Newburyport's Road to Revolution Part I: Roots of Rebellion

Join the Museum of Old Newbury and the Custom House Maritime Museum for the kick-off event to a year-long exploration of Newburyport's role in the American Revolution.

Join historian and author Alexander Cain for a captivating lecture exploring the roots of the American Revolution, focusing on Newburyport, the Merrimack Valley, and Essex County.

Explore the 17th and 18th-century concept of “English liberties” that shaped the colonists' understanding of civil rights. Discover how these ideals collided with the growing power of the British Crown, leading to escalating tensions between colonists and the mother country.

Trace the colonial buildup to war, examining key events of 1774 and 1775 and emphasizing events in Newburyport and the Merrimack Valley. Explore the local impact of the dramatic events of April 19, 1775, when the first shots of the American Revolution rang out in Lexington and Concord. Learn about the role of local militias, including the “Minute Men” of the Merrimack Valley, the "Independent Companies" of Newburyport and Haverhill and how the conflict unfolded in Essex County. Meet colonial militiamen, British soldiers, and more for a fun, first-person take on the brewing conflict.

A lively Q&A session with follow the lecture, so bring your burning questions about everything from the Minute Men and the Massachusetts militia system to the British army. Join us as we travel together down Newburyport's Road to Revolution!

Funded, in part, by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

Host or Publisher Museum of Old Newbury