A Critic at LargeThe American Revolution Wasn’t the Main EventAmericans have long imagined that they set off a global age of revolt. Seen within the era’s wider wars of empire, the story looks rather different.By Daniel ImmerwahrMay 4, 2026Since 1776, Americans have been insisting that they were the protagonists of a new world order. Yet “the sad truth of the matter,” Hannah Arendt wrote, is that, whereas France’s revolution “made world history,” America’s was “of little more than local importance.”Illustration by Ben HickeySave this storySave this storySave this storySave this storyHistorians deal in secular truths. Slavery is an appropriate explanation…