SEMINAR ANNOUNCEMENT

“The American Revolution and the Atlantic
World: Two Worlds or One?”

Trevor Burnard, University of Warwick

Trevor has provided the following abstract of his paper:

To what extent do the historiographies of the American Revolution and
the Atlantic World intersect with each other? This paper looks at the
American Revolution in the light of a developing literature on the
Atlantic World. Concentrating on the causes of the Revolution, it
examines recent works on the origins of the American Revolution, trying
to move away from ideas of American exceptionalism towards placing the
American Revolution in a pan-hemispheric perspective. It pays particular
attention to how the American Revolution needs to be understood in
realationship to developments in British society and imperial culture in
the mid-eighteenth century. It concludes with some thoughts about where
the historiographies of the two fields might develop in the future.

Friday, 5 September 2008
3:00-5:00 PM
The David Library of the American Revolution
1201 River Road, Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania

Opening MCEAS Friday Seminar session, followed by a welcome-back picnic
R.S.V.P. to mceas@ccat.sas.upenn.edu or 215-898-9251 by Wednesday,
September 3.

Everyone attending the seminar should read the paper in advance. Seminar
papers can be downloaded in our password protected website. The site
is located at:

http://www.mceas.org/friday

To enter the site, you need to enter the username and password:

username: seminar
password: mceas35

An Adobe Acrobat reader is required to view the seminar papers. Copies
are available for free downloading at:

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

CASTLE ADVOCATES NATIONAL REMEMBRANCE OF LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY WAR SITE

House votes to establish Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route as a National Historic Trail

Washington, D.C. — Today, the House passed the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail Designation Act (H.R. 1286), which would designate the 600-mile route stretching from Rhode Island to Virginia traveled by Revolutionary War General George Washington and French General Count Rochambeau as a National Historic Trail. Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE), a co-sponsor of this legislation, has long advocated for the development of these sites as a National Historic Trail because of its significance to Delaware’s local heritage. During this historic period where the bankrupt Continental Army borrowed from Rochambeau to pay American troops, the armies marched to Wilmington, Delaware, and Elkton, Maryland. The creation of this Trail will celebrate the Franco-American alliance and the victory of Generals Washington and Rochambeau who faced seemingly insurmountable odds.

“The Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail Designation Act was introduced to ensure that this history, in all its rich detail, is not forgotten,” said Rep. Castle. “Although we often remember the victory at Yorktown, too often we lose sight of the heroic efforts of two nations, two armies, and two great men that made it possible. We have the strong support of many state, local, private, and public historic preservation groups in our efforts to establish this trail. I am pleased that we have taken their momentum and enthusiasm to make this trail a reality. ”

The passage of this legislation comes just one day after the House unanimously okayed Rep. Castle’s America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter bill, which would begin circulation of quarter dollar coins that are emblematic of a national park or other historic site in each State - another way for each state to celebrate the sites all Americans hold most dear, such as our seashores, forests, wildlife refuges, and monuments. The National Park Service (NPS) will administer the trail in consultation with appropriate state, local, tribal, and private organizations. The bill will enable the NPS to support groups, projects, and activities associated with the trail’s preservation and interpretation. Additionally, it prohibits the federal government, in its administration of the trail, from acquiring privately-owned lands without the consent of the landowners.

The National Historic Trail will be comprised of the following states, which each made a unique contribution to the historic march:

Rhode Island: The journey began when General Rochambeau led the French army out of Newport and Providence.

Connecticut: The two generals met and jointly planned their strategy in Hartford and Wethersfield.

New York: In New York City, the French and American armies joined together. The generals made plans to surprise and trap the British army hundreds of miles to the south.

New Jersey: In an effort to disguise their march and confuse the British, the French made a show of storing supplies and building ovens in Chatham.

Pennsylvania: In Philadelphia, Washington and Rochambeau marched their men through town, and the grandeur of their new European ally helped restore the spirit of America during this uncertain time. In Chester, Washington literally danced on the dock when he learned that the French fleet had arrived in the Chesapeake and trapped the British at Yorktown.

Delaware and Maryland: The armies marched to Wilmington, Delaware, and Elkton, Maryland, where the bankrupt Continental Army borrowed from Rochambeau to pay American troops.

Virginia: The armies reached positions outside Yorktown in late September and went on to win the battle and the war.

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CELEBRATION OF REENACTMENT: HISTORY COMES ALIVE AT WESTMOORE POTTERY

Saturday, September 20, 2008
9 am - 5 pm

Join us as Westmoore Pottery hosts those who reenact our past. Anyone
not familiar with the world of reenactment (and those who are, and
enjoy it!) will want to come and mingle with the 2nd NC Regiment of
the Continental Line. The folks who portray the 2nd NC Regiment will
set up an encampment beside Westmoore Pottery, and will be there from
9 am - 5 pm that day, portraying the life of the 18th century
soldiers and followers.

Also, in the afternoon, Jim Daniel will visit Westmoore Pottery in
the persona of an 18th century North Carolina surveyor for Lord
Granville. From 2pm-3pm (weather permitting), Jim will present an
hour long first-person program in the character of the surveyor. He
will explain to visitors what would have been involved in receiving
land in central North Carolina in the mid to late 1700s. Jim spent
over 10 years researching 18th century surveying, has written a book
on the subject, and has performed this same hour long program at
sites such as Williamsburg and Mount Vernon. After the program, Jim
will be signing (and selling) his book on 18th century surveying.

And, as thanks to all of you who are yourselves reenactors, all
reenactors of any part of the time period 1600 - 1850 who stop by
Westmoore Pottery on this day in period clothing will receive a
discount for the day on anything purchased from us.

Brandywine Battlefield Park will host the 231st Anniversary Re-
enactment of the 1777 Battle of Brandywine on Saturday and Sunday,
September 6th and 7th from 10am to 5pm. The event, titled
Revolutionary Times, will feature battle re-enactments, firing
demonstrations and camp tours featuring more than 500 hundred 18th
Century re-enactors. British, American, Hessian, and Loyalist
participants representing infantry, artillery, and dragoon units
will be in attendance.

The program will also feature talks on the Battle of Brandywine and
lectures on various aspects of 18th Century life. Thomas McGuire,
author of the monumental two volume history of the 1777 Philadelphia
Campaign will be on hand to narrate the battle re-enactment and will
be providing a lecture on Sunday, September 7th.

On Saturday, September 6th, author and historian Arthur Lefkowicz
will provide a lecture titled “Eyewitness Images of the American
Revolution. This lecture and slide show will focus on contemporary
artwork of the period.

Other talks will focus on the history of Patrick Ferguson and his
breechloading rifle. Brandywine was the only battle of the American
Revolution featuring the use of a breechloading weapon.

Other features will include camp tours, 18th century sutlers, craft
demonstrations, and uniform displays. Park staff and volunteers
will be available to answer questions about the history of the
battle as well.

This program is open to the public. The cost per day for adults is
$9, for seniors aged 60 and above is $6 and for children aged 5-17
years is $5. Children under the age of 5 will be free.

The museum and gift shop will be open and the 18-minute video will
be shown periodically.

Brandywine Battlefield Park is the site of the American camps prior
to the 1777 Battle of Brandywine. General George Washington and the
Marquis de Lafayette made their quarters here. The reconstructed
Benjamin Ring House and the original Gideon Gilpin House are among
the park’s features located on 55 rolling acres in the Brandywine
River Valley.

Brandywine Battlefield Park is located just off U.S. Route 1
approximately a mile south of U.S. Route 202. The Park is
administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
and is supported by the Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates.

http://www.discus.org/heritage/washington.asp