Becoming America: The Revolution Before 1776 Fr... May 2026

Between 1680 and 1770, the British mainland colonies underwent a transformation that turned them into the world’s "first modern society". Long before George Washington took command, the DNA of modern America was already being spliced together. 1. A "Jumble of Peoples": The First Melting Pot

By the mid-1700s, the colonies were home to an incredible variety of spiritual beliefs. While religious "modern revivals" signaled a renewed commitment to faith, they also grew out of a pluralistic environment where no single church held total authority. However, Butler reminds us that this emerging tolerance had a dark side: it rarely extended to the Native American or African populations, whose own spiritual traditions were often suppressed or decimated. 4. Politics Beyond the Town Hall

The "Hidden" Revolution: How America Became Modern Before 1776 Becoming America: The Revolution before 1776 fr...

The following blog post explores the themes of Jon Butler's book, .

This era saw a shift toward the materialistic and commercial values that remain central to American life. 3. Religious Pluralism (With a Catch) Between 1680 and 1770, the British mainland colonies

Next time you think about the founders, remember that they were the products of a century-long cultural revolution that changed the world before the first shot was ever fired. Becoming America - Harvard University Press

The takeaway from is that the 1776 Revolution was possible only because the society was already "American" in every way but name. The colonies had already embraced diversity, global trade, and complex politics—the very traits we still debate today. A "Jumble of Peoples": The First Melting Pot

When we think of the American Revolution, we usually think of 1776—muskets, tea parties, and the Declaration of Independence. But according to historian Jon Butler in his book , the real revolution started nearly a century earlier.