The American Revolution was not a sudden and violent overturning of the political and social framework, such as later occurred in France and Russia, when both were already independent nations. Significant changes were ushered¹ in, but they were not breathtaking. What happened was accelerated evolution rather than outright² revolution. During the conflict itself people went on working and praying, marrying and playing. Most of them were not seriously disturbed by the actual fighting, and many of the more isolated³ communities scarcely knew that a war was on.

America's War of Independence heralded⁴ the birth of three modern nations. One was Canada, which received its first large influx⁵ of English-speaking population from the thousands of loyalists who fled there from the United States. Another was Australia, which became a penal⁶ colony now that America was no longer available for prisoners and debtors⁷. The third newcomer-the United States-based itself squarely on republican principles.

Yet even the political overturn was not so revolutionary as one might suppose. In some states, notably⁸ Connecticut and Rhode Island, the war largely ratified⁹ a colonial self-rule already existing. British officials, everywhere ousted¹⁰, were replaced by a home-grown governing class, which promptly¹¹ sought a local substitute for king and Parliament.