Fraunces Tavern Museum

In this lecture, recorded April 1, 2021, Michael Hattem discusses his book Past and Prologue: Politics and Memory in the American Revolution. Between the 1760s and 1800s, Americans stopped thinking of the British past as their own history and created a new historical tradition that would form the foundation of what future generations would think of as "American history." This process, Hattem argues, played a critical role in the founding of the nation.

In this lecture recorded March 11, 2021, Donald Johnson explores how, in the midst of British military occupation, men and women from a variety of backgrounds navigated harsh conditions, mitigated threats to their families and livelihoods, took advantage of new opportunities, and balanced precariously between revolutionary and royal attempts to secure their allegiance. In so doing, Johnson argues that these people and their experiences shaped the course of the Revolution, gradually discrediting Britain’s ability to govern the former colonies and rotting their attempts to restore order from the inside out.

Despite America’s newly won independence, a bitter dispute over whether to have a capital and where to locate it almost tore the young nation apart. In this lecture recorded February 18, 2021, Robert Watson discusses the pivotal role played by George Washington in the struggle over the placement of America’s capital.

The 16 months from the Boston Tea Party to the Battles of Lexington and Concord changed the course of American history. In this lecture, recorded on February 4, 2021, Mary Beth Norton explores what is known as the "long year" of the American Revolution, a time when once-loyal colonists began their discordant "discussions," leading to the acceptance of the inevitability of a war against the British Empire.

Everyone knows about the Revolutionary War, but few know of Benjamin Franklin's secret plan to turn the northern and southern colonies against their oppressors, and how the freeing of one enslaved man, Somersett, was the catalyst for the colonies to come together against the crown. In this lecture, Phillip Goodrich discusses the little-known story behind the origins of the Revolutionary War and explains how several well-known but random events during the war culminated in the creation of the United States of America.

In this lecture, Thomas E. Chavez discusses Spain's key role in the birth of the United States. From monetary support to naval engagements and ground warfare, Spain's involvement turned a revolution into a world war, and greatly aided the Patriot victory.

By now, most everyone has heard of the hit Broadway musical Hamilton: An American Musical. In this lecture, Robert Watson examines some of the little known, intriguing aspects of the Founder's remarkable life, including his Jewish roots and hard scrabble upbringing. This talk also features a fun fact-checking of the musical and a look at the backstory of some of the show's main scenes.

While historians often treat General Charles Lee as an inveterate enemy of George Washington or a great defender of American liberty, author Christian McBurney argues that neither image is wholly accurate. In this lecture, recorded October 16, 2020, McBurney will discuss his research into a more nuanced understanding of one of the Revolutionary War's most misunderstood figures.

Preserving the Past is a digital lecture that takes a comprehensive look at the architecture, design, and history of 54 Pearl Street, one of the oldest buildings in New York City. Led by Museum historian Mary Tsaltas-Ottomanelli, the lecture explores three hundred years of the building’s history – from its early construction on some of the city’s oldest landfill, to the extensive restoration in the 20th century, to how the building continues to survive surrounded by skyscrapers.

In March 1783, as negotiations to end the Revolution were well underway, an anonymous letter circulated through the Continental Army's camp near Newburgh, New York. It called for the officers to meet--outside the chain of command--and act boldly to strong arm Congress to deliver on their long overdue pay and desperately needed pensions. But was the letter the officers’ idea alone? Or were they put up to it by politicians in Philadelphia eager to grow the power of the central government? And how far were the angry officers willing to go? Replace General Washington? March on Congress? In this lecture, recorded September 24, 2020, David Head takes a fresh look at the episode--known as the Newburgh Conspiracy--and asks whether a plot was really in the works and where the danger of the moment really lay.

What do we lose when our bars are shuttered? These can seem like frivolous spaces, but they have played an important role in American history. In this lecture, recorded September 16, 2020, Christine Sismondo explores the role of bars across the country's history, including the colonial era, Prohibition, the 1960s, and today. This lecture was held as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's first Tavern Week.

In this lecture, recorded August 20, 2020, Phil Holland explores the many forms taken by the Black presence at this critical patriot victory, from the Black soldier who died in battle as a member of Col. Seth Warner's Continental regiment of Green Mountain Boys, to the sources of wealth that funded the New Hampshire troops at the battle.

Just six months after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, George Washington and the new American Army sit on the verge of utter destruction by the banks of the Delaware River. Rather than submit to defeat, Washington and his small band of soldiers crossed the ice-choked Delaware River and attacked the Hessian garrison at Trenton, New Jersey on the day after Christmas. He followed up the surprise attack with successful actions along the Assunpink Creek and at Princeton. In this lecture, recorded August 6, 2020, Maloy will discuss the stunning military campaign that allowed Washington to turn the tables, and breathe life into the dying cause for liberty during the Revolutionary War.

In this lecture, recorded July 16, 2020, Jones examines how America's founding generation grappled with the problems posed by prisoners of war, and how this influenced the wider social and political legacies of the Revolution. As the British denied customary protections to their American captives, the revolutionary leadership wasted no time in capitalizing on the prisoners' ordeals for propagandist purposes. This cycle of violence spiraled out of control, transforming the struggle for colonial independence into a revolutionary war.

In this lecture, recorded June 30, 2020, Libby McNamee discusses her historical fiction book Susanna’s Midnight Ride: The Girl Who Won the Revolutionary War. McNamee discusses her research into Susanna Bolling, the 16-year-old girl who made a heroic midnight ride to save General Lafayette from capture, paving the way for the Battle of Yorktown.

In this lecture, recorded June 17, 2020, Mount Vernon Research Historian Mary Thompson offers a comprehensive account of those who served in bondage at Mount Vernon. Drawing on years of research in a wide range of sources, Thompson brings to life the lives of the enslaved while illuminating the radical change in Washington’s views on slavery and race wrought by the American Revolution, ending in his decision to grant his slaves freedom in his will.

In this lecture, recorded May 21, 2020, Lindsay Chervinsky explores the creation of the first presidential cabinet. Washington modeled his new cabinet on the councils of war he had led as commander of the Continental Army, tinkering with its structure throughout his administration. As Washington faced an increasingly recalcitrant Congress, he came to treat the cabinet as a private advisory body to summon as needed, greatly expanding the role of the president and the executive branch.

The Property of the Nation: George Washington's Tomb, Mount Vernon, and the Memory of the First President Presented by Matthew Costello 2.20.2020

Presented by Barbara Chernow