Supporting scholarship and promoting popular understanding of the American Revolution is central to the work of the American Revolution Institute. The Institute welcomes distinguished scholars and authors to share their insights and discuss their latest research with the public at Anderson House through lectures, author's talks and panel discussions. The Institute also hosts a variety of other historical programs throughout the year, including our Lunch Bite object talks, battlefield tours, special Anderson House tour programs and other events. Many of the events we offer are free.
August 2024
Panel Discussion—Waging War in America: Operational Challenges of Armies During the American Revolution
Historian Don Hagist moderates a panel of contributors to the recent anthology Waging War in America 1775-1783, exploring the significant operational challenges faced by American, Loyalist, French and German forces during the Revolution. From recruitment and training to tactics and logistics, the panelists also examine how the various armies adapted to the specific circumstances of this war. Panelists for this discussion include historians Todd Braisted, Alexander Burns, John Rees and Robert Selig. Registration is requested. To attend the panel discussion…
Find out more »Author’s Talk—This Fierce People: The Untold Story of America’s Revolutionary War in the South
Following the Franco-American alliance of 1778, the outstretched British forces in North America embarked on a southern campaign to muster Loyalist support and attempt to finally subdue the American rebellion. This new strategy shifted the central theater of operations to the southern states. With a divided population and challenging physical landscapes, the fighting that occurred in the South resulted in some of the fiercest battles of the war. Weaving throughout the stories of heroic men and women and the battles…
Find out more »September 2024
Author’s Talk—Memory of ’76: The Revolution in American History
Americans agree that their nation’s origins lie in the Revolution, but they have never agreed on what the Revolution meant. For nearly 250 years, politicians, political parties, social movements, and a diverse array of ordinary Americans have constantly reimagined the Revolution to fit the times and suit their own agendas. Drawing from his new book, historian Michael D. Hattem reveals how conflicts over the meaning and legacy of the Revolution—including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution—have influenced the most…
Find out more »Special Event—The 2024 Society of the Cincinnati Prize Presentation & Reception
The 2024 Society of the Cincinnati Prize honors Eli Merritt, M.D., M.A., for his book Disunion Among Ourselves: The Perilous Politics of the American Revolution (University of Missouri Press, 2023), which explores the politics of the Continental Congress during the American Revolution. Far from a harmonious collaboration, the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War was so filled with political strife that the delegates feared the war would end in disunion or civil war. But instead of disbanding, these founders managed to…
Find out more »October 2024
Lecture—The Marquis de Lafayette Returns: A Tour of America’s National Capital Region
Against the backdrop of a tumultuous election, a beloved hero of the American Revolution returned to America for the first time in forty years. From August 1824 to September 1825, the marquis de Lafayette traveled through the United States, welcomed by thousands of admirers at each stop along the way. Although the tour brought him to each state in the Union, the majority of his time was spent in Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland. Public historian Elizabeth Reese traces Lafayette's…
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