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American Revolution



Joanne B. Freeman has 6 lectures on the American Revolution on YouTube, there are 25 lectures in total.

She recommends Jefferson and Adams letters. 

Indeed she goes over her reading list. I have to go to Open Yale Courses and download the reading list. But I'm mostly about listening these days, not as much about reading. There are 25 lectures!

The first one is 5 tips to studying the revolution.

1. She reads about Hamilton hating Democracy, and Jefferson not thinking Democracy will work. The way the words mean to us today. Be aware of what you mean and what they could have meant. (I've always thought America could stand for more democracy, there are inflection points, but really having the people rule wouldn't allow for these state restrictions on forcing women to carry unviable fetuses. 

2. Founders were people. They're all making it up as they're going along. James Madison tried to study all governments across all time. 

3. Not good guys and bad guys, reconstruct where they were coming from. 

I love it that she found out about the battle of New Haven while preparing for this lecture.

4. Not just founders. Guys in wigs. It's a popular uprising. It meant different things to different people. She loves the founders. They're not the only ones who matter. 

John Adams is a smart, blunt, funny person. Not all founders had a sense of humor, on paper. "Too fat to last much longer," is how he signs his letters. 

She talks about John Adams show on HBO. She pretty much liked it, surprised. She could point out all the things they get wrong. In the first episode, John Adams was there for most things, he was not at every historical event. 

5. Remember contingency. People at the time didn't know what was going to happen. We have a lot of assumptions. The British were wrong. Of course they would declare independence, that they would win the war. Anything could happen. That heightens emotion. They are being dramatic. 


Being a British Colonist #2

I didn't catch which Gordon Wood book she mentioned.

1700-1770 population went from 200,000 to 2,000,000. Benjamin Rush helped Paine edit common sense. He was awestruck to see the throne. Britain is the homeland for these colonists. 

Utterly fascinating, I'm going to go watch the John Adams show. 

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