Revolution 250

Organizations around the region are planning for the 250th anniversary of the United States. Follow their news here.

Washington Crossing American Revolution Round Table: Dr. Benjamin Rush

Date and Time:

Monday, March 11, 2024, at 7:30 pm – Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 7:30 pm

Location:

Zoom

Historian Steve Yacik, trustee of the Washington Camp Ground Association in Bound Brook and guide for the Historical Society of Princeton, who will speak about Benjamin Rush, who corresponded with and impacted many influential people during the American Revolution.

For a Zoom link, send an email to wcroundtable@gmail.com 

Washington Crossing American Revolution Round Table: Washington’s Lieutenants: The Generals of the Continental Army

Date and Time:

Monday, December 11, 2023, at 7:30 pm

Location:

Zoom

Join William M. Welsch, President of the American Revolution Round Table of Richmond and co-founder of Congress of the American Revolution Round Tables, will speak about the men who served as brigade, division, and theatre commanders, reviewing their background, experiences, relations with Washington, congress, and each other.

For a Zoom link to the meeting, send an email to wcroundtable@gmail.com 

Early African-American Life in Historic Woodbury with Sue Kozel at Glo Co Historical Society

Date and Time:

Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at 6:30 pm

Location:

Gloucester County Historical Society

17 Hunter Street

Woodbury, NJ

Join Sue Kozel for a lecture on African Americans in the Woodbury, New Jersey area between 1770 and 1830. Including names of enslaved persons, free men and women, and manumitted men and women, Kozel’s research is an incredibly helpful compilation of documents from the Gloucester County Historical Society, Rowan University Special Collections, Frank Steward Collection at Rowan, Moravian Church Archives, Haverford Quaker Special Collections and Archives and more.

This event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, pre-registration is recommended. For more information, click here.

Washington Crossing American Revolution Round Table: Annis Boudinot Stockton: The Poet and the General

Dr. Joseph Wroblewski will speak about Annis Boudinot Stockton, one of the few women of her time who was a published poet, and her poems about and correspondence with General George Washington. The event will take place on September 17, at 1:00 pm, at Morven, Annis’s home in Princeton, and will include a special house tour.

For more information, send an email to wcroundtable@gmail.com 

Information will be sent via email leading up to the event.

March to Yorktown Day

The 4^th Annual March to Yorktown Day Commemoration & Encampment Festival will take place on Sunday, August 27^th, from 12:00 pm until 4:00 pm at the Mindowaskin Park on Mountain Ave. in Westfield, NJ.

For more information, click here.

Phillis Wheatley in London, Summer 1773

Location:

Wallace House & Old Dutch Parsonage

Date(s) and Time:

August 6, 13, and 20.

3:00 pm

The Wallace House State Historic Site will host a mini-lecture on the itinerary of early Black American woman poet Phillis Wheatley’s six weeks in London 250 years ago in the summer of 1773 on Sunday, August 6, beginning at 3:00 pm. The lecture will explore the sights and scenes Wheatley toured and consider her perspectives in poetry and prose on Great Britain and American unknowingly on the verge of the American Revolution.

The lecture will also be available Sunday, August 13, and Sunday, August 20. For more information, click here.

Outwater’s Militia Encampment

Location:

Washington Crossing State Park Visitor Center Museum

355 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville, NJ

Time:

10 am to 4 pm

Outwater’s Militia (a reenactment group, portraying a Revolutionary War militia unit) will be encamped at Washington Crossing State Park on Saturday, August 5. Outwater’s Militia will drill in preparation for action against his majesty’s troops.

For more information call (609) 737-0623

The Archaeology of the Battle of Red Bank with Dr. Jennifer Janofsky

The West Deptford Free Public Library will host an in-person presentation on the archaeology of the Battle of Red Bank with Dr. Jennifer Janofsky on Thursday, September 8 at 2 p.m. Dr. Janofsky will discuss recent discoveries at the Red Bank Battlefield Park and the roles African American soldiers played at Fort Mercer.

Dr. Janofsky is the curator of Whitall House and the Red Bank Battlefield, a professor of history at Rowan University, and the project director for the archaeological survey of Red Bank Battlefield.

Registration is required to attend. To register, contact the West Deptford Free Public Library at (856) 845-5593. For more information, click here.

Battle of Brandywine: 245th Anniversary Reenactment

Birmingham Township presents a historical reenactment of the Battle of Brandywine on Hallowed Ground on September 24 and 25 from 10 am – 4 pm.

For more information, click here.

Young Patriots Day 2022 

The Princeton Battlefield Society will host its Young Patriots Day on Sunday, September 18. Young Patriots Day introduces children and families to the American Revolution and local history. The goal is to bring awareness, understanding, and appreciation of our nation’s history to young people.

For more information and to register for the event, click here.

Last Chance to View Liberty: Don Troiani’s Paintings of the Revolutionary War

September 5, 2022, is the last day to view to work of historical artist Don Troiani’s exhibition that brings compelling stories about the diverse people and complex events of the American Revolution to life at the Museum of the American Revolution.

The exhibition is also available on-line through a 360- degree gallery tour and a guided audio tour. For additional information, click here.

John Dickinson Symposium: New Perspectives on the American Founding

The American Philosophical Society (APS), the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP), The Library Company of Philadelphia, and the McNeil Center for Early American Studies will host and jointly sponsor the John Dickinson Symposium: New Perspectives on the American Founding.

The event will commemorate the publication of the first volumes of The Complete Writings and Selected Correspondence of John Dickinson and will assemble a range of scholars from various disciplines doing new and original work on Dickinson.

Hosted in-person and virtually, the event will take place Thursday, October 20 at 6:00 pm with a Keynote Address at the APS by Jack N. Rakove, Professor of Political Science and Law, Stanford University, and Friday, October 21 from 8:45 am to 5:00 pm at the HSP followed by a Closing Reception at the Library Company.

For information on panels and to register, click here.

Living History Day: The Women’s Encampment at Dey Mansion

Learn about the role of camp followers in the Continental Army during the American Revolution at the Dey Mansion’s camp follower-focused encampment. The event will demonstrate the often-overlooked contributions that women and others made to Washington’s Army. Demonstrations will include cooking, washing of clothes, medical practices and more.

To RSVP, click here.

ITPS Constitution Day 2022

September 14 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Hosted by the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies and Iona University Arts Council, writer and director Ian Ruskin will perform “To Start the World Over Again: The Life of Thomas Paine.” To register, click here.

The March to Victory in Yorktown: The War of Independence in Raritan Landing & New Jersey 1781-1782

The Revolutionary City: A Portal to the Nation’s Founding 

The Revolutionary City project is a digital humanities initiative created by the American Philosophical Society, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and the Library Company of Philadelphia. In anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Revolutionary City is a portal where students, teachers, scholars, and lovers of history learn about diverse stories of the American Revolution from the perspective of early residents of America’s revolutionary city. Visit the ongoing project here.

Lecture on Medicine in the American Revolution

Ronald S. Gibbs, MD, of Stanford University, will discuss the world of medical practice during the Revolutionary War on June 16 from 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Society of the Cincinnati’s headquarters, Anderson House in Washington, DC.

Gibbs will present a lecture on the various common diseases, forms of treatments, and other procedures the Continental Army endured throughout the conflict. The program accompanies the exhibition Saving Soldiers: Medical Practice in the Revolutionary War, currently on display until November 27, 2022.

The lecture will be held in person and virtually. Registration is required to attend. For additional information and to register, click here.

Memorial Day Weekend at the Am Rev Museum

The Museum of the American Revolution will host a Memorial Day Weekend celebration to pay tribute onsite and online to the men and women who lost their lives in service to their country during the Revolutionary War and celebrate the freedom they secured for future generations. Veterans, military, and Blue Star Families enjoy free admission through Memorial Day Weekend, from May 27 through May 30.

The Am Rev Museum’s special exhibition, Liberty: Don Troiani’s Paintings of the Revolutionary War, is now open through September 5. Troiani had dedicated his artistic career to transforming modern understanding of what the Revolutionary War looked like. His art demonstrates a combination of historical research, technical skill, and artistic drama. Troiani’s work has been on display at the National Park Service and the Smithsonian Institution to help tell the stories of past peoples and events.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here. For a virtual tour of Liberty: Don Troiani’s Paintings of the Revolutionary War, click here.

Dissecting the Declaration at the Museum of the Am Rev

The Museum of the American Revolution will host a virtual event Dissecting the Declaration on May 25 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Although independence was approved in 1776, the ramifications of the Declaration of Independence extended into the future and impact society today. Educators are invited to this free workshop to take a closer look at the Declaration of Independence and analyze its context and legacy.

The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required for the event, click here to register. Upon registration, a link will be sent through email for Zoom connection details.

The Brethren: A Story of Faith and Conspiracy in Revolutionary America with Brendan McConville

The American Philosophical Society will host a discussion with Brendan McConville on his new book “The Brethren: A Story of Faith and Conspiracy in Revolutionary America” on May 24 at 7 pm at Washington Crossing Historic Park, Washington Crossing, PA.

The Brethren were a group of North Carolina farmers who devised a plan to assassinate leading patriots in the colony because they feared “enlightened” deist principles would be enshrined in the state constitution and displace their Protestant faith. Throughout the book, McConville traces the Brethren as they drew up plans for violent action. In the summer of 1777, Patriot militiamen threatened to arrest the Brethren as British sympathizers. In response, the Brethren tried to spread false rumors of a slave insurrection in hopes of gaining loyalist support. A disaffected insider denounced the movement to authorities and many members of the Brethren were put on trial as a result.

As part of a larger Southern movement of conscription resistance, the conspiracy offers a complexity of public opinion regarding the American Revolution. The Brethren thought Patriot leaders threatened their religious freedom when in reality both religious freedom and individual liberty were and still are ascribed to the Founding generation.

The event is in person and will be held at Washington Crossing Historic Park. Registration is required to attend. To register for the event, click here. For more information on the event, click here.

Special Topics on the American Revolution at The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History 

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History hosts two special topic events on the American Revolution as part of their 2022 Teacher Seminars.

Revolutionary America with Denver Brunsman (The George Washington University), will take place the week of August 1.

Live Sessions:

• Scholar Session and Pedagogy Session: August 1, 6:00–8:00 p.m. ET
• Scholar Session: August 2, 6:00–7:00 p.m. ET
• Scholar Session and Pedagogy Session: August 3, 6:00–8:00 p.m. ET
• Final Open Discussion: August 4, 6:00–6:30 p.m. ET

The American Revolution is a significant event in our nation’s history but is also misunderstood by the general public. Through the scholarly sessions, participants will gain insights into complex ideas on scholarly approaches to colonial resistance to British rule, the debate over independence, and the American victory in the Revolutionary War.

Participants will also consider marginalized figures and groups who challenge conventional interpretations of the Revolution including loyalists, women, African Americans, and Native Americans. The sessions will also examine the birth of a new and fractious style of politics that emerged after American independence under the Article of Confederation and the United States Constitution.

Women in the American Revolution with Carol Berkin (Baruch College, CUNY), will take place the week of June 27

Live Sessions:

• Scholar Session and Pedagogy Session: June 27, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. ET
• Scholar Session: June 28, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. ET
• Scholar Session and Pedagogy Session: June 29, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. ET
• Final Open Discussion: June 30, 11:00–11:30 a.m. ET

The scholarly sessions explore the many roles women played during the Revolutionary War, from protests and boycotts to the American victory. Participants will examine the changing gender roles and ideas spurred by women’s participation in the creation of the new republic. The seminars also look at the impact the course of the war had on Native American and African American women. Work of Female propagandists, poets, fundraisers, and stories of women who traveled with the Continental Army, spies, messengers, soldiers, and saboteurs will demonstrate the sacrifices they made for the political cause they embraced.

For more information on the sessions and to register, click here.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to K–12 history education while also serving the general public. Its mission is to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources.

The Thomas Jefferson Statue in Context at the New York Historical Society

The New York Historical Society installed the seven-foot-tall plaster sculpture of Thomas Jefferson, which once stood in the Aldermanic (now City Council) Chamber, on the 1st floor, Robert H. and Clarice Smith New York Gallery of American History. The statue was installed on April 13 and is an ongoing exhibition.

The Thomas Jefferson Statue in Context will offer an interpretation of Jefferson within a historical context. The seven-foot-tall plaster sculpture of Thomas Jefferson, which references his authorship of the Declaration of Independence, is a plaster cast of the bronze version on display in the Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C. It is the work of nineteenth-century French monument maker Pierre-Jean David d’Angers. The statue was privately commissioned by New York real estate investor Uriah P. Levy (1792-1862) as a gift to the nation to commemorate Jefferson’s advocacy of religious freedom. Because of Jefferson’s complex legacy and history as an enslaver he was relocated to be interpreted within a historical context.

For additional information on “The Thomas Jefferson Statue in Context,” click here. To purchase tickets, click here. The New-York Historical Society offers on-site and online visitors a vast collection of art, objects, artifacts, and documents and ongoing collecting programs that offer a broad grasp of history’s importance and central role in explaining the present.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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