April 10–11, 2025
1775: A Society on the Brink of War & Revolution
Our mission is to promote understanding of the history of Massachusetts and the nation by collecting and communicating materials and resources that foster historical knowledge.
OVERVIEW
What challenges did New England society face in 1775, and how did they impact the outbreak of fighting in Concord and Lexington?
The Concord Museum, the David Center for the American Revolution at the American Philosophical Society, and the Massachusetts Historical Society welcome you to 1775: A Society on the Brink of War and Revolution. Convened at the Concord Museum, the conference marks the 250th anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord. Preeminent scholars Serena Zabin and Robert A. Gross present the keynote address on Thursday evening. Sessions throughout the day on Friday span topics from faith, community, impending war, material culture, and memory.
1775: A Society on the Brink of War and Revolution
Cover image: A View from the Town of Concord, by Timothy Martin Minot. Massachusetts, about 1825. Concord Museum Collection, Bequest of Mrs. Stedman Buttrick, Sr.; Pl414.
SCHEDULE
The conference sessions are held at the Concord Museum located at 53 Cambridge Tpke, Concord, Massachusetts.
THURSDAY, APRIL 10
6:00 – 7:00 pm
Registration and Welcome Reception
7:00 – 8:00 pm
Keynote Panel
“From Boycotts to Bullets: Was the Outbreak of the American Revolution Inevitable”
Presenters:
• Serena Zabin, Carleton College
• Robert A. Gross, University of Connecticut, Emeritus
Moderator: Katherine Grandjean, Wellesley College
FRIDAY, APRIL 11
9:00 - 10:15 am
Session 1: Faith and Ideas
Presenters:
• Mark Boonshoft, Virginia Military Institute, “Religious Freedom in a Time of Revolution: New York, 1774-1775”
• Tricia Peone, Congregational Library & Archives, “Exploring Print and Manuscript Sermons of the Revolution”
• Ross W. Beales, Jr., College of the Holy Cross, “‘the present Torrent of Liberty is irresistable’: The Reverend Ebenezer Parkman and the Road to Revolution in Westborough, Massachusetts”
Commenter: Stephen A. Marini, Wellesley College
10:30 – 11:45 am
Session 2: Communities in Crisis
Presenters:
• Donald Johnson, North Dakota State University, “From Observers to Generals: The Transformation of Local Committees at the Outset of the Revolutionary War”
• Sarah Pearlman Shapiro, Brown University, “Care Work Vulnerabilities and Sexual Assault in 1775 Boston”
• Kevin M. Sweeney, Amherst College, Emeritus, “The Guns of April: Kinds and Quantities of Firearms Kept and Borne in 1775”
Commenter: J. L. Bell, Boston1775.net
11:45 am – 1:30 pm
Lunch and Open Time to Visit the Concord Museum
Provided boxed lunches will be served in the Concord Museum Education Center.
1:30 – 2:45 pm
Session 3: The Coming of War
Presenters:
• Iris de Rode, Karsh Institute of Democracy, University of Virginia, “French Observers of Early American Unrest: How Lexington and Concord Shaped France’s Entry into the American Revolution”
• Blake McGready, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, “Masters of the Lake? Political and Ecological Struggles in the Champlain Basin, 1775”
• Richard H. Tomczak, Stony Brook University, “The Invasion of Quebec and the Politics of Popular Protest, 1775-1776”
Commenter: Eliga Gould, University of New Hampshire
3:00 – 4:15 pm
Session 4: Myth, Material, and Memory
Presenters:
• Michael Hattem, Yale University, “Concord in the Popular Memory of the American Revolution”
• Erica Lome, Historic New England, “Patriot, Son, and Symbol: Josiah Quincy Jr.’s Material Legacy”
• Kathleen Criscitiello, Lexington Historical Society, “Reexamining Lexington’s Revolutionary History in Swept Up in Revolution”
Commenter: Reed Gochberg, Concord Museum
4:15 – 5:00 pm
Closing Remarks and Discussion
The Concord Museum
www.concordmuseum.org
Founded in 1886, the Concord Museum houses one of the most notable collections of American material culture and decorative arts in the country. The Museum showcases the many layers of Concord’s remarkable history, including Concord’s pivotal role in the beginning of the American Revolution, the writings of celebrated Transcendentalists, the rich history and survivance of local Indigenous communities, a strong legacy of antislavery activism, and innovations in education and environmental thought. A regional leader in object-based learning, the Museum offers cutting-edge school programing and teacher resources, as well as life-long learning opportunities through exhibitions and public programs.
The David Center for the American Revolution
www.amphilsoc.org/david-center-american-revolution
A collaboration between the David Library of the American Revolution (DLAR) and the American Philosophical Society, the David Center for the American Revolution is dedicated to supporting scholarship on the American Revolution. The Center champions the engagement of scholars, educators, and the general public of all ages in a continuing and dynamic encounter with this central episode in the creation of the American nation. The David Center is one of four research centers of the American Philosophical Society’s Library & Museum. Please check our website, to learn more about what we do and for news of forthcoming events.
Massachusetts Historical Society
www.masshist.org
Founded in 1791, the Massachusetts Historical Society (MHS) is an invaluable resource for American history, life, and culture. With millions of pages of manuscript letters, diaries, and other documents, as well as early newspapers, maps, broadsides, artifacts, artwork, photographs, and prints, the MHS offers a wide-ranging perspective on the United States from the early beginnings of the nation to the present day. The MHS hosts a variety of scholarly activities including seminars, conferences, and grad student receptions, as well as a robust fellowship program.