The History of the American Revolution

by David Ramsay, Lester Cohen (Editor)

David Ramsay’s History of the American Revolution appeared in 1789 during an enthusiastic celebration of nationhood. It is the first American national history written by an American revolutionary and printed in America. Ramsay, a well-known Federalist, was an active participant in many of the events of the period and a member of the Continental Congress from South Carolina. This is a comprehensive and exciting narrative of the events and ideas of the American Revolution (from the outbreak of turbulence in the 1760s to the onset of Washington’s administration) and an ardent Federalist defense of the Constitution of 1787. This is the first modern edition of the work, based on the original and authorized 1789 version. Lester H. Cohen taught history and American Studies at Purdue University.

Genres: American History

755 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1789

About the author

American physician, public official, and historian

Reviews

[Richard Subber · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best reasons for reading The History of the American Revolution is that it was written by an educated physician who actually served in the Revolutionary War.
David Ramsay wrote a book that is mostly play-by-play. The context is who did what and when.
There’s not a lot of deep thinking about the motivations of the politicians and generals on either side.
The reader can imagine that this is the way that Huntley and Brinkley might have reported the Revolutionary War.
Read more of my book reviews and poems here:
www.richardsubber.com

[Tim Lajoie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much of the history given in this book is no longer taught in schools or found in contemporary American history books. Ramsay was an eyewitness and acquaintance of many characters, especially in the South. He writes of George Washington as someone who lived in his era. He tells stories of British brutality and the oppressive political climate that watered the seeds of rebellion from Great Britain. It is, however, written in the style of the time (1789) which makes it hard to read (hence the reason for 3 stars--the content is 5 stars). The sentences are long and the commas overdone, making the pace choppy. You almost have to read it while ignoring most of the commas or substituting them for periods. The first-hand account, though, makes it worth the effort. The insights gained into historical snippets of the war that have been neglected reinforce the reasons for the revolution.