Journal of the American Revolution (allthingsliberty.com) is the leading online source for original research on the Revolutionary and Founding Eras.
In this week’s Dispatches, history writer and translator Gina Dimuro takes us on a fascinating tour of the New York City and New Jersey that Alexander Hamilton would have known. A surprising number of buildings and features remain from the period, although many would not be obvious to the casual visitor. As your host Brady Crytzer […]
Dispatches can now be easily accessed on the JAR main menu. Host Brady Crytzer discusses historian Todd Braisted’s remarkable discovery of a slave who was emancipated by John Graves Simcoe, commander of the Loyalist regiment, Queen’s Rangers, who went on to distinguish himself in battle, and ended up as a free man with a pension […]
Although Journal of the American Revolution publishes only factual material based upon primary sources, we recognize that historical fiction can be a valuable source of inspiration and understanding in the study of history. We posed this question to our contributors about their own favorites: What is the most historically accurate fictional writing about the American […]
In this week’s Dispatches host Brady Crytzer interviews St. Louis University doctoral candidate Cho-Chien Feng about what the American Revolution meant to Loyalists after the war. He also discusses how he became interested in the American Revolution and the broader idea of political loyalism. As Brady notes, Feng is inspiring: born in Taiwan, he learned English, […]
In this week’s Dispatches host Brady Crytzer interviews distinguished historian Robert “Bob” Davis about Georgia’s unique role in the American Revolution as the colony that bordered Spanish territory and, after independence was declared, British East Florida. Georgia came slowly to the Patriot cause, remaining loyal to the King longer than any other colony, until they finally […]
In this week’s Dispatches host Brady Crytzer interviews Brian O’Malley about the sudden release of 2,000 “sickly and emaciated” Continental soldiers and sailors in 1776 who had been held captive by the British in the New York City area. This little-known event sparked outrage among even the Loyalists in the region. As your host says, “Sit […]
In this week’s Dispatches host Brady Crytzer interviews British historian Matthew Moss and the story of Major Patrick Ferguson and the first breech-loading rifle adopted by the British Army, one of the most intriguing inventions of the American Revolution. As your host says, “Sit back, relax, and enjoy the interview. . . .” New episodes of […]
What inspired you to start researching and writing about the Revolution? I was born and raised in the town of Stony Point, New York, and so every summer included attending the July battle anniversary and reenactment at Stony Point Battlefield. In addition, my grandfather would take my brother and I to other historic sites along […]
In this week’s Dispatches host Brady Crytzer and JAR contributor Richard J. Werther discuss the life of Captain Lambert Wickes, the differences between “piracy” and “privateering,” and the origins of the Continental Navy. As your host says, “Sit back, relax, and enjoy the interview. . . .” New episodes of Dispatches are available for free every […]
In this week’s Dispatches host Brady Crytzer interviews JAR contributor, Marine Corps veteran, and retired history teacher Jeff Dacus about Stephen Moylan, an Irish immigrant who became one of George Washington’s most trusted and life-long friends. As your host says, “Sit back, relax, and enjoy the interview. . . .” New episodes of Dispatches are available for […]
This month, we asked our contributors to consider the many changes of fortune that occurred over the tumultuous four decades that transformed thirteen British colonies into the nascent United States: What was the best strategic defeat, whether political or military, of the American Revolution and the founding era (roughly 1765 thru 1805)? That is, what […]
In this week’s Dispatches host Brady Crytzer interviews JAR contributor and editorial board member Katie Turner Getty about a dark side of the American Revolution, the notorious prison hulk, HMS Jersey. Thousands of American prisoners—some as young as twelve—died daily aboard British prison ships, mostly from disease. Fortunately for historians, a number of survivors wrote […]
In this week’s Dispatches, host Brady Crytzer interviews JAR contributor Bob Ruppert about his research and articles on Catharine Macaulay, the pioneering woman historian who wrote the first history of England from a Whig, or Republican, perspective. Bob explains the importance of Macaulay as a literary figure, how she became involved in the Whig cause, […]
Word got around fast about Todd Braisted’s amazing detective work in identifying Bernard E. Griffiths and his remarkable journey from slave to Chelsea Pensioner published on February 21! On February 27, Todd appeared as a guest on The World, a Public Radio International Program produced with the BBC and WGBH Boston. You can listen to the […]
Thank you to all of those who listened to the inaugural episode of our podcast, Dispatches. On this week’s show, host Brady Crytzer interviews long-time JAR contributor and Vermont native Michael Barbieri about the history of his state and the importance of the Champlain Corridor to the course of the American Revolution. Brady poses the […]
We asked our contributors what seemed like a simple question: What scene from the American Revolution or the Founding Era (1765–1805, approximately) do you wish had been depicted accurately by an artist? Quite unintentionally, the wording was ambiguous. Some described scenes that they’d like to see an artist render, while others offered events that they […]
We are pleased to announce that the Journal of the American Revolution has launched a new podcast, Dispatches. Each week Dispatches will feature interviews with contributors to the journal as well as authors and other persons of interest to the JAR community, highlighting the latest in scholarship, news, and opinions regarding the Revolutionary and Founding Eras. Hosted […]
The Journal of the American Revolution today announced The Indian World of George Washington: The First President, the First Americans, and the Birth of the Nation by Colin G. Calloway (Oxford University Press) as winner of the 2018 Journal of the American Revolution Book of the Year Award. Honorable mention was awarded to Frontier Rebels: The Fight […]
What is the focus of your research and writing? I review books about the Revolutionary period. I’ve always enjoyed reading book reviews, but often felt frustrated when they would fail in what I regard as their essential mission: to give me a sense of whether I’d enjoy reading the book being reviewed. I hope that […]
For our first post of the New Year—a time when resolutions are announced, new leaves are turned, and anticipation and hope for a fulfilling life renews, it is appropriate that this month we asked our contributors the following question: During the Founding Era, which we’ll consider as 1765 thru 1805, who was the most promising […]
The Journal of the American Revolution reaches a wide audience and is regularly cited on other web sites, in scholarly books and articles, newspapers, and in social media. We are all making a difference toward a greater understanding and appreciation of our founding era. We thought our readers would appreciate some of the recent news about […]
One of our readers, an educator, asked the JAR editors a question that we chose to put before our contributors: What is the best audiovisual material for use in the classroom to teach K-12 students about the American Revolution or the Founding Era (approximately 1765–1805)? Geoff Smock The only real choice for this is the […]
On the first Friday of each month those who have Sirius XM radio can listen to “Revolution Road with the Journal of the American Revolution,” during the Dave Nemo Show, 7–11 AM Eastern on Sirius/XM146. This Friday, November 9, at 10 AM, Todd Braisted will be discussing the military role played by Loyalists supporting the […]
Our article about Edward Wigglesworth’s diary has brought a lot of attention to the Spitfire gunboat, a well-preserved Revolutionary War warship that is in danger of destruction by ecological changes. Readers of the journal have asked how they can help. The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum is on the case, and while there are no guarantees of what will […]
Open warfare began in America in 1775, and the colonies declared independence from Great Britain in 1776. We asked our contributors to speculate on this critical time during the conflict: “What strategy could either side have used to win the war in 1776?” Eric Sterner The British might have shaken things up with a political […]
On the first Friday of each month those who have Sirius XM radio can listen to a new program, Revolution Road with the Journal of the American Revolution, as part of the Dave Nemo Show, 7–11 AM Eastern on Sirius/XM146. This Friday, October 5, at 8 AM, J.L. Bell will discuss the 250th anniversary of the […]
Books are an important resource for any researcher. As approaches to the interpretation of history change and new primary source material comes to light, books can become dated. However, some books have value much longer than others. With this in mind, we asked JAR contributors: “Which book published between 1800 and 1950 do you still […]
Eric Sterner is a writer and historian living in Northern Virginia, who has worked primarily in the fields of national security and aerospace policy for both the government and private sector. He served at the Department of Defense and NASA during the Bush Administration and held senior staff positions for the Committee on Science and […]
Managing Editor Don N. Hagist is pleased to announce two new additions to the Journal of the American Revolution’s editorial team. Adrian Rutt, who most recently contributed a review of Justifying Revolution, provides his expertise in copy editing and academic publishing to ensure that JAR articles meet the journal’s overall editorial standards. In addition, Adrian will weigh in […]
We want to hear from you! This summer we are going to conduct an email survey of JAR subscribers to get an idea of how you read the journal, what you like about the site, what you would like to see more of, and your input into initiatives we are considering. You are the lifeblood […]
JAR: You’ve just completed the latest in your series of novels on the American Revolution. Tell a bit about the series as a whole and this new book in particular. There are five published novels in the series and I am writing the sixth and final one. The books chronologically follow the Revolutionary War and […]
For something special this Independence Day, we asked JAR contributors a simple but thought-provoking question. Their answers are insightful and remind us of the broad range of people and events that transformed thirteen British colonies into the United States of America. How would you answer this question: If there was another national holiday, in addition […]
This July 4th, Sirius XM radio personality Dave Nemo has invited Don Hagist, Wayne Lynch, and James Kirby Martin to discuss aspects of the American Revolution for his more than 1.3 million listeners across North America. The program will broadcast from 8:00–11:00 am eastern on Sirius XM 146. “I’m excited to able to talk about […]
Author Roxane Orgill’s new book is Siege: How General Washington Kicked the British Out of Boston and Launched a Revolution (Candlewick Press, 2018), which takes the unusual approach of using verse to give voice to its characters. We asked the author about this book and the research behind it. Tell us a bit about your work in […]
If you think that 1779 was a quiet year during which Gen. George Washington carefully kept his army out of reach of his British foes, trying to wear them down, it’s time for a history lesson. The latest volume in the Journal of the American Revolution book series, Washington’s War, 1779, by JAR contributor and historian […]
Our fourth annual volume of the Journal of the American Revolution is available for immediate purchase. Featuring some of the best historical research and writing from the previous year, this annual volume contains thirty-eight articles, including “The Setauket Raid, December 1777” by Phillip R. Giffin, “The 3rd New Jersey Regiment’s Plundering of Johnson Hall” by […]
Drums, fifes, and bands provided martial music ranging from battlefield signals to ceremonious pomp. The drummers, fifers, and musicians might also provide casual entertainment for their comrades, but some soldiers played other instruments. The most common non-military instrument to appear in deserter advertisements was the fiddle (or violin); it was the most common among non-military […]
There were drummers, there were fifers, and then there were men who had general musical talent, capable of playing several instruments. Many British, American and German regiments, and other military organizations, had bands of music. These bands, which might consist of six to twelve men, were separate entities from the regiment’s drummers and fifers. In […]
Fifes provided a melodic complement to the drums that provided cadence and conveyed signals to armies in the American Revolution. Like drummers, fifers were not always boys; some men spent their entire military careers playing the fife, showing the importance to the army of that skill. Fifers were not as numerous as drummers in most […]
