judge, George and Martha Washington's runaway slave....

Historian Joseph J. Ellis sifts the facts shrewdly from the legends and the rumors, treading a path between vilification and hero worship in order to formulate a plausible portrait of Thomas Jefferson....

Americans are more familiar with his signature than with the man himself. In this spirited account of John Hancock's life, Brooke Barbier depicts a patriot of fascinating contradictions—a child of enormous privilege who would nevertheless become a voice of the common folk; a pillar of society uncomfortable with radicalism who yet was crucial to independence. Orphaned young, Hancock was raised by his merchant uncle, whose business and vast wealth he inherited—including household slaves, whom Hancock later freed. By his early thirties, he was one of New England's most prominent politicians.

The complicated life and legacy of John Trumbull, whose paintings portrayed both the struggle and the principles that distinguished America's founding moment.

Alexander Hamilton has become a global celebrity. Millions know his name and imagine knowing the man. But what did he really want for the country? What risks did he run in pursuing those vaulting ambitions? Who tried to stop him? How did they fight? It's ironic that the Hamilton revival has obscured the man's most dramatic battles and hardest-won achievements—as well as downplaying unsettling aspects of his legacy.

Henry Lee learnt to ride before he was five, joined Washington's Army at nineteen, and was appointed Captain of the Fifth Troop of Virginia Dragoons at twenty. At twenty-two, Colonel Lee took command of a mixed cavalry and infantry unit known as "Lee's Legion"—the finest offensive team in the Continental Army. Nicknamed "Light-Horse Harry" for his raids on British supply wagons, the young Virginian quickly earned a reputation for horsemanship and distinguished himself as one of the most skilled and courageous cavalry officers of the American Revolution.

The Spurgin family of North Carolina experienced the cataclysm of the American Revolution in the most dramatic ways—and from different sides. This engrossing book tells the story of Jane Welborn Spurgin, a patriot who welcomed General Nathanael Greene to her home and aided Continental forces while her loyalist husband was fighting for the king as an officer in the Tory militia.

America is at a crossroad. Current public opinion surveys report that Americans believe that the country is on the wrong track, and they are broadly pessimistic about the future. Diminishing social trust, lack of civility, and promotion of individualism over community has resulted in a country that is discontented, fractious, alienated, and divided. What is happening to our American values and virtues?

The phrase "land of the free" is often associated with the United States, a reflection of the country's historical narrative and the values enshrined in its founding documents, such as the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. These documents lay the groundwork for a society that values individual liberties, democratic governance, and the rule of law.

Shattered Innocence by H. Wilhelm Starkweather is a gripping psychological fiction novel set against the tumultuous backdrop of Revolutionary America. This evocative tale delves into the complexities of love, betrayal, and the human psyche, painting a vivid picture of the era's struggles and the internal conflicts of its characters. Step into a world where innocence is shattered by the harsh realities of war, and the quest for personal truth leads to unexpected revelations. Explore the intricate relationship between Montraville and Valerie as they navigate the trials of love and duty. ...

This book provides you with a clear look at the one single document that defines America, including the birth of the Constitution and the history and details of its amendments. This revision will also include recent court rulings related to the Constitution and how those decisions have ramifications for everyday Americans. If you've never fully read the Constitution before, this guide will give you an opportunity to learn about the greatest document in US history.

What possessed a woman from the elite of eighteenth-century New England society to conspire with American and British soldiers to murder her husband at the midpoint of the American Revolution? The story of Bathsheba Spooner has alternately fascinated and baffled residents of Worcester County for centuries. Beyond central Massachusetts, the tale is largely unknown.

This book exposes the lies and slanders that America is and always has been a "racist nation." The American Revolution was the greatest anti-slavery revolution in human history. The individual chapters of this book tell the full and true story of the intention and purpose of the American Republic, a nation founded on anti-oligarchical principles. It is the story of the Plymouth Colony, of the New Yorkers who created the Washington Presidency, of the networks from which Alexander Hamilton emerged, of the 19th century fight against slavery, and much more. Its theme is the chasm which ...

The American Revolution gave birth to a nation, forever changed the course of political thought, and shattered and transformed the lives of the citizens of the new republic. An iconic figure of the Old Northwest, governor, Indian fighter, general in the War of 1812, and ultimately president, William Henry Harrison was one such citizen. The son of a rich Virginia planter, Harrison saw his family mansion burned and his relatives scattered.

An examination of the records of Captain William Scott and Major Samuel Scott in the Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files provides insight on their war and post-war lives. Additional information from secondary sources allows for a more detailed biography of these Virginian-born Revolutionary War officers. Both brothers served during most of the war, as did a third brother, Captain Thomas Scott. In December 1775, William saw action in the Battle of Great Bridge, in Virginia, before he and Samuel Scott headed south to Georgia and the Carolinas. This was after ...

Prepare to conquer the CLEP History of the United States I: Early Colonization to 1877 Exam with this comprehensive study guide. Delve into essential topics such as political institutions, political developments, and public policy, gaining insights into the shaping of America's governance. Explore social developments that have influenced the nation's identity and fabric. Unravel the intricacies of economic developments, from early colonial trade to industrialization. Dive into cultural and intellectual developments that have defined American society. Additionally, examine the nation's ...

In 1803, the United States made a deal to purchase a big area of land called the Louisiana Territory. Soon after, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were asked to lead an expedition into the American Northwest to explore the new land. After the journey, many stories were told about it—but not all of them are true.