The colonial revolution of 1775 to 1783 has over the centuries become the subject of mythologizing by Americans. As our national origin story, this legend has grown to encompass a political and social outlook that still influences us today. So this book is part travelogue, describing the history and sights in battlefield parks like Saratoga, Bunker Hill, Valley Forge, Lexington and Concord--places that are still an important part of our national mythology. But it is also a historical study, presenting the history of the American Revolution as it actually was, peeling away the legend and looking at the reality. Because that reality, too, is an important part of our national character today, and remains an essential ingredient in who we Americans are as a nation. Illustrated.