> > The American Revolution > > Of all the myths that surround the American Revolution, > perhaps the most preposterous is the notion the war was > fought by Americans seeking self-determination against a > foreign power. Nothing could be further from the truth. > The American Revolution pitted American against American. > In some cases, as in the case of Benjamin Franklin, family > member fought against family member. In fact, an equal > number of people fought for the British as opposed them. > This included slaves who fought for the British because > they were promised their freedom. > > Another myth holds that the minutemen were loyal Americans > who left their farms and business when their country needed > their help. This again is false. The average minuteman was > poor and not middle class. He often joined the army in hopes > that he would be able to improve his economic plight. > > What happened to the Americans who fought for the British? > They were dealt with harshly. Countless loyalists were > tarred and feathered and forced to turn over millions in > property. This was a war where one elite fought the other. > > Over 80,000 were driven to Canada and their property was > confiscated. Many spent their remaining days in poverty. > In fact, the American Revolution produced more emigres than > the French Revolution. Slaves who opposed the revolution > were returned to their slave masters. > > Equally distressful are the myths about the virtues of the > Revolutionary leaders. While every child is told about John > Paul Jones's declaration, "I have not yet begun to fight," > few are reminded that he became a well-paid mercenary of the > Russian queen Catherine the Great. Or that Robert Morris, > who financed much of the revolution, used his position to > enrich himself. > > Probably the most over-rated hero is Ethan Allen. Allen's > claim to fame comes from his daring raid on Fort Ticonderoga, > but his financial dealings are overlooked. Allen opened > secret negations with the British in hopes of gaining > recognition for over a quarter of a millions acres of > disputed Vermont land. At one point he promised to take > Vermont out of the war but the British would not go through > with the deal and Allen's plan fell through. > > Revolutionary heroes also fell far short in their deeds, > compared with their eloquent words. Patrick Henry is > remembered for his words, "Give me liberty or give me death." > Apparently this quest for liberty did not include slaves. > Henry fought as passionately for slavery as he did > independence. All throughout the revolution he added slaves > to his plantation and after the war, unlike many of his > contemporaries including Washington, never freed any of > them. After several business failures, he grew wealthy off > the work of his slaves. > > Misconceptions persist not only about who fought the war but > what kind of war it was. This was a classic European style > war, not a guerrilla war. This was not England's Vietnam. > In the end America was able to overcome the British because > of French help and the improvement of their standing army. > > Every child is taught that the minuteman was a great shot. > The evidence is to the contrary. At Concord and Lexington > one soldier commented "not one American in ten hit a redcoat > that day." Which was hardly surprising since the farmers > were used to using buckshot. Who won the revolution? Poor > farmers who were later betrayed by the Centennial Congress, > but that's another story. >