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American Revolution

Historical And Literary Periods
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The late 18th-century rebellion of thirteen British colonies against British rule, resulting in American independence and the establishment of a new nation founded on Enlightenment ideals. Occurred 1775-1783.

Detailed Definition
The American Revolution inspired poetry celebrating liberty, individual rights, and republican virtue while questioning established authority. Poets like Philip Freneau documented the conflict and celebrated democratic ideals. This period appears in poetry through patriotic fervor, invocations of freedom, classical allusions to republican Rome, and the tension between revolutionary idealism and practical governance, establishing American poetry's engagement with national mythology and political identity.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poem in the style of Philip Freneau, celebrating the virtues of republicanism and the courage of the Minutemen during the American Revolution; A rousing ode to George Washington, employing classical allusions to Roman heroes to legitimize the new nation; A fiercely satirical poem aimed at King George III or the British Parliament; A poem detailing the harsh realities of a battle or the sacrifices made by ordinary colonists.
Additional Notes
The American Revolution (1775–1783) inspired poetry of liberty, national identity, and civic virtue. Early American poets like Phillis Wheatley and Philip Freneau blended Enlightenment ideals with emerging patriotic sentiment. Revolutionary verse often juxtaposed moral righteousness with human suffering, reflecting the period’s political fervour and literary nation-building.
Also Known As
American Independence Revolutionary War Period
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