12. Civil War

The American Revolution (HIST 116)

Professor Freeman concludes the discussion of the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration was widely circulated and read aloud throughout the colonies. Professor Freeman argues that by 1775-1776, British and American citizens were operating under different assumptions about how the conflict between them could be resolved. The American colonists began to organize themselves for defensive measures against an aggressive British state. Meanwhile, the British assumed that the rebels were a minority group, and if they could suppress this radical minority through an impressive display of force, the rest of the colonists would submit to their governance again. Spring of 1775 saw the beginnings of military conflict between the British army and colonial militias, with fighting at Lexington, Concord, and Breed's Hill. As a result, the colonists began to seriously consider the need for independence, and the Continental Congress began the process of organizing a war.

00:00 - Chapter 1. The Editing Process of the Declaration of Independence
04:26 - Chapter 2. Short Cheers for Independence, Looming Plans for War
10:16 - Chapter 3. British Thoughts on Colonial Radicalism and Plans for Display of Force
19:19 - Chapter 4. The Symbolic Battle at Salem
25:07 - Chapter 5. The Conciliatory Resolution and Gunshots at Lexington and Concord
35:23 - Chapter 6. Changing British and Americans Opinions at Breed's Hill
41:42 - Chapter 7. Congress's Efforts to Organize War Efforts and Conclusion

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses

This course was recorded in Spring 2010.