The hottest American Revolution Substack posts right now

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Things Worth Remembering: Our Founding Mother

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 361 implied HN points • 13 Mar 26
đź’ľ History American Revolution
  1. Mary Katharine Goddard, a Baltimore printer and the first female postmaster, produced a widely distributed copy of the Declaration that included the signers' names.
  2. Including the names was risky because British forces were nearby and earlier prints had omitted them; printing them was an act of defiance that helped identify and preserve the leaders of the Revolution.
  3. The Goddard Broadside uniquely bears a woman's name and reminds us that women played important, often overlooked roles in the founding of the nation through printing and public service.

March 16, 2026

Letters from an American • 33 implied HN points • 17 Mar 26
đź’ľ History American Revolution
  1. Boston’s occupation forced ordinary people and elites to pick sides between Loyalists and Patriots, often with real personal and economic risk.
  2. Seizing and transporting heavy artillery from Fort Ticonderoga allowed Washington and Henry Knox to fortify Dorchester Heights, making the British position in Boston untenable and prompting their evacuation.
  3. The British evacuation proved that coordinated civilian and military effort could defeat Britain’s forces, boosting Patriot morale, removing many Loyalists, and accelerating support that led to independence.

This Week in American History: The Unlikeliest Hero of the American Revolution

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 510 implied HN points • 21 Jan 26
đź’ľ History American Revolution
  1. Henry Knox was a self-taught, overweight bookseller who had even lost two fingers, yet he rose to lead the Continental Army’s artillery through skill rather than credentials.
  2. George Washington trusted talent over formal qualifications and appointed Knox, a decision that proved crucial for the patriot cause.
  3. Knox’s “noble train of artillery” hauled captured guns from Fort Ticonderoga to Cambridge, forcing the British to evacuate Boston and delivering a decisive early victory in the Revolution.

A Lawful Insurrection: The Massachusetts Provincial Congress

Papyrus Rampant • 119 implied HN points • 05 Oct 24
đź’ľ History American Revolution
  1. In 1774, Massachusetts set up its own government, independent from British rule, even before the American Revolution officially started. They did this peacefully and with strong community involvement.
  2. General Gage, the British governor, faced growing resistance from the people of Massachusetts. They were organizing and defying his orders, making it clear they opposed British authority.
  3. The Massachusetts Provincial Congress acted like a government by making decisions, collecting taxes, and preparing for war. Their actions laid the groundwork for the future American government and the fight for independence.

The Jewish Patriots of the American Revolution

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 783 implied HN points • 21 Dec 25
đź’ľ History American Revolution
  1. Jewish patriots actively took part in the American Revolution and helped fight British rule instead of waiting passively for their fate.
  2. Individuals like Jonas Phillips publicly supported independence by owning and circulating the Declaration and writing in Yiddish to promote the patriot cause abroad.
  3. The ancient Maccabee story is used as a parallel to show Jewish resistance to tyranny and to emphasize that Jews helped shape the new American republic.
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This Week in American History: A City on the Brink

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 236 implied HN points • 28 Jan 26
đź’ľ History American Revolution
  1. In January 1776, New York City was in panic and leaders debated sending troops to fortify the city against an expected British invasion.
  2. The Continental Congress and George Washington considered bringing Connecticut forces into New York, which sparked a dispute over whether troops raised outside a colony should operate inside its borders.
  3. That argument about outside military authority versus local control shows that debates over using force in cities are longstanding and not new.

Meet Black Patriots Fighting for Independence (their own)

Non-Boring History • 314 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
đź’ľ History American Revolution
  1. Enslaved African Americans had complex allegiances during the American Revolution, supporting the British for various reasons.
  2. The British offered enslaved people opportunities during the War of Independence, but the reality of slavery persisted even after gestures of freedom.
  3. Enslaved people formed their own communities in the swamps to resist slavery, facing challenges for their independence and eventually being brought down by authorities.

Regime Change, American Style

The Redneck Intellectual by C. Bradley Thompson • 452 implied HN points • 27 Jun 23
đź’ľ History American Revolution
  1. The American Revolution ushered in a new moral universe and a modern, liberal-capitalist society.
  2. The transition from pre-revolutionary society to a new philosophy of Enlightenment liberalism was gradual but accelerated by the American Revolution.
  3. Colonial America evolved from a status-based society to a meritocratic society following the American Revolution.

Imperial shuffle

A User's Guide to History • 216 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
đź’ľ History American Revolution
  1. Historians of Canada include American Loyalists in their story, as it significantly impacted the country's history
  2. Resettling American Loyalists in Canada doubled the country's population and altered the balance of French and British influence
  3. Black Loyalists faced challenges in Canada, leading to tensions and eventual migration to other regions like Sierra Leone and the British West Indies

December 18, 2025

Letters from an American • 25 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
đź’ľ History American Revolution
  1. The American founding argued that legitimate government rests on natural rights and the consent of the governed, not hereditary monarchy.
  2. When the revolution seemed doomed in winter 1776, Thomas Paine’s The American Crisis urged everyone to persist and helped rally public support and soldiers’ enlistments.
  3. Washington’s surprise crossing of the Delaware and the victories at Trenton and Princeton revived morale, prompted reenlistments, and are credited with saving the Revolutionary cause.

A firebrand Charlotte preacher who inspired revolution

The Charlotte Ledger • 137 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
đź’ľ History American Revolution
  1. Alexander Craighead, a preacher in Charlotte, strongly advocated for individual and religious independence from government oversight.
  2. Craighead's intense preaching style and disdain for government control aligned with the Great Awakening movement in America, emphasizing religious devotion for common people.
  3. His influence in the Mecklenburg County region is believed to have contributed to the spirit of independence that led to the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, although the document's existence remains disputed.

A conversation about monarchy

Gray Mirror • 89 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics American Revolution
  1. The article discusses the importance of understanding historical events beyond myths and legends, pointing out the need to delve deeper into actual history to gain a more accurate perspective.
  2. It emphasizes the significance of moving beyond ideological narratives and recognizing the complexities of past revolutions and political structures to learn valuable lessons.
  3. There's a call for a deeper understanding of the nuances in historical events to avoid getting caught up in superficial or false representations of the past and to make informed decisions for the future.

What to Us Now Is the Fourth of July?

Journal of Free Black Thought • 48 implied HN points • 04 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics American Revolution
  1. America's history includes both oppression and the struggle against it, like the anti-slavery movement.
  2. Revolutionary ideals of liberty and equality were pivotal in the fight against slavery in America.
  3. The Founders' hypocrisy in not immediately abolishing slavery does not erase the importance of their ideals that eventually led to the destruction of slavery.

His Majesty’s Federation? Questioning the Royalist Hypothesis

Hunter’s Substack • 0 implied HN points • 09 Dec 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics American Revolution
  1. The American Revolution was not just against monarchy but also against overbearing legislative power.
  2. Scholar Eric Nelson argues that the American executive was intended to have royal-esque powers.
  3. Federalism and the limited powers of the federal government are crucial aspects often overlooked in discussions about executive authority.