TY - BOOK AU - Breen,T.H. TI - American insurgents, American patriots: the revolution of the people SN - 9780809075881 (hardcover : alk. paper) AV - E209 .B76 2010 U1 - 973.3 22 PY - 2010/// CY - New York PB - Hill and Wang KW - United States KW - History KW - Revolution, 1775-1783 KW - Social aspects KW - Committees of safety KW - Militia KW - 18th century N1 - Includes bibliographical references (p. [301]-324) and index; Introduction : the revolutionary world of Matthew Patten -- The face of colonial society -- Ghost stories in a time of political crisis -- Revenge of the countryside -- Reaching out to others -- The power of rumor : the day the British destroyed Boston -- The association : the second stage of insurgency -- Schools of revolution -- Insurgents in power -- An appeal to heaven : religion and rights -- Endgames of empire N2 - "Before there could be a revolution, there was a rebellion; before patriots, there were insurgents. Challenging decades of received wisdom, T.H. Breen's strikingly original book explains how ordinary Americans-- most of them members of farm families living in small communities-- were drawn into a successful insurgency against imperial authority. This is the compelling story of our national political origins that most Americans do not know. It is a story of rumor, charity, vengeance, and restraint. American insurgents, American patriots reminds us that revolutions are violent events. They provoke passion and rage, a willingness to use violence to achieve political ends, a deep sense of betrayal, and a strong religious conviction that God expects an oppressed people to defend their rights. The American Revolution was no exception."--Book jacket ER -