# American Revolution **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 15, 2007, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129 "2007-01-15T23:27:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/1 "2007-01-15T23:27:53Z")
Do British historians describe this event as the American revolution? As a war ? If not, how do they name this episode in their history? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/2 "2007-01-15T23:39:02Z")
‘British historians’, as academics, no doubt debate the terminology at length. In schools, it’s taught as the American Revolution, as an optional secondary-age topic. We’ve had enough countries to tell us to bugger off, so we’re thick-skinned about the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/3 "2007-01-15T23:44:27Z")
Relevant link, of a unit of work from the DFES: [‘What is a revolution?’](http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes2/secondary_history/his21/21q2) > [@](#): > > Widen the discussion to include any and all revolutions they know about, eg American, French, industrial, agrarian. Ask pupils to decide whether there are any common criteria that can be applied in defining a revolution. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/4 "2007-01-16T01:01:32Z")
I always knew it as the American War of Independence. Can I still call it that? ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/5 "2007-01-16T01:28:55Z")
Another who’s heard it as the American War of Independence. What did you expect? “The War where the Bloody Colonials Seceded, the Bastards” isn’t all that catchy. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/6 "2007-01-16T08:45:51Z")
[QUOTE=Revenant Threshold] Another who’s heard it as the American War of Independence. What did you expect? “The War where the Bloody Colonials Seceded, the Bastards” isn’t all that catchy. 😉 [/QUOTE] No but I reckon “The War when we finally got rid of the ungrateful buggers, you mark my words, they’ll regret it one day when half the world hates 'em and we are about the only pals they’ve got” Could catch on 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/7 "2007-01-16T13:56:05Z")
I personally think that it’s the label as “The only war in the century where the French whipped our asses and took our surrender on the field, making us look like military fools, and also beat us in a significan naval engagement, to boot!” that makes the whole thing less than well-liked as an historical topic. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FRDE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e68b1a/32.png) [@FRDE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FRDE)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/8 "2007-01-16T14:23:42Z")
To be honest I don’t think we gave a toss about it. - the American Colonies were expensive to maintain, and assimilation was easy. It was a long way away, and a long time ago. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/9 "2007-01-16T22:16:09Z")
There are a few Brits in the physics department, here, and on July 4 of every year they show up at the cookouts to celebrate “Good Riddance Day”. If that helps. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/10 "2007-01-17T02:10:23Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] an historical [/QUOTE] “_An_ historical”!? We fought a war to rid ourselves of such vulgar Britishisms! It is “a historical” to everyone who speaks English properly, without dropping aspirants. Cockeyed Cockneys can go jump in the Thames. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/11 "2007-01-17T07:59:25Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] “_An_ historical”!? We fought a war to rid ourselves of such vulgar Britishisms! It is “a historical” to everyone who speaks English properly, without dropping aspirants. Cockeyed Cockneys can go jump in the Thames. [/QUOTE] So is it “A apple” or “An apple”. I think you’ll find “An historical correct” Old bean 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/12 "2007-01-17T19:52:27Z")
FWIW it’s often called the War of Independence in the U.S. as well. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/13 "2007-01-17T20:25:21Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Lance Murdoch] FWIW it’s often called the War of Independence in the U.S. as well. [/QUOTE] Yes, that’s an accepted alternate here in the USA. For controversy, just refer to our Civil War! Here in Texas, I’ve heard several variants, while the speakers spoke reverently of “tradition.” ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/14 "2007-01-17T20:29:02Z")
So for the record, when I was in elementary school in the '60s, we were taught it was called the Revolutionary War. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/15 "2007-01-17T20:30:02Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] There are a few Brits in the physics department, here, and on July 4 of every year they show up at the cookouts to celebrate “Good Riddance Day”. If that helps. [/QUOTE] Thanks **Chronos** , That enlightend my day! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/16 "2007-01-17T20:36:49Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] So is it “A apple” or “An apple”. I think you’ll find “An historical correct” Old bean 😃 [/QUOTE] Since when is “h” a vowel? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![FRDE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e68b1a/32.png) [@FRDE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FRDE)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/17 "2007-01-17T20:54:52Z")
[QUOTE=garygnu] Since when is “h” a vowel? 😉 [/QUOTE] That is a problem. Even when spoken ‘A’ or ‘An’ is a bitch when followed by ‘H’. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/18 "2007-01-18T05:03:21Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] So is it “A apple” or “An apple”. [/quote] “An apple” without doubt. Is there any confusion over this point in any variety of English? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-revolution/388129/19 "2007-01-18T07:07:14Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] “_An_ historical”!? We fought a war to rid ourselves of such vulgar Britishisms! It is “a historical” to everyone who speaks English properly, without dropping aspirants. Cockeyed Cockneys can go jump in the Thames. [/QUOTE] Texas boy here, and I always pronounced it “An 'istorical”, but I’ve been told that the Southern and Southwestern flavors of American English picked up lots of weird stuff that the Brits used that the Yankees rid themselves of. But, just in case my Americanism is in doubt, I strongly support the Oxford Comma. 😃