5 myths about the American Revolution

[alucard13mmfmj]

http://www.cracked.com/article_20306_5-myths-about-revolutionary-war-everyone-believes.html

=s how much is true?

[presence]

I always had major issues with keeping my eyes from rolling around in grade school history class.

Most of the "required" US History taught in this country is politicized, nationalist, indoctrination material; nothing to do with reality.

US Department of Education Indoctrination

[Anti Federalist]

Mostly true, especially this, that I have been hollering for years.

In fact, there were not two but three sides: about a third of Americans fought for independence, another third opted for the king's side, and the remaining third didn't give a rat's ass as long as they survived with all appendages intact. Although recent research has revised the figures slightly in favor of the Patriots, that still leaves them in the minority. Yes, Patriots were a minority in America.

Incidentally, these power dynamics also tear down the traditional "Americans were the good guys, save for a few rotten apples" view of the Patriot/Loyalist relationship. Once you realize that back then literally anyone could be the enemy, the Revolutionary War is revealed as the all-out blood feud it actually was. "Good guys" were scarce, and Patriots dealt out at least as much dickitry as they received: Apart from the usual wartime horrors, after the war, at least 60,000 men, women, and children were forcibly cast out of the newly minted nation as refugees.

Meanwhile, Britain was busy trying to help its exiled supporters and, oh yeah, freeing the thousands of African-(ex-)Americans who had supported the losing side.

[Anti Federalist]

And when looked at objectively, it makes the case for our own revolution here and now, even stronger.

[gwax23]

And when looked at objectively, it makes the case for our own revolution here and now, even stronger.

This.

[KingNothing]

And when looked at objectively, it makes the case for our own revolution here and now, even stronger.

Not this. Stop with the stupid, hyperbolic, bombast. War is hell. We don't need want it, and we don't need it. We have a political process in place that we can use to enact the change we desire.

[TaftFan]

Paul Revere did not say the "British Are Coming!" because the colonists were British and that would not make any sense to them. Instead he warned that the Redcoats were coming. Also, I believe there were others who actually warned more than he did.

[eating_nachos]

And when looked at objectively, it makes the case for our own revolution here and now, even stronger.

QFT.

[devil21]

Not this. Stop with the stupid, hyperbolic, bombast. War is hell. We don't need want it, and we don't need it. We have a political process in place that we can use to enact the change we desire.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_boxes_of_liberty

[Occam's Banana]

In fact, there were not two but three sides: about a third of Americans fought for independence, another third opted for the king's side, and the remaining third didn't give a rat's ass as long as they survived with all appendages intact. Although recent research has revised the figures slightly in favor of the Patriots, that still leaves them in the minority. Yes, Patriots were a minority in America.

A very important point whose significance cannot be overestimated.

Most people will eat whatever is put on their plates.
Feed them tyranny, and they'll go along with it (grumbling all the while, maybe, but not doing anything about it).
Feed them liberty, and they'll go along with it (grumbling all the while, maybe, but not doing anything about it).

We don't need "most people" or "a majority of people" on our side. We just need "enough people" - enough people so that it is more costly for the would-be tyrants to have their way than it is worth to them.

The problem is not domination by the elites.
The problem is submission by "enough people" ...

[TheTexan]

We have a political process in place that we can use to enact the change we desire.

That gave me a good laugh, thank you :)

[torchbearer]

That gave me a good laugh, thank you :) he missed the Louisiana gop convention last presidential cycle.