In 1763 colonists across British North America could not have been prouder to be members of the British Empire. Fighting shoulder to shoulder with redcoat soldiers, they had trounced their mutual enemies in the French and Indian War, and colonists toasted King George, his ministers, and his military. In New York City, colonists even erected a statue to their great king. But on July 9, 1776, a crowd of American soldiers and sailors tore down this same statue. This course explores the tumultuous 13 years between 1763 and 1776, examining four of the extraordinary events that turned 13 loyal British colonies into a united confederation willing to go to war to achieve independence. 

Faculty Bio 

Richard Bell is Professor of History at the University of Maryland and author of several books, most recently The American Revolution and the Fate of the World. His Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and their Astonishing Odyssey Home was a finalist for the George Washington Prize and the Harriet Tubman Prize.

This is a Livestreamed + Recorded Course

• Classes will stream live on the scheduled day and time 
• Classes will also be video recorded
• You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program.

Schedule Highlights

• Course starts on Tuesday, Oct. 13, and ends on Tuesday, Nov. 3
• Classes meet for 4 weeks, 1.5 hours per session (10:30 a.m.–noon)
• All course materials remain in Member Dashboards through Dec. 31

 Member Praise for Richard Bell

What a wonderful class and brilliant instructor! I loved Rick’s style of presentation = intense and dramatic. I’m so impressed with my fellow OLLIians = smart, informed, engaged. Everything worked for me.

​​I’m hooked on the drama of Rick’s lectures. He brings heat and humanity to his subjects.

After the first ten minutes of the first class, I turned to my husband, who had also signed up for the class, and said, “He is terrific!”

Faculty Q&A

• Read an interview with Richard Bell from our archive.