Crash Course U.S. History: The American Revolution

Introduction

• Host: John Green
• Discussion on the nature of revolutions:
  • 360-degree revolutions: No real change (e.g., French Revolution)
  • Revolutionary transformations: Significant change (e.g., Industrial Revolution)
• Question posed: Was the American Revolution revolutionary?
  • Mix of both types

War for Independence

• British Strategy: Capture cities to force colonists to surrender
  • Captured key cities: Boston, New York, Charleston
• American Advantages:
  • Home field advantage
  • Knowledge of terrain
  • Guerilla tactics
• Key Battles:
  • Battle of Trenton: Washington's surprise attack on Hessians
  • Battle of Saratoga: Major defeat for the British, poor generaling
  • Battle of Yorktown: British surrender, Lord Cornwallis' tactical error

Impact on Different Groups

• Soldiers:
  • Low morale, poor rations, unpaid
  • Example: Joseph Plumb Martin felt unappreciated
• Colonial Loyalists and Pacifists:
  • Some fought for British, others were pacifists like Quakers
• Slaves:
  • Opportunity for freedom by fighting for the British
  • 5,000 slaves took the offer of freedom from Britain
  • Estimated 100,000 slaves fled; more than 15,000 left with the British
• Native Americans:
  • Mostly wanted neutrality
  • Involved in some conflicts
  • Faced brutality from American troops
• Women:
  • Limited change in status
  • Notable figure: Deborah Sampson

Revolutionary Ideas

• Declaration of Independence:
  • Key sentence: "All men are created equal..."
• Political changes:
  • New state constitutions
  • Expanded voting rights (still mostly for white males)
• Religious freedom:
  • End of the Church of England as American church
  • Jefferson's call for separation of church and state
• Economic changes:
  • Decline in apprenticeship and indentured servitude
  • Emergent split between North (paid labor) and South (slavery)

Equality and Property

• Noah Webster: Advocated for equality of property as key to republic
• Slavery:
  • Hypocrisy in revolution (e.g., Jefferson owning slaves)
  • Protests against slavery, especially from African Americans
  • Northern states gradually abolishing slavery
  • Increase in free black population

Conclusion

• Real change through process, not just event
• American Equality: Concept of equal opportunity
  • Challenge to class-based superiority
  • Influence on future revolutions

Credits

• Produced and directed by Stan Muller
• Written by Raoul Meyer and John Green
• Graphics by Thought Bubble
• Viewer engagement encouraged with historians in comments