Calendar of Historical Programs

Historian George Goodwin draws from his recent book, Propaganda Wars of the American Revolution, to show how the American Revolution was not only fought on bloody battlefields, but how it was also waged with the ink of pen and print. Throughout the war, George Washington and other leaders of the Continental Army brilliantly weaponized information and propaganda through correspondence and newspapers, shaping public perception, mobilizing support, and swaying the colonies towards open rebellion. Drawing on a wealth of contemporary accounts,…

Acclaimed historian John Rhodenhamel explores the character, ideals and moral discipline of Gen. George Washington by tracing the profound transformation of a young and ambitious officer—often driven by personal advancement—into the mature and disciplined commander who led the Continental Army through the American Revolution and ultimately relinquish power to establish the world's first modern republic. Through fresh insights drawn from Washington's writings and experiences, Rhodenhamel, with a particular emphasis on the year 1776, offers a compelling portrait of a man…

Sarah M. S. Pearsall, Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins University discusses her new book that argues that the American Founding Fathers did not have a unique claim on the revolutionary spirit. Drawing from the book, Pearsall plucks a keyword from the Declaration of Independence—security, happiness, respect—and finds its spark in a far-flung place. In an Edinburgh club where women were first invited into philosophical conversations, she explores what the pursuit of happiness meant to women and men of all sorts. She…