Before the first shots were fired at the battles of Lexington and Concord, American colonists and British imperialists had already begun to fight on the ideological front. American and British pamphleteers struggled to determine the meaning of the revolution and the consequences of victory or defeat. Ultimately, their words would define what it meant to be an American. Fighting Words Online features videos of 41 dramatic readings, texts, and images from the original pamphlets from the University of Utah's rare book collections. Viewers learn about the origins, conflicts, and ultimate conclusions of the American Revolution from the words of the people who fought it – listening to and reading contemporary printings of the works of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, William Pitt, and others.
Explore the exhibit, with readings and books arranged in the following order: