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The American Revolution: Lessons for the 250th, Featuring Filmmakers Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein

Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Knafel Center, Harvard University Garden Street 10, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2026 Time: 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Location: Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Knafel Center 10 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 Cost: Free and open to the public; advance registration required THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, examines how America’s founding turned the world upside down. Thirteen […]

Free

In the Margins: Women Printers in the 18th Century

Reading Public Library Middlesex Avenue 64, Reading, Massachusetts, United States

18th century newspapers and pamphlets were essential to the dissemination of information and were instrumental in fanning the flames of discord on both sides of the revolutionary conflict. While the job of printing was largely considered a masculine activity, widows, wives, and daughters took up the mantle of a free press. Not only did women […]

Free

Author Book Talk Eric Jay Dolin, Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution (W.W. Norton, 2022)

Virtual Program North Washington Square 19 1/2, Salem, MA, United States

About the Author: Eric Jay Dolin is the author of seventeen books, including Leviathan: The History of Whaling in America; A Furious Sky: The Five-Hundred-Year History of America’s Hurricanes; Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of America’s Most Notorious Pirates; and Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution. His forthcoming book (June 2, […]

Free

Remembering the Revolution — The Siege of Boston

Fong Auditorium, Boylston Hall, Harvard University Kirkland Street 2, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026 Time: 2:45–6:00 p.m. (doors open at 2:30 p.m.) Location: Harvard University, Boylston Hall, Fong Auditorium Harvard Yard, Cambridge, MA 02138 Cost: Free and open to the public; advance registration required for in-person attendance This afternoon mini-symposium examines the Siege of Boston (April 19, 1775 – March 17, 1776) and considers […]

Free

The Battle of Falmouth

Falmouth Museums on the Green Palmer Avenue 55, Falmouth, MA, United States

The Battle of Falmouth—An important Revolutionary War encounter between the Colonial Militia and British Troops occurred in April of 1779 in our town of Falmouth, Massachusetts. Faced with imminent attack by British troops and the threat of the town being burned, the local Militia stepped up in a fascinating series of events and saved the […]

Remember the Ladies 250

Adams National Historical Park Visitor Center Hancock Street 1250, Quincy, Massachusetts, United States

Join Adams National Historical Park Saturday, March 28, and Sunday, March 29 for a premier 250th anniversary event commemorating the American Revolution experiences of Abigail Adams and the legacy of her famous "Remember the Ladies" letter to John Adams.

Free
Event Series Printing Revolution Lecture with Andy Volpe

Printing Revolution Lecture with Andy Volpe

Museum of Printing 15 Thornton Ave, Haverhill, MA, United States

Join us at the Museum of Printing for Andy Volpe’s "Printing Revolution" lecture —press freedom and colonial resistance before Independence. Andy Volpe's "Printing Revolution" presentation, takes a look not only at the printing press and printing technology being considered "revolutionary", but also looking at what was printed. Including the idea of Freedom of the Press, […]

“Spinning Toward Revolution: Growing Flax & Processing Linen in New England, 1765-1776”

Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, MA, United States

On Saturday, March 28, Dr. Kimberly Alexander, Director of Museum Studies and Senior Lecturer in the History Department of the University of New Hampshire, will speak about women’s textile production and political protest in the 18th century. She will present her research and show tactile components of flax production from her work with the UNH […]

Free

Redware and the Revolution!

Smith Barn 38 Felton St., Peabody, MA, United States

Family day to celebrate local pottery history: Redware pottery demonstration, author talk, pinch pot activity, and tour of the museum’s collections! Peabody was at the heart of the Colonial red earthenware industry roughly between 1770-1850. Potters from around New England used to come here to train and to source the high quality clay from the […]

$5

Eric Jay Dolin presents Rebels at Sea : Privateering in the American Revolution

Cultural Center of Cape Cod Old Main Street 307, Yarmouth, MA, United States

Eric Jay Dolin is the award-winning best-selling author of fifteen books, including one with the same title as his talk. He will discuss the critical role of “the ragtag fleet of private vessels” that “tormented the British on the broad Atlantic and in bays and harbors on both sides of the ocean” in determining the […]

$20

“Expansive Histories of the American Revolution” Free Virtual Lecture Series

historic deerfield Memorial Street 16, Deerfield, MA, United States

Join Historic Deerfield by Zoom for this free virtual lecture series! In observance of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, we invite you to tune in to our free, virtual Winter Lecture Series, featuring three distinguished scholars. This series will explore the American Revolution not just as a political conflict, but as a broad […]

Free

Founding Women: Ideas of Independence

Massachusetts Historical Society Boylston Street 1154, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person reception starts at 5:30 and the program will begin 6:00 PM. Please visit here to register: https://www.masshist.org/events/founding-women From letters to plays and poetry to […]

$10

Washington Remembered, Washington Forgotten: Washington and Slavery

Cambridge Public Library Broadway 449, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

To mark the 250th anniversaries of the American Revolution and the founding of the United States, a coalition of local non-profits and government agencies will present Washington in American Memory, a seven-part speaker series. Explore how Americans have remembered and forgotten Washington’s involvement with slavery over the past 250 years, featuring: -Kelli Racine Barnes, ACE […]

Free

Abigail Adams & 18th-Century Clothing Talk

Buttonwoods Museum Water Street 240, Haverhill, MA, United States

Join us as we welcome Sarah Walsh back to Buttonwoods on Wednesday, April 1st at 6:30pm to give a talk about Abigail Adams and 18th-century clothing. We will serve punch made from a period recipe and very light snacks. Tickets will be $30* and all proceeds will go towards funding our upcoming "Stitching History Together" […]

$30

Newburyport’s Road to Independence IV: American Rebels: Hancock, Quincy, Adams

St. Paul's Episcopal Church 166 High Street, Newburyport, MA, United States

American Rebels: The Hancock, Adams, and Quincy Families Fanned the Flames of Revolution...in Newburyport and Beyond. Newburyport's Offin Boardman carried secret letters for John Adams, who argued court cases in Newburyport. The USS Hancock was built in Newburyport in 1776, and all three families were linked by ties of blood and friendship to this community. […]

Free – $10

An Intimate Evening with Martha and George Washington

Lafayette-Durfee House Cherry Street 94, Fall River, Massachusetts, United States

Step into the warmth and elegance of the 18th century as we host a special gathering inspired by the hospitality of Martha and George Washington. Enjoy an evening of conversation, refinement, and colonial charm in a cozy, historic setting. Guests will be treated to a selection of hors d’oeuvres, along with coffee, tea, and fine […]

$30.00

Hingham in the Revolution

Hingham Heritage Museum Main Street 34, Hingham, MA, United States

Discover the diverse and fascinating roles Hingham and its people played in the national struggle for independence, from Major General Benjamin Lincoln’s collaborative friendship with Commander in Chief George Washington, to Hingham’s wartime production of tens of thousands of wooden canteens, to its “fighting minister" at Lexington and Concord, its artillerymen devastated at Brandywine, its […]

God of Our Fathers: Mighty Miracles of the American Revolution

Arts Empowering Life Performing Arts Center Southern Eagle Cartway 95, Brewster, Massachusetts, United States

Performing Arts Center, Brewster Free America 250 Series In Person & Livestreamed Battle of Lexington and Concord & the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere Presented by Dr. Jerry Newcombe Join us for a year-long a series of monthly lectures celebrating God's miraculous acts during our nation’s fight for Independence. Each lecture highlights key moments of […]

FREE admission for all!

The American Revolution and the Fate of the World

American Antiquarian Society 185 Salisbury Street, Worcester, United States

Historian and author Richard Bell traces the far-flung reverberations of American Revolution through the lives of the people it displaced, empowered, or destroyed. Participants will encounter a Native matriarch struggling to preserve a transatlantic military alliance, a Prussian officer reinventing himself in a foreign army, and a Boston schoolteacher shipwrecked thousands of miles from home. […]

Free
Event Series The Role of the Press in the American Revolution

The Role of the Press in the American Revolution

Bigelow Library Walnut Street 54, Clinton, MA, United States

18th century newspapers and pamphlets were essential to the dissemination of information and were instrumental in fanning the flames of discord on both sides of the revolutionary conflict. However, how did printers get their information? This interactive program, with the added component of 18th century material culture items, focuses on the incredible process of typesetting […]

Free

The Siege of Boston: A New Discovery, Fireside Chat with Andrew J. O’Shaughnessy

Virtual Program North Washington Square 19 1/2, Salem, MA, United States

Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 Time: 6:00–7:00 p.m. Location: Zoom Webinar Cost: Free and open to the public; advance registration required Join us for a virtual fireside chat with University of Virginia History Professor Andrew J. O’Shaughnessy, former Director of the Robert H. Smith International Center for Thomas Jefferson Studies at Monticello, who will discuss […]

Free
Event Series The Role of the Press in the American Revolution

The Role of the Press in the American Revolution

Bigelow Library Walnut Street 54, Clinton, MA, United States

18th century newspapers and pamphlets were essential to the dissemination of information and were instrumental in fanning the flames of discord on both sides of the revolutionary conflict. However, how did printers get their information? This interactive program, with the added component of 18th century material culture items, focuses on the incredible process of typesetting […]

Free

Salt and Revolution: The Saltworks of Cape Cod in the 18th Century

Cape Cod Museum of Art 60 Hope Lane, Dennis, MA, United States

Join historian Bob Kelley of the Historical Society of Old Yarmouth for a fascinating talk on the saltworks developed on the uplands at Sesuit Creek in the East Precinct of Yarmouth. He will discuss why the Atlantic coast was unable to produce salt as efficiently as European countries, how the 1775 Prohibitory Act of Parliament […]

$18 – $24

Revolutionary Roads: From Anti-Catholicism to the founding of Emmanuel College

Emmanuel College Pilgrim Road 103, Boston, MA, United States

The American Revolution helped usher in greater religious toleration in Massachusetts. With the adoption of the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780, Catholics and other religious minorities were guaranteed freedom of worship in the Commonwealth. Although the path toward acceptance was not always easy, these changes allowed Catholicism to take root and, over time, become a defining […]

Free

South Shore History Symposium: The Revolution, Independence, and the South Shore

The Spire Center for the Performing Arts Court Street 25 1/2, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States

Presented by the “Backroads of the South Shore,” a consortium of 20 non-profit organizations operating in 12 towns from Weymouth to Plymouth, this year’s South Shore History Symposium will once again feature presentations from five prominent local historians. In keeping with the 250th commemorations of 1776, the symposium will focus on “The Revolution, Independence, and […]

$20
Event Series Printing Revolution Lecture with Andy Volpe

Printing Revolution Lecture with Andy Volpe

Museum of Printing 15 Thornton Ave, Haverhill, MA, United States

Join us at the Museum of Printing for Andy Volpe’s "Printing Revolution" lecture —press freedom and colonial resistance before Independence. Andy Volpe's "Printing Revolution" presentation, takes a look not only at the printing press and printing technology being considered "revolutionary", but also looking at what was printed. Including the idea of Freedom of the Press, […]

Old Put – Danvers Hero of the American Revolution

Tapley Memorial Hall 13 Page Street, Danvers, MA, United States

Join the Gen. Israel Putnam Chapter, DAR at the Holten House, to hear author Robert Hubbard discuss his biography of Major General Israel Putnam. The event is free, but seating is limited, reservations required.

Free

All About Tea During Early America

Bigelow Free Public Library 54 Walnut St, Clinton, MA, United States

How a tiny dry leaf from the other side of the globe worked its way into the cultural identity of a young nation. Join living history interpreter Audrey Stuck-Girard as she prepares a few cups of 18th-century tea with antique teaware and discusses the ways the beverage impacted cultural traditions, global trade, and revolutionary politics […]

Free

Upton Historical Society to Host Declaration of Independence Commemoration Program

Upton Community Center 9 Milford St, Upton, Upton, United States

The Upton Historical Society will present a special program celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on Thursday April 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Upton Community Center (9 Milford St Upton). Titled “Declaration of Independence,” the program will feature a unique local perspective led by students from the History […]

Free

Walking On Native Land

Hatfield Historical Museum Main Street 39, Hatfield, Massachusetts, United States

What were the conditions of the lands that helped shape this valley and the lives of the people who lived here 13,000 years ago? How was it different from the land across the sea? What traces remain in the landscape that can help carry those stories forward to today? Join us at the boat ramp, […]

A Bedford Assortment

Bedford Old Town Hall, Great Room (3rd Floor) South Road 16, Bedford, Massachusetts, United States

Vocabulary.com describes an “assortment” as “a bunch of different things all together, whether they’re the same sort or not.” “For example,” says Society President and Bedford Town Historian Sharon McDonald, “an assortment of chocolates would be a box of cherry-filled, nut, caramel, coconut, and orange crème candies. Using her engaging story-telling style, McDonald’s “Bedford Assortment” […]

Free

How We Remember, What We Preserve: Washington’s Legacy at Mount Vernon

Cambridge Public Library Broadway 449, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

To mark the 250th anniversaries of the American Revolution and the founding of the United States, a coalition of local non-profits and government agencies will present Washington in American Memory, a seven-part speaker series. Explore the 19th century origins of preservation at Mount Vernon, current conservation work, and the estate’s future, featuring: -Doug Bradburn, President […]

Free

Recapitulating Kurt Russell’s Visit

Arlington Historical Society Jason Street 7, Arlington, MA, United States

A panel discussion with the organizers behind Kurt Russell’s visit to Arlington, exploring how the Hollywood actor and descendant of Jason Russell came to rediscover his family’s connection to the Jason Russell House, site of the largest skirmish of the first battle of the American Revolutionary War.

$10
Event Series The Civilians Trapped Behind the Boston Siege Lines “I Screamed with All My Might”

The Civilians Trapped Behind the Boston Siege Lines “I Screamed with All My Might”

Reading Public Library Middlesex Avenue 64, Reading, Massachusetts, United States

Join us for the compelling story of the aftermath of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the hundreds of civilians trapped inside Boston. Regardless of their political allegiance, these non-combatants faced a daily struggle to secure supplies to support their families, avoid the abuses of His Majesty’s forces and protect their personal and real […]

Free
Event Series The Civilians Trapped Behind the Boston Siege Lines “I Screamed with All My Might”

The Civilians Trapped Behind the Boston Siege Lines “I Screamed with All My Might”

Reading Public Library Middlesex Avenue 64, Reading, Massachusetts, United States

Join us for the compelling story of the aftermath of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the hundreds of civilians trapped inside Boston. Regardless of their political allegiance, these non-combatants faced a daily struggle to secure supplies to support their families, avoid the abuses of His Majesty’s forces and protect their personal and real […]

Free

Author Book Talk: Dr. Marla R. Miller, Entangled Lives: Labor, Livelihood, and Landscapes of Change in Rural Massachusetts

Virtual Program North Washington Square 19 1/2, Salem, MA, United States

Free, virtual program; registration required About the Author: Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts and a Distinguished Professor of History at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Dr. Marla Miller's primary research interest is U.S. women's work before industrialization. Her book The Needle's Eye: Women and Work in the Age […]

Free

In Support of the Army: How the Massachusetts Housewives supported the Continental Troops

Bigelow Free Public Library 54 Walnut St, Clinton, MA, United States

It is often said that the army marches on its stomach and it’s just as true during the 18th century as it is today. But how was the army supplied with that food? How was it cooked/processed? And what ways did the food that housewives cooked/processed/preserved in their homes support the Continental Army as it […]

Free

Event Series Author Karen Warfield presents The Emancipation of Hannah Faythe Winslow: A Woman’s Journey in Colonial America

Author Karen Warfield presents The Emancipation of Hannah Faythe Winslow: A Woman’s Journey in Colonial America

Agawam Public Library Cooper Street 750, Agawam, MA, United States

Join author Karen Warfield as she presents a glimpse at life in colonial times here in Agawam. Beginning with a dramatization of a young colonial woman, Karen will introduce us to her historical fiction novel which begins in Agawam, MA and meanders through Hartford, CT and down to the area of Gales Ferry. The book […]

Free
Event Series Author Karen Warfield presents The Emancipation of Hannah Faythe Winslow: A Woman’s Journey in Colonial America

Author Karen Warfield presents The Emancipation of Hannah Faythe Winslow: A Woman’s Journey in Colonial America

Agawam Public Library Cooper Street 750, Agawam, MA, United States

Join author Karen Warfield as she presents a glimpse at life in colonial times here in Agawam. Beginning with a dramatization of a young colonial woman, Karen will introduce us to her historical fiction novel which begins in Agawam, MA and meanders through Hartford, CT and down to the area of Gales Ferry. The book […]

Free

A Personal Conversation in Martha Washington’s Bedchamber

Bigelow Free Public Library 54 Walnut St, Clinton, MA, United States

Educational Programming delivered in first person (Sandy IS Martha Washington, as if it were 1784): Spend time with Mrs. Washington as she completes dressing for her day in this interactive and informative program. During the time together, Mrs. Washington will share news of her family, and how the current events that her husband is so […]

Free

A Revolutionary Soldier’s kit

Bigelow Free Public Library 54 Walnut St, Clinton, MA, United States

Join Revolutionary War reenactor Steve Joanis to learn about what 18th century soldiers wore and how the uniform changed over time. After this presentation, you'll have a better idea of: Revolutionary War soldiers' clothing & how it changed during the war What's in an 18th century soldier's pack What they carried

Free

Soldiers & Sailors: Patriots of the American Revolution, East Precinct of Yarmouth

Cape Cod Museum of Art 60 Hope Lane, Dennis, MA, United States

Soldiers & Sailors is a historical narrative that offers a local perspective on the American Revolution, featuring images by South Dennis artist Howard Bonington and others. Researched and written by Diane Rochelle of the Dennis Historical Commission, the book includes an appendix of brief biographies of East Precinct Patriots buried in Dennis cemeteries, accompanied by […]

$18 – $24

GLOBALIZING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Falmouth Museums on the Green Palmer Avenue 55, Falmouth, MA, United States

GLOBALIZING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION May 21, 2026, 4pm When we think of the American Revolution, we often picture a parochial drama: thirteen colonies squaring off against the British Crown in a spirited bid for independence. But this version of the story is only half the truth—and perhaps not even the most interesting half. In this […]

Daily Life in Menotomy: Aftermath of April 19, 1775

Arlington Historical Society Jason Street 7, Arlington, MA, United States

Often have been told in detail the bloody events that took place in Menotomy (Arlington) on the first day of the American Revolution. But how did Menotomy, then a rural precinct of Cambridge, recover from the shocking episodes and carry on while war was still raging mere miles away in Boston? Join the Arlington Historical […]

$10

Meet John Adams – A Lively and Revolutionary Conversation with America’s Second President

Captain Charles Leonard House 663 Main Street, Agawam, United States

Annual Meeting of the Agawam Historical Association featured presentation: Meet John Adams: A Lively and Revolutionary Conversation with America’s Second President Following the election of officers & directors and a short business meeting, George Baker will transport audience members to the Revolutionary era with his engaging and entertaining portrayal of President John Adams. Wearing historically […]

Free

Tea with Martha

unitedparish Church Street 1, Upton, Massachusetts, United States

The Upton Historical Society invites the community to step back in time for a special program, Tea with Martha, held at the United Parish on Thurs June 4th at 11:00 a.m. Attendees will enjoy an engaging, first person portrayal of Martha Washington, brought to life through a dramatic reading by Cheryl Lampshire, D.M with the […]

Free

Keynote at the Adams Theater: Stacy Schiff

The Adams Theater, Adams, MA Park Street 27, Adams, MA, United States

Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer and Adams native Stacy Schiff returns home for a special MA250 Festival keynote on June 20, 2026. In conversation with interlocutor Sara Houghteling, Schiff will explore the fiery origins of the American Revolution as detailed in her latest work, The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams, while offering an exclusive look at her current research […]

$25 – $45

MA250 Film Screening: 1776 at the Adams Theater

The Adams Theater, Adams, MA Park Street 27, Adams, MA, United States

Our nation's fathers harmonize their way through the founding of America in this musical adapted from a popular Broadway show. Representatives from the 13 colonies gather in Philadelphia with the aim of establishing a set of governmental rules for the burgeoning United States. Benjamin Franklin (Howard da Silva) and John Adams (William Daniels) charge Thomas […]

Free

Author Talk: When the Declarations Was News

Boston Public Library: Copley Square Branch Boylston Street 700, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Publishing for the 250th anniversary of the United States, When the Declaration of Independence Was News focuses on the nation’s founding document at the moment of its creation in 1776, before anyone knew what the legacy of the Declaration would be or if the United States would win the war against Great Britain. It explores […]

Free

Cape Cod and Islands in the Revolution

Falmouth Museums on the Green Palmer Avenue 55, Falmouth, MA, United States

Cape Cod and Islands in the Revolution –A new illustrated book about the events of the Revolutionary War on Cape Cod and the Islands provides an overview of key events for our region between 1761 and 1783, eventually leading to national Independence. An overview of highlights from the book will be presented as part of […]

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