in 2002, in "the first american revolution", raphael chronicled the overthrow of british authority in the hinterlands of massachusetts in 1774, the year before lexington and concord. the dynamics of the buildup to war have been generally overlooked in america's core national narrative, but raphael showed how the citizens of massachusetts, in response to being disenfranchised by the massachusetts government act, seized political and military power throughout the province in dramatic form. in the town of worcester, 4,622 militiamen from 37 towns throughout the county — half the adult male population — lined both sides of main street and forced the british appointed officials to walk the gauntlet between them, hats in hand, reciting their resignations 30 times apiece. similar takeovers occurred in every county seat outside boston, which was garrisoned by british troops. these events, well documented at the time but dropped from the national narrative since the mid-19th century, provide fuller context for the outbreak of war. raphael demonstrated that the british march on lexington and concord, rather than "starting" the revolution, signaled a counteroffensive to regain control of a province that american patriots had already seized.