Revolutionary War

Sometime around 1776, people in the upper echelon of the colonies' government decided that they should create a nation known as the United States. This action would free the colonies from the British Empire and permit them to create a new, privileged empire of their own. In theory, this work was brilliant, brave, and wise when it came to keeping profits of sales in the colonies, eliminating British taxes, and preventing uprisings that seemed to be occurring with frightening frequency.

"When we look at the American Revolution this way, it was a work of genius, and the Founding Fathers deserve the awed tribute they have received over the centuries. They created the most effective system of national control devised in modern times, and showed future generations of leaders the advantages of combining paternalism with command." (Chapter 4, p. 59).

Bacon's Rebellion seemed to start the worst of the uprisings...