Before the Revolution

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America's narrative often begins with the Founding Fathers and the revolution, but this perspective overlooks the complexity of the nation's pre-revolutionary history. In a groundbreaking revision, Daniel Richter illustrates that the United States has a rich and intricate past that extends back to the Middle Ages, with legacies that continue to influence the present. Through a diverse array of original sources, the work spans over seven centuries and traverses North America, Europe, and Africa. Richter uncovers the lives of various groups—Indians, Spaniards, French, Dutch, Africans, and English—as they navigated struggles for land and resources, all within a global context. These interactions laid the groundwork for the distinctive patterns of North American culture that emerged long before the concept of nations like the United States, Canada, or Mexico existed. By examining these historical trajectories on their own terms, rather than merely as precursors to independence, Richter's expansive vision sheds light on the profound origins of American history.