The American Revolution

by George H. Smith, George C. Scott (Narrated by)

[This is the Retail Edition item in sturdy cardboard packaging.]

The American Revolution ('The United States at War Series')

[Read by George C. Scott]

In 1773, Britain was the greatest power on earth, but the Seven Years War with France had doubled her national debt. To ease this burden, Britain made a fateful to impose special taxes upon the American colonies. On April 17, 1775, British and American Forces first clashed at the Battle of Lexington. The war continued for seven years, complicated by the fact that some Americans wished to remain British subjects. The colonies won their independence, but their conflicts with Britain were not over.

'The United States at War' Series is a collection of presentations that review the political, economic, and social forces that have erupted in military conflict. They describe the historical context for each of the major U.S. wars and examine how military conflict resolved or failed to resolve the forces that caused the war.

Genres: History, American Revolution, Nonfiction

200 pages, Audio CD

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

George Hamilton Smith was an American author, editor, educator, and speaker, known for his writings on atheism and libertarianism.

Reviews

[Carl Palmateer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book that gives a basic understanding of the revolution and the Revolutionary War. The portion on the revolution contains the more interesting information. You get a broader cross section of colonial voices beyond the standard set of founding fathers and will better understand the time and its changes.

[Ash Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring and depressing...studying the American Revolution is like learning about a completely different country. The only thing that can reverse our current decline is a return to the principles this country was founded on, as embodied in the Declaration of Independence.[return][return]There is no political solution to our problems---another term of Obama certainly won't help, but neither will any of the current Republican candidates...unless a new one who actually understands our founding principles emerges (which is extremely unlikely) and secures the Republican nomination (which is practically impossible)---because the problems are not merely political. Can you imagine any of our politicians today taking the kinds of actions the American revolutionaries did? What we need is another cultural revolution, a revolution "in the minds and hearts of the people" as John Adams put it. And that end cannot be achieved by any political measure, but only through education.[return][return]This is a good place to start. Smith focuses on the *ideas* that led to the revolution, and those ideas are exactly what need to be understood---and have been largely forgotten---today.

[Dwain · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting, very basic treatment of the revolution. I expected it would be a quick history of the Revolutionary War, but it was actually about the revolution itself, not just the war. My favorite part was actually the first chapter that talked about the philosophical underpinnings of the revolution. Learning about the life of Algernon Sidney, also known as Sidney the martyr, his philosophy, and his influence on the founding fathers was fascinating. My one complaint is that it went into great detail about a few of the people who influenced the founding fathers, but then didn't talk at all about others. I recommend it as a quick read or "listen," but if you are an American history buff, you will doubtless find it simplistic.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two-thirds of the book is about the politics and philosophy that led to the war. It was interesting, and good to learn. But, I feel like it's like ordering a burger, and being served a salad. Because, you know, a salad is better for you.