The American Revolution and the Fate of the World
The American Revolution and the Fate of the World
When we think of the American Revolution, we often picture a parochial drama: thirteen colonies squaring off against the British crown in a spirited bid for independence. But this story is only half the truth—and perhaps not even the most interesting half.
Historian and author Richard Bell invites audiences to rediscover the Revolution as a world war that unleashed chaos, opportunity, and transformation across six continents in this virtual talk hosted by the JHU Museums. From the sugar fields of the Caribbean to the court of the King of Mysore, from refugee camps on the Canadian frontier to political uprisings in Sierra Leone and Peru, the way that gave birth to the United States was never simply America's own, it was a seismic global event that redrew maps, toppled hierarchies, catalyzed migration, and accelerated new movements for liberty—and for empire.
Tickets: Free-$7.
Please Note: This program is 100% online and registrants will receive a link to the program the week of January 26.
Richard Bell is Professor of History at the University of Maryland and author of the book Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and their Astonishing Odyssey Home, which was a finalist for the George Washington Prize and the Harriet Tubman Prize. He has held major research fellowships at Yale, Cambridge, and the Library of Congress and is the recipient of the National Endowment of the Humanities Public Scholar award and the Andrew Carnegie Fellowship. His new book, The American Revolution and the Fate of the World, was published by penguin in November 2025.