What Do We Mean By the Revolution?

Former U.S. President, John Adams, defined 'revolution' in the following way: "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."