Published under the auspices of the American Revolution Institute of the Society of the Cincinnati, Freedom: The Enduring Importance of the American Revolution is a narrative history of the War for Independence. It tells the pivotal story of the courageous men and women who risked their lives to create a new nation based on the idea that government should serve people and protect their freedom. Written for Americans intent on understanding our national origins, but also appropriate for teachers and secondary classrooms, Freedom argues that the American Revolution is the central event in our history: the turning point between our colonial origins and our national experience. This volume includes 167 full-color paintings, maps, illustrations, and photos—many of them seen only in historical institutions across the country!
The Freedom narrative spans from the American Revolution’s origins in the nature of colonial British America—a society in which freedom was limited and in which everyone was the subject of a distant monarch—through the crisis in the British Empire that followed the French and Indian War, to the events of the War for Independence itself, and ultimately to the creation of the first great republic in modern history. This is the story of how Americans came to fight for their freedom and became a united people, with a shared history and national identity, and how a generation of founders expressed ideals of liberty, equality, natural and civil rights, and responsible citizenship: ideals that have shaped our history and will shape our future—and the future of the world.
“In time the past begins to look inevitable, no matter how shocking it was when it occurred. One of the most astonishing things in history was the American Revolution—unexpected in its causes and conduct, improbable in its outcome and consequences, weird to grotesque in its cast of characters. We have been weak-minded in letting this all go dim. Warren is a wake-up.”
“A must-read for any student of American history. Freedom will soon become the classic account of the Revolution’s importance and modern relevance. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.”
“With clear and concise prose, as well as brilliant illustrations, maps and reproductions, Jack Warren brilliantly narrates the great story behind the American Revolution, which secured our independence, inaugurated our republican government, created our national identity, and established a new political order based upon equality, rights and responsible citizenship. Based upon deep reading in the original sources, and engaged with the more recent literature, Warren’s text should be required reading for all those seeking to understand the sacrifices made by the Revolutionary generation to help launch a nation devoted to freedom. This book is a great antidote to the cynicism of our present historical discourse.”
“The complex events that led to creation of the United States had a common underpinning - a desire for freedom. While different people sought different types of freedom, the birth of the American nation came about as remarkable a synthesis of their disparate goals. This walk through four turbulent decades of a nation's founding is centered on those people, their diversity, and their common desire, and is aptly named: Freedom.”
