A revolutionary ethos serves as the bedrock of the Show-Me State. Although Missouri wasn’t even part of the United States in 1776, its destiny was shaped by Patriot soldiers and their descendants. From the 1780 Battle of St. Louis through the Louisiana Purchase, veterans of the Revolutionary War settled in the Spanish- and French-run territory to build homes, families, and communities. Drummer boys and militiamen who fought from Lexington to Yorktown in their youth lived to fight again in the West alongside their adult sons in the War of 1812. Veterans of Washington’s armies served in the Missouri Territorial and State Assemblies then drew their pensions and watched their grandchildren play in the state they had helped build. Their stories started in battles east of the Mississippi but came to fruition in the Show-Me State. Join author Paul Kirkman as he digs through 250 years of history to uncover the story of Missouri’s Revolutionary roots. A Revolutionary Ethos Powers the Missouri Spirit Paul Kirkman is an author, historian and speaker whose works include: The Battle of Westport: Missouri’s Great Confederate Raid (The History Press, 2011), Forgotten Tales of Kansas City (The History Press, 2012), Missouri Outlaws: Bandits, Rebels & Rogues (The History Press, 2018), A History Lover’s Guide to Kansas City (Arcadia/History Press, 2020) and he co-authored Lockdown: Outlaws, Lawmen, and Frontier Justice in Jackson County, Missouri (Jackson County Missouri Historical Society, 2005) Paul lives in Independence, Missouri with his wife Shawn and his grandsons Ben and Sam Carey.