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.
January 2023
Virtual Lecture – The Battle of St. Louis and the Attack on Cahokia
Compared to events in the East, the American Revolutionary War in the West has received sparse attention despite its major impact on the geographical extent of the United States after the war. In 1779, in response to George Rogers Clark conquering the Illinois country and Spain entering the war, Lord George Germain set in motion a grand plan to conquer the entire Mississippi River Valley for the British. The lynchpin of the plan was a simultaneous attack by over one…
Find out more »February 2023
Lunch Bite – Charles Stedman’s History of the Origin, Progress, and Termination of the American War
Historical Programs Manager Andrew Outten discusses Charles Stedman’s History of the Origin, Progress, and Termination of the American War that contains detailed annotations made by British general Sir Henry Clinton. Stedman, who served as an officer in the British army for most of the Revolutionary War, wrote a detailed history of the conflict that was published in 1794. Immediately upon its publication, Gen. Sir Henry Clinton meticulously assessed Stedman’s history of the war before publishing a response with corrections that…
Find out more »Lecture – In League with Liberty: The Persistence of Patriots of Color and the Formation of the First Rhode Island Regiment of the Continental Army
As states struggled to fill enlistment quotas in late 1777, the Rhode Island General Assembly, drawing from a proposal from Rhode Island general James Varnum, voted to allow the enlistments of indentured servants, indigenous peoples and former slaves. With that, the First Rhode Island Regiment, known as “the black regiment,” was formed. Although met with controversy, the regiment fought with distinction in various battles during the Revolutionary War. To mark the anniversary of an important vote on February 14, 1778,…
Find out more »March 2023
Lecture – François-Jean de Chastellux and American Independence
François-Jean Chastellux, a major general in the French army, member of the Society of the Cincinnati and cousin of the marquis de Lafayette, played a central role in the Franco-American alliance during the Revolutionary War. Recently, a collection of more than four thousand pages of Chastellux’s private papers were discovered at his estate in Burgundy, France, by historian Dr. Iris De Rode. Drawing from her discovery and other primary sources—including the first edition of his travel diary, a first edition…
Find out more »Lunch Bite – The Diplomatic Uniform of Larz Anderson
Museum Collections and Operations Manager Paul Newman discusses a diplomatic uniform made for Larz Anderson by Davies & Son of London, England, for his appointment as the U.S. minister to Belgium in 1911. At the time, U.S. diplomats were prescribed to wear civilian suits, however as it was normal for diplomats to be presented before foreign dignitaries and their courts, many had decorative uniforms made for themselves. This Lunch Bite will focus on Larz Anderson’s diplomatic uniform from our museum…
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