Murphy - The Everything American Revolution Book : From the Boston Massacre to the Campaign at Yorktown-all you need to know about the birth of our nation

THE

EVERYTHING

American Revolution
Book

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DIRECTOR OF ACQUISITIONS AND INNOVATION Paula Munier

MANAGING EDITOR, EVERYTHING SERIES Lisa Laing

ACQUISITIONS EDITOR Lisa Laing

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EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Hillary Thompson

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THE
EVERYTHING
AMERICAN
REVOLUTION
BOOK

From the Boston Massacre to the Campaign at
Yorktown all you need to know about the
birth of our nation

Daniel P. Murphy, Ph.D.

For Emily, without whom this would have been impossible,and for Danny, Esther, Patrick, and Michael,for whom it is written.

Copyright 2008 by F+W Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced
in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions
are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

An Everything Series Book.
Everything and everything.com are registered trademarks of F+W Publications, Inc.

Published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.
www.adamsmedia.com

ISBN 10: 1-59869-538-X
ISBN 13: 978-1-59869-538-0
eISBN 13: 978-1-60550-793-4

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
is available from publisher.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

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Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.

Contents

A book is always a collective endeavor. This book would not have been possible without the support of a lot of people. I would like to thank my wife, Emily; my children, Danny, Esther, Patrick, and Michael; my agent, Grace Freedson; my editor, Lisa Laing; and my colleagues and students at Hanover College.

George Washington accepted no salary during the Revolutionary War, asking only that his expenses be covered.

Because of the unpopularity of the war in Britain, the government had to hire German regiments to reinforce its army in America.

African Americans served in many regiments of the Continental army, the last time American military units would be integrated until the Korean War.

The American Revolutionary War became a world war when France and Spain intervened. Fighting raged in the Caribbean, Europe, and India.

Two brothers from Virginia, Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee, signed the Declaration of Independence.

Up to a fifth of Americans remained loyal to the King. Many joined the British army, making the war for independence a civil war as well.

The first American constitution was the Articles of Confederation.

Roger Sherman of Connecticut was the only man to sign the Articles of Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution.

North Carolina and Rhode Island did not ratify the Constitution until after the new government was in operation.

One of the original amendments to the Constitution submitted by James Madison was not ratified until 1992, when it became Amendment XXVII.

THE STORY OF THE American Revolution is an epic that should be better known. Everyone knows a little about the founding of the United States. The Boston Tea Party, George Washington, Bunker Hill, and Valley Forge still resonate for Americans. But few people today realize how long and hard was the struggle to create this nation. The war for American independence lasted eight years. It followed a dozen years of growing tension with Great Britain. Six years intervened between the end of the war and the inauguration of our current constitutional system. Thus the revolutionary period as a whole lasted longer than a generation a quarter century of densely packed events.