Nova Scotia could have been the fourteenth state, except we ruined it for them over the whole fishing rights thing. And then when push came to shove, they decided that rebellion wasnt for them, and t

Jonathan Trumbull was one of only two men to serve as governor of a Colony and of a State. (Nicholas Cooke of Rhode Island was the other.) This, to us, gives him a kind of air that perhaps he could be

The war was hot in Massachusetts, but it was still cold elsewhere. But that didnt mean that there wasnt rebellious activity going on, since by this point everyone knew what was going on up north. It

Josiah Quincywho weve talked about before; remember that portrait?would have been one of the more prominent men we speak of when we use venerated tones about the Founding Fathers, had it not been f

Benedict Arnold was a pretty smart guy who chose the wrong friendsand, as well discover later on, the wrong enemies as well. But for the time being, heres a peek into some of Arnolds activities wh

The testimony of John Robins is what teachers like to call primary sources. Its a document prepared by someone contemporary to an event, and even if the narrator is unreliable, we learn much more f

I (Claude) suppose that I should note that for a few days last week I sounded a little odd. Youre not wrong; I was not in my usual recording space and not using my usual recording equipment; whats m

In the aftermath of the battles at Lexington and Concord, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress held a series of hearings to determine who fired the first shot. The purpose of the hearings was partial

Word spread rather quickly about the events at Lexington and Concord, and everybody mobilized to be ready for when (rather than if) hostilities broke out. Most people were arming themselves and avoidi

Word was already getting out about the fighting in and near Boston. While Virginia hadnt been much of a concern to anyone until then, the British wanted to ensure that there wouldnt be any trouble.