A Resistance History of the United States

In his forthcoming book, A Resistance History of the United States, public historian Tad Stoermer argues that the U.S. was shaped by resistance—but not in the way we’ve been taught. The American Revolution did not secure liberty for the masses; it opened the door to either liberty or oppression, where only white men enjoyed all of the benefits and protections of citizenship. From the very beginning, that tension—between the ideals of resistance and the realities of power—has defined America more than the Enlightenment ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Join Tad on Zoom for a discussion about his new book and the resistance movements it chronicles. The wide-ranging talk will touch on a number of pivotal moments in American history, including:

• Bacon’s Rebellion/Metacomet’s War (1676)
• Salem Witch Trials (1692)
• The Black Loyalists (1783)
• The Underground Railroad (1850)