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.
May 2025
From the Vault—Prisoners of the Revolution
Join library staff, along with historian Susan Brynne Long, Ph.D., for a special program exploring selections from our library collections relating to the experience of prisoners of war during the American Revolution. The captivity experience of British and American prisoners varied significantly between officers and enlisted men, German and British captives, and across geographies. This special public viewing will allow guests to view rare items up close while learning about the harsh realities and experiences of POWs confined in camps,…
Find out more »June 2025
Lecture—The British Army in 1775
Historian Don Hagist, editor of the Journal of the American Revolution, discusses the state of the British Army in North America before and after the opening shots of the Revolution on April 19, 1775. Drawing from his research, Hagist will also discuss the experiences of the British Army during the initial battles of the war; the tactical, strategic, and logistical challenges it encountered; and how its leaders attempted to overcome and adapt to these challenges. Registration is requested. To attend…
Find out more »Lecture—The Whites of Their Eyes: Bunker Hill, the First American Army, and the Emergence of George Washington
Paul Lockhart, professor of history at Wright State University, highlights the Battle of Bunker Hill on the 250th anniversary of the engagement. Offering a reassessment of the first major battle of the war, Dr. Lockhart illuminates it as a crucial event in the creation of American identity while interweaving it with two other momentous narratives: the creation of America’s first army and the rise of George Washington. This program accompanies our current exhibition, Revolutionary Beginnings: War and Remembrance in the…
Find out more »Lunch Bite—A 1773 Register of British Army Officers
The Institute’s historical programs manager, Andrew Outten, discusses a 1773 register of British Army officers, annotated with casualties suffered during the Battles of Lexington and Concord and Bunker Hill. Drawing from the various annotations throughout the register, this presentation will explore the severity of the battles’ impacts on the British Army, the subsequent lessons it learned from their outcomes, and attempt to identify the potential owner of the book. This program accompanies our current exhibition, Revolutionary Beginnings: War and Remembrance in…
Find out more »Author’s Talk—The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780
The first twenty-one months of the American Revolution—which began at Lexington and ended at Princeton—was the story of a ragged group of militiamen and soldiers fighting to forge a new nation. By the winter of 1777, the exhausted Continental Army could claim only that it had barely escaped annihilation by the world’s most formidable fighting force. Two years into the war, George III is as determined as ever to bring his rebellious colonies to heel. But the king’s task is…
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