The Letter That Helped Start a Revolution
The Town of Boston’s invention of the standing committee 250 years ago provided a means for building consensus during America’s nascent independence movement.
The Role of Naval Impressment in the American Revolution
Maritime workers who were basically kidnapped into the British Royal Navy were a key force in the War of Independence.
The Erotic Appeal of Alexander Hamilton
The handsome Founding Father has always had a robust fandom—even before the ten-dollar bill, or a certain musical.
Crispus Attucks Needs No Introduction. Or Does He?
The African American Patriot, who died in the Boston Massacre, was erased from visual history. Black abolitionists revived his memory.
Women’s Rights in the Early Republic
The U.S.A.'s founders focused on the rights of white men to vote, own property, and govern. The idea that women should have similar rights came later.
What Are We to Make of Thomas Jefferson?
There is perhaps no more enigmatic figure in American history than Thomas Jefferson, born April 13, 1743. How should his legacy be understood today?
Immigration and National Security on George Washington’s Day
Presuming that immigration was a boon to national security, U.S. borders remained mostly open for the first century of the nation’s existence.
The Constitution Most Americans Have Forgotten About
The Articles of Confederation set off the long-running feud between states' rights and Washington, a debate that still rages today.
How Benedict Arnold Helped Win the Revolution
Some historians think Benedict Arnold's treason may well have aided the American cause in the Revolutionary War.
How Thomas Paine Marketed the Revolution
Thomas Paine's Common Sense presented the case for American independence in a way that spoke to the average person.