Beyond the podcast: The American Revolutionary War
In this four-part HistoryExtra series, Professor Adam IP Smith examines how thirteen British colonies became the United States of America. And was independence ever inevitable?
- Elinor Evans
Published: June 25, 2026 at 4:53 PM
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The United States of America looms large as one of the most powerful countries in the world – politically, culturally, and economically. It dominates headlines, shapes global debates, and through the story of its birth, often presents itself as the natural inheritor of liberty and democracy.
But like any origin story, the history of the American Revolution is not a straightforward one. In a four-part podcast series, Elinor Evans is joined by Professor Adam IP smith to interrogate the events of the USA's birth. They examine the tensions that drove Britain and its colonies apart, the Declaration of Independence, separating myth from reality and asking what this famous story can still tell us about America today.
Listen to all four episodes in our American Revolutionary War podcast series now, and below, find a list of further reading mentioned in the series – including an intriguing question: did George III ever even read the Declaration of Independence?
Showing 1 to 11 of 11 results
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The American Revolution: your guide to the 18th-century war of independence
The American Revolutionary War (1775–83) began when representatives from 13 North American colonies of the kingdom of Great Britain sought more autonomy within the British Empire. But when did the French intervene? How close did the British come to winning the war? And how tyrannical was the rule of King George III? Read on for expert answers from historians Professor Benjamin Carp and Professor Stephen Conway
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Professor Benjamin Carp reveals how growing discontent over British taxes led embittered American colonists to rebel against the Crown and embark on a fight for independence
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George Goodwin explains what went down at the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775 – and how the story was relayed across the globe
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There is no actual evidence that the king ever read the declaration, says historian Andrew Roberts…
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American Revolutionary War: the 9 battles that made the United States
From the first shots at Lexington and Concord, to the surrender at Yorktown, we explore the most important clashes of the American Revolutionary War (1775–83)
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Your guide to the 1776 American Declaration of Independence
The ground-breaking document that laid the foundations for the modern-day United States promised freedom from the yoke of English tyranny, but not equal rights for all…
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19 key figures of the American Revolution, from royals to revolutionaries
From the founding fathers to the British general whose surrender brought the fighting to a close, we meet the conflict’s major players
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The US celebrates the American Revolution as an uprising by downtrodden colonists on the west side of the Atlantic. But as Tom Cutterham reveals, Britain’s high-handed government also sparked people into action in the motherland – including one young incendiary Scottish saboteur
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In the struggle for independence, America’s “ladies” served as medics, cooks, campaigners and even as fighters
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Matthew Lockwood explores the surprising, far-reaching consequences of the 18th-century fight for independence…
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The American Revolutionary War: birth of a superpower
What began as a tax dispute between Britain and its 13 North American colonies rapidly blossomed into an eight-year war that involved all the major European powers and led to the formation of the United States. Jonny Wilkes guides us through this era-defining conflict in five key moments
See more Beyond the podcast: The American Revolutionary War
Authors
Elinor EvansHead of digital (web and video)
Elinor Evans is head of digital (web and video)
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