The Revolution had famous names. This book is about everyone else.
At dawn on April 19, 1775, a handful of farmers, blacksmiths, and shopkeepers stood on Lexington Green and faced the most powerful army on earth. The shot fired that morning began a war ? and a brand-new nation.
We all know the famous founders. But the American Revolution was also carried by people history almost forgot. Two hundred and fifty years later, their stories are some of the bravest and most surprising of all.
Founding Patriots brings 18 unforgettable true stories of the everyday heroes of 1775 to life for young readers:
- Sybil Ludington, just 16, who rode 40 miles alone through the dark ? twice as far as Paul Revere.
- Salem Poor, a formerly enslaved man whose courage at Bunker Hill led 14 officers to petition on his behalf.
- Samuel Whittemore, a 78-year-old farmer who took on the British army by himself ? and lived to 96.
- Mercy Otis Warren and Abigail Adams, who fought for liberty with the power of the pen.
- ...and Paul Revere, Henry Knox, Joseph Warren, Lemuel Haynes, Ethan Allen, and many more.
The perfect book for America's 250th anniversary
Written for the Semiquincentennial ? 250 years of the United States ? this is a fresh, inclusive look at the Revolution that puts real people at the center of the story: women, Black patriots, teenagers, and ordinary citizens who made history one brave choice at a time.
Inside Founding Patriots:
- 18 short, action-packed chapters ? great for confident readers and for reading aloud.
- Original illustrations throughout.
- A clear, kid-friendly history of how 1775 happened ? and why it still matters today.
- A "Talk Like a Patriot" glossary of the people, places, and words of 1775.
- Real quotes, real events, and a "What would I have done?" question that brings history home.
Ideal for: curious readers ages 8?12, classroom and homeschool history and social studies, biography book reports, and a standout patriotic gift for the 250th anniversary, the Fourth of July, or any young history lover.
History isn't something that just happened. It's something people did ? and their stories are waiting for you.
