According to John Adams, the real American Revolution occurred "in the minds and hearts of the people" long before the armed conflict ever began. This shared anti-British sentiment in prewar colonial America was largely fostered by committees of correspondence. Formed a decade before the revolution, the committees were the first institution of intercolonial communication. They were composed of radical, educated, mostly upper-class men who demonstrated the power of communication through pamphlets, letters, newspaper articles, and town hall meetings. The committees successfully kindled the flame of revolution among the colonists by creating an innovative system of mass communication that shared information and spread enlightening ideas. By appealing to shared values of liberty and the illustrious idea of natural rights, the committees played a crucial role in amplifying civilian voices and laying a foundation for American democracy.