When we talk about the American Revolution and Revolutionary War, the discussion often involves lofty ideals like liberty, freedom, and justice. The Declaration of Independence even opens with the idea that "all men are created equal." But it turns out, the war wasn't being fought on behalf of "all men." The war was mainly about freedom for white colonists, and liberty, justice, and the pursuit of happiness didn't apply to the Black people living in the British colonies. During the war, Black people took up arms on both sides of the conflict, and today we're going to learn how and why they participated.
Clint's book, How the Word is Passed is available now! https://bookshop.org/a/3859/9780316492935
Sources and References
Sylvia R. Frey, Water From the Rock: Black Resistance in a Revolutionary Age (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1991).
Woody Holton, Forced Founders: Indians, debtors, slaves, and the making of the American Revolution in Virginia (Chapel Hill: UNC Press, 1998).
Cassandra Pybus, Epic Journeys of Freedom: Runaway Slaves of the American Revolution and Their Global Quest for Liberty (Boston: Beacon Press, 2006).
Benjamin Quarles, The Negro in the American Revolution (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1961).
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Sources and References
-Sylvia R. Frey, Water From the Rock: Black Resistance in a Revolutionary Age (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1991).
-Woody Holton, Forced Founders: Indians, debtors, slaves, and the making of the American Revolution in Virginia (Chapel Hill: UNC Press, 1998).
-Cassandra Pybus, Epic Journeys of Freedom: Runaway Slaves of the American Revolution and Their Global Quest for Liberty (Boston: Beacon Press, 2006).
-Benjamin Quarles, The Negro in the American Revolution (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1961).
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#crashcourse #blackhistory #americanrevolution
@danielgreen14753 years agoI' m in love with this series. In the bahamas we do learn about how the loyalist fled to other british colonies, often bringing their slaves with them. I had no idea some of them were promised freedom. 285
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@TheGryfonclaw3 years agoAs i get older and better understand the history of my own country and the generations of suffering imposed on black americans, i am both baffled and in. ...Expand273
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@bananafoneable3 years ago" black history is american history. " -morgan freeman. 530
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@92Pyromaniac3 years agoHave been missing this series! As a brit we are taught surprisingly little of this in school so i' m finding it really interesting! 55
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@synccrow1143 years agoLearn more here than i ever did in school about black history. 24
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@MOO2763 years agoI was taught in school that lots of black people fought with the american colonists, and in a few limited cases, some were promised their freedom in exchange. ...Expand41
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@chamilitary073 years agoI' m so glad you pointed this part of history. It' s see another black person talk about our history. 64
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@cleverhandle4203 years agoIm so glad you are doing this series. Thank you. 30
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@rosesousa92272 years agoDown my linage i am related to a man named toby gilmore, he was actually a freed slave from the american revolution, our local museum actually has an exhibit. ...Expand9
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@jamesyoung10223 years agoThank you so much for this crash course in black american history. If only right-wing media would broadcast the entire series. A lot of their viewers could use an education in black american history. 34
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@emmaarmstrong8823 years agoI love that they are the hamilton characters. So clever. They know we are nerds. 200
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@lindawells93283 years agoI love this youtube channel because i love learning. I love all of the videos. It reminds me of when i was in elementary school. I miss those days. id="hidden6" but one thing i know is alot of the things that i have learned is they didn' t teach me alot about black history. That was wrong. I will say that i did have very good teachers. Beautiful. Thank yall. ...Expand16
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@thirdeyetwenty3 years agoI must say the timing of this episode is just *chefs kiss* i just finished crash course american history which i started after finding this. ...Expand32
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@chriswoods26473 years agoSuch interesting context! Excellent! the new book, " how the word is passed" is a very helpful extension of this. 12
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@brianblake95893 years agoI' ve been looking for a video to show my students about poc in the awi. This is it. Masterfully done. 7
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@dudar78563 years agoLove this series! Not only am i enjoying it more than any other crash course so far, these videos are such a great additional resource for my american history class. Is there a day the videos usually come up? 30
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@Andrew6ft23 years agoGreat and insightful content as always. Keep up the good work. 7
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@MOO2763 years agoWhat a great video to drop on the weekend of july 4th. 6
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@wingingitmillennialpodcast52052 years agoThank you for the terrific educational videos. You' re a great teacher! 2
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@Just2gofoodslast yearReally enjoy this series! I plan to watch every video in this series. Thank you!
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@cgpcgp32393 years agoJames forten served on colonial warship when he 14. He was captured by british. He went on to become one of the richest men in america. He was an abolitionist. also read about a black regiment on in the revolutionary war. I hope a film is made about them as well. I had imagined densel washington as lead. But hes too old nowor maybe not. ...Expand9
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@Grimm_811last yearHistory, if not learned and heeded, is doomed to repeat itself.
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@realtrini20073 years ago@crashcourse i may add that after the revolutionary war, some of the enslaved africans who fought for the british were given land in trinidad and their descendants are still here. 17
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@pyratecaptain27613 years agoLol. There was a great twist at the beginning there! 10
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@Qboi19823 years agoMy favorite crash course and i love the other courses. 1
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@Spaghetter8133 years agoGreat video although i' d like to point out that john adams was one of the more active opponents of slavery among the founding fathers regardless of his statements within the context of serving as a defense attorney. 17
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@LuinTathren3 years agoI love this series! And with each episode, i yell in frustration " why wasn' t i taught this in school! " then again, i grew up in florida. 7
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@trevorames8893 years agoAnother great summary. Thanks for the brief educational history lesson. 1
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@tonitoniitoniii56243 years agoThat movie cross reference with crispus.
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@RobinHerzig3 years agoFunny, just started watching hbos john adamsminiseries. They dramatized that courtroom scene and it looked great. Seemed to capture the massachusetts o . ...Expand33
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@HeartLatic3 years agoInteresting lesson. What age should we introduce this lesson to? Additionally it would be a true education to correctly identify a. 5
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@kavika73133 years agoI will admit that my political views may not be in full alignment. But this series is very good. This episode in particular. 1
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@ratatataraxia3 years agoStill being taken to school by cc all these years later. 3
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@sky_rokit3 years agoImagine living in a place where your labor exists primarily for someone elses benefit. i see you also live in a capitalist society. 127
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@BigSplenda1885last yearMovies in the 90s thank you for acknowledging that this does not happen anymore in modern movies!
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@laurissaplatt3772 years agoOkay, but did anyone notice how the founding fathers were from hamilton in the first clip? 1
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@mankytoes3 years agoWhenever i see it all kicking off in the street i pick up a big stick, get right into the middle of it and. Lean on my stick. 26
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@willh73523 years agoNever clicked so fast in my life. first! 13
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@davehoward222 years agoIronic that the really oppressed in america (native and african american) fought with the british in 1776. 1
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@leslyer.williamssmith70103 years agoI wonder why someone would thumbs down thishumm. 56
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@totallynotaminecraftchanne1923last yearThe americans were just as tyrannical as the british. 1
Related videos for The American Revolution: Crash Course Black American History 8:
-morgan freeman. 530
i just finished crash course american history which i started after finding this . ...Expand 32
the new book, " how the word is passed" is a very helpful extension of this. 12
i see you also live in a capitalist society. 127
first! 13