Revolution 2.0: Will We Make it to the 22nd Century? By Charles Taylor (Florida)

The article "USA 250: Setting the Stage for Revolution" by S. David Sultzer (published April 16, 2026, on American Thinker), is a reflective historical essay timed to the lead-up to America's Semiquincentennial (USA 250) celebrations marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence in 1776.⁠

Sultzer argues that the preconditions for the American Revolution, economic prosperity, religious liberty, traditional rights, and Enlightenment ideas, were already in place by around 1760 in the British colonies. He draws parallels to suggest that modern America, on the eve of its 250th anniversary, finds itself in a similar "setting the stage" moment. The piece frames revolution not primarily as armed conflict but as a prior shift in mindset among the people.

A key John Adams quote anchors this view:

"What do we mean by the Revolution? The war? That was no part of the revolution; it was only an effect and consequence of it. The revolution was in the minds of the people, and this was effected from 1760–1775, in the course of fifteen years, before a drop of blood was shed at Lexington."⁠

Key Historical Parallels Drawn

The essay highlights several factors in the colonies around 1760 that fostered revolutionary potential:

Economic dynamism: Global trade, mercantilism, and early capitalism created a growing middle class with high social mobility. The colonies had rapid population growth and benefited from Britain's "benign neglect," avoiding Europe's rigid class structures or extreme poverty.

Religious liberty and Christianity: Most colonists belonged to Protestant dissenting sects (Congregationalists, Baptists, Quakers, etc.) that had fled European persecution. Christianity provided moral and philosophical grounding for resistance, as seen in sermons like Rev. Jonathan Mayhew's, which blended biblical arguments with Lockean ideas.

British rights and Enlightenment thought: Colonists appealed to longstanding English liberties (Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights) — especially "no taxation without representation" — alongside Enlightenment rationalism, natural rights (life, liberty, property), and figures like John Locke. This influenced the Declaration of Independence's famous self-evident truths about equality and unalienable rights endowed by a Creator.

Broader context: The aftermath of wars (like the Seven Years' War/French and Indian War), the Age of Discovery, and religious schisms from the Reformation and English Civil War.

Sultzer contrasts this with Europe's more stratified and conflict-ridden societies, portraying the colonies as a relatively free and opportunity-rich environment that nurtured independent thinking.

The "Competition" Between Revolutions

A central theme is the long-term historical contest between two models unleashed in the late 18th century:

The American Revolution → Emphasizing individual liberty, limited government, constitutionalism, and compatibility with faith and markets.

The French Revolution (and its ideological descendants) → Leading, in the author's view, to socialism, state atheism, police states, terror, and assaults on traditional religion and rights.

The piece warns that Western history since 1792 has been a struggle between these paths and expresses hope that, amid USA 250 reflections, the American model of classical liberalism prevails: "Let us hope... that it is the latter."⁠

The essay is more historical meditation than a direct call to arms or detailed prediction of imminent upheaval. It is optimistic about America's founding principles while cautionary about threats like socialism or erosion of liberty. It carries a conservative-leaning perspective common to American Thinker, celebrating Protestant Christian heritage, free enterprise, and anti-tyrannical traditions while critiquing European-style excesses. Modern U.S. political events are implied rather than spelled out in detail, the "revolution" discussed is largely the mindset shift of the 1760s–70s, with USA 250 serving as a timely mirror for contemporary self-examination.

Broader Context on USA 250

This fits into a wave of 2026 commemorations across the U.S., including events in Boston, New York, and elsewhere organised by the America250 commission and local groups. Many focus on education, re-enactments, and reflecting on founding ideals rather than revolutionary upheaval. Sultzer's piece stands out for using the anniversary to ponder whether similar cultural/intellectual conditions could spark renewed defence (or reassertion) of those ideals today.⁠

Overall, it's a thoughtful, history-heavy essay that uses the past to invite reflection on the present and future of American liberty. It doesn't lay out a specific "revolution is coming" timeline or blueprint but suggests the ingredients for a profound societal shift, ideally one rooted in the Declaration's principles rather than more radical alternatives, are visibly present once again.

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/04/usa_250_setting_the_stage_for_revolution.html