Raphael, Ray

Fills in the gaps following the sixteen months in between the Boston Tea Party and the "shot heard 'round the world," or the beginning of the American Revolution.

With the entry of the Tea Party onto the US political scene, America's Constitution has become a political battleground, with liberals and conservatives trading fire over its meaning and intent. Amid all the hubbub, historian Ray Raphael was struck by how much both sides got wrong, and how falsehoods have largely overtaken history in Americans' understanding of the nation's most important document. In Constitutional Myths, he sorts out the truth from fiction, juxtaposing what historians know about the Constitution with what most Americans and politicians think they know.

Depicts the experiences of seven Early American historical figures whose stories range from the signs of unrest in 1761 through the passage of the Bill of Rights decades later. Includes, in addition to the well-known Founding Fathers, a village blacksmith, a slave owner and his anti-slavery son, and politically active Mercy Otis Warren.

The author examines thirteen well-known tales of America's early Revolutionary history and exposes the myths surrounding Paul Revere's famous ride, the truth about Molly Pitcher, and surprising information about Thomas Jefferson.

Examines the lives and efforts of seven historical figures in the establishment of the United States, and focuses on George Washington, Robert Morris, Henry Laurens, Timothy Bigelow, Joseph Plumb Martin, Thomas Young, and Mercy Otis Warren.

Chronicles the events surrounding the American Revolution from the standpoints of its everyday participants, including women, Native Americans, African-Americans, loyalists, and pacifists.

Examines the history of the position of the executive branch of U.S. government, exploring how the role of president came to be, grew, and changed in its powers in the presidencies of Washington, Adams, and Jefferson.