The American Revolution was one of the most important conflicts of the 18th century. It was the “shot heard round the world” and marked the beginning of the fall of monarchies. But there are some common misconceptions about it. Here are a few of them.
· Myth: The American Colonies Went to War Solely Over Taxes
The phrase “taxation without representation” is a popular slogan of the American Revolution, based on the argument laid out when Patrick Henry’ wrote a series of resolutions that were passed in Virginia’s House of Burgesses in 1765 in response to the Stamp Act, which levied additional taxes on the British colonies in America.
Though taxes were a major point of contention between the colonists and the British crown, they were not the only reason for the conflict. Mounting tensions between American colonists and the British were also caused by disputes over land distribution—the British planned to reserve the western part of North America for Indigenous peoples.
This limited colonists only to land east of the Appalachian Mountains, which angered those who wanted to venture westward to stake a claim in those territories so they could be landowners. This was vitally important because owning land meant having certain benefits, such as being able to vote.
· Myth: The Phrase “Don’t Fire Until You See the Whites of Their Eyes” Was Coined During the Revolution
The phrase “don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes” is meant as a warning against reacting too quickly. The idiom is normally credited to Colonel Israel Putnam at the Battle of Bunker Hill. But there’s no concrete evidence that Putnam used the phrase, or that it was first said during that particular battle, or even during the Revolutionary War. In fact, some historians have traced the phrase back to the Seven Years’ War a decade earlier. This was likely a phrase already known to soldiers before the American Revolution.
· Myth: The Declaration of Independence was Signed on July 4
Every year, Americans celebrate Independence Day on the Fourth of July, and it’s commonly believed that July 4, 1776, marks the date the Declaration of Independence was signed. In reality, the Continental Congress voted to declare independence on July 2, and the Declaration of Independence was formally adopted two days later on July 4. But the actual signing of the document didn’t begin for another month on August 2, 1776.
· Myth: The Liberty Bell Cracked as the Declaration of Independence Was Being Read
The Liberty Bell is a 2,000-pound bell that hangs in Independence Hall. The bell was ordered from London by Pennsylvania statesman Isaac Norris in 1751, and when it arrived stateside, it cracked on the first ring. The original bell was then melted down and recast in Philadelphia, and it was this second duplication of the Liberty Bell that was rung to celebrate the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776. According to legend, the bell fractured again at this historic moment, but as far as records show, no cracks appeared that day. The infamous split in the current bell occurred sometime in the mid-19th century; the first record of the blemish appeared in 1846.
· Myth: George Washington Was a Military Mastermind
The nation’s first President is possibly the most famous American of all time, but he was not quite the military mastermind that he’s often credited as being. The general had never commanded a large unit before leading the Continental Army, and though his bravery was lauded, his tactician skills left something to be desired, by some accounts.
In the years after the war, Thomas Paine—famous for writing the revolutionary book Common Sense—wrote that Washington “slept away his time in the field.” That said, Washington’s skills as a leader were unparalleled by keeping his army together and avoiding the British only when they had a clear chance of winning an engagement. Finally, his willingness to step down from the presidency after two terms allowed America’s fledgling democracy to establish a system of shifting leaders.
· Myth: Americans Were United in Their Support of the War
The “spirit of ’76” — a nickname for the patriotic fervor around the revolution—was only a spirit of around 70% of the population at the time. The rest of the colonists were either loyal to the crown or skeptical of conflict. Some of this divide occurred because of geography, as New England colonists were dragged into the conflict sooner than those in the South.
Many people were concerned with the human and financial cost of going to war with one of the world’s most powerful empires, and some militia fighters had to be paid to enlist rather than volunteer for the cause. By the end of the revolution, enthusiasm for American independence was more widespread. This was mainly because of the mass exodus of loyalists: By 1786, between 60,000 and 80,000 loyalists left the colonies to go back to Great Britain.
· Myth: Paul Revere Was the Only Rider Who Warned About the British
Paul Revere’s “Midnight Ride” was immortalized by painter Grant Wood’s 1931 depiction of the event, “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere,” which was inspired by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1860 poem “Paul Revere’s Ride.” Revere did ride out the evening of April 18, 1775, to warn Sons of Liberty leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock of the arrival of British troops, he wasn’t alone. Patriots William Dawes and Samuel Prescott also rode on different routes through the greater Boston area. All three riders were stopped by the British, but Dawes a doctor who joined Revere and Dawes after visiting his fiancé, managed to escape and complete their task, warning the rebels that an attack was coming.
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Frank Victoria is an award-winning author and screenwriter. He’s been an Amazon bestseller with his recent book, The Founders’ Plot, a political thriller for our times. He donates proceeds of his books to Tunnels to Towers and Fisher House, helping military veterans and first responders. His novellas, The Ultimate Bet and The Protectors are available on his website and Amazon. Check out his new website: FrankVictoriaAuthor.com
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