American Revolution

The 50 Years that Made America

Fifty years separate the Boston Tea Party and the Monroe Doctrine. How did a group of British colonies become a self-proclaimed protector of continents within half a century?

How Britain lost America

By the end of the Seven Years War in 1763 Britain had become a global power for the first time. But the conflict’s colossal expense and the high-handed approach of British politicians led to the loss of America, writes George Goodwin.

Runaway Reading

How did literacy encourage slave rebelliousness after the American War of Independence?

Magna Carta: The Atlantic Crossing

In no country is Magna Carta held in greater reverence than in the United States, playing a crucial role in founding the republic’s political and legal system.

The Stamp Act

A tax on Britain's American colonies was introduced on 22 March 1765.

General John Burgoyne

Before and after his surrender at Saratoga, writes Aram Bakshian Jr., Burgoyne had a lively career as a commander in Europe, a politician and dramatist in London, and a figure on the social scene.