vividly illustrates through a collection of fascinating primary documents how, in the space of a few hundred years, contented colonists — the majority of whom were transplanted English citizens — would form an independent country that could challenge the greatest world power of the time — and win. explores the colonies' break with Great Britain, the resulting war to gain independence, and the struggle to create a successful government for the new United States. Steven C. Bullock turns to such documents as , the Declaration of Independence, diaries, newspaper debates, slave petitions, and a pictorial essay on Paul Revere, showing that the words and actions of common men as well as great men played important roles in making the Revolution not just a coup d'État, but a genuine change that shook the foundations of authority and dramatically changed American society.