S8 Ep587: 3. Joseph Ellis, *The Cause: The American Revolution and Its Discontents, 1773 to 1783*. This narrative explores the tension between conservative and radical leadership, featuring John Dickinson, whose "Letters from a Farmer" framed the colonial constitut

3. Joseph Ellis, *The Cause: The American Revolution and Its Discontents, 1773 to 1783*. This narrative explores the tension between conservative and radical leadership, featuring John Dickinson, whose "Letters from a Farmer" framed the colonial constitutional position even as he hesitated to cross the "abyss" into war. Conversely, John Adams viewed continued trust in George III as "delusional" and advocated for an immediate end to the British connection. The text also critiques the "myth of the militia," noting that while amateurs were formidable behind defenses at Bunker Hill, their costly "victory" misled many into believing virtuous amateurs could easily defeat professional soldiers, a delusion that persisted for years. (3)

1820 JEFFERSON FRANKLIN