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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

American Revolutionaries: Tea, Sociability, and Revolution

Clark Art Institute 225 South Street, Williamstown, MA, United States

American Revolutionaries is a series of gallery talks given by members of the curatorial team in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. Each talk highlights artworks from the Burrows Gallery of American Decorative Arts, including silver from the Henry Morris and Elizabeth H. Burrows collection, which came to the Clark from an […]

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

Gallery Talk: The Declaration in American Memory

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

Join Library Assistant Brandon McGrath-Neely for "The Declaration in American Memory," a gallery talk on the exhibition 1776: Declaring Independence. Visitors are invited to explore the rest of the exhibition and ask questions. Attendance is free. Please visit here to register: https://www.masshist.org/events/gallery-talk-april-17-2026

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

Knox Trail 250 Event

Palmer Public Library 1455 North Main Street, Palmer, United States

Beginning at 10:00 view the 1976 commemorative quilt created from embroidered panels submitted by Massachusetts students from towns along the Henry Knox Trail. Then at 11:00AM, local historian Dennis Picard will share some details of this wintry expedition as it passed from the Massachusetts town of North Egremont through Springfield, Palmer, and on to Boston. […]

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, […]

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

Patriots’ Day Celebrations in Concord

Concord Concord, MA, United States

9AM Concord Patriots' Day Parade Concord Block Party 2026 The parade ends. And the party begins in Concord Center! Free & open to all! Live music. Food trucks. Community booths. Pop-up activities for all ages. What’s happening: Main Stage – Live performances by the Concord Women’s Chorus, local bands, and Town Crier Josh Teleman Food […]

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

Jan Scanlan presents “We Must Carry On!”

Langley-Adams Library Main Street 185, Groveland, MA, United States

As we get closer to the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence, learn what our colonial Bradford counterparts would have been doing 250 years ago! Massachusetts has been marking events wherein male revolutionaries dumped tea, stood up to British intrusion, and battled their way through an uncertain future. What of the women and children? How […]

Free

Colonial Life with reenactor Jan Scanlan

Langley-Adams Library Main Street 185, Groveland, MA, United States

Had you lived here 250 years ago, you would have been in colonial Bradford (Groveland didn’t become its own town until 1850). It was an uncertain time: British troops were occupying Boston. Men were away dealing with this threat. What would your life have been like during this time? This event allows you to experience […]

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, […]

Walking On Native Land: Land use in the 1700s

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

The land below our feet holds a ton of history, and we are looking forward to talking about some of those parts of our local story. We will learn a welcoming song in Abenaki, look out over the mighty Connecticut River as people did 13000 years ago, and hear how the different approaches to land […]

Free

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

Gallery Talk: From Yorktown to the Hotel d’York

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

Join Sara Georgini, Series Editor, Papers of John Adams, for a gallery talk on the exhibition From Yorktown to the Hotel d’York: Winning Peace. Visitors are invited to explore the rest of the exhibition and ask questions. Attendance is free. Please visit here to register: https://www.masshist.org/events/gallery-talk-may-1-2026

Free

New England Sweets with Susan Mara Bregman

Nichols Village Nichols Way 1, Groveland, MA, United States

A chocolate mill opened in Boston in the late 1700s, setting the stage for New England’s enduring love affair with sweets. Over the following centuries, the region has become home to an extraordinary variety of baked, fried, dipped, sugared, and frozen confections. Massachusetts gave us candy classics like Necco Wafers, Sky Bars, and Junior Mints. […]

Free

How to Feed an Army “In search of a bit of gravy” ​ with food historian Stacy Booth

Andover Center for History and Culture 97 Main Street, Andover, MA, United States

How to Feed an Army "In search of a bit of gravy" with food historian Stacy Booth ​​~ How was the Continental Army was supplied with food? ~ How was food cooked and processed? ~ How was it different from what soldiers ate at home? ~ How was their diet and and food production different […]

$12.50

Gallery Talk: 1776: Declaring Independence

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

Join a member of the Adams Papers staff for a gallery talk on the exhibition 1776: Declaring Independence. Visitors are invited to explore the rest of the exhibition and ask questions. Attendance is free. Please visit here to register: https://www.masshist.org/events/gallery-talk-may-8-2026

Free

From Bottles to Windows: The Role of Glass in Colonial America

Thacher Hall Main Street 266, Yarmouth, MA, United States

Join Sandwich Glass Museum Curator, Bonnie Lilienfeld, for an inside look at the role glass played in the life of Yarmouth colonists, including the lesser-known glass tax imposed on them along with the famous tax on tea!

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

Women of ’76

Palmer Public Library 1455 North Main Street, Palmer, United States

Experience the untold stories of courage and conviction from five remarkable women who witnessed and shaped the American Revolution. Presented by Rita Parisi of Waterfall Productions. Step back in time and discover the untold stories of five courageous women – both patriot and loyalist, both American and foreign-born – who witnessed, chronicled, and in some […]

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

Braintree’s Last King; George III

54 Pond Street Pond Street 54, Braintree, MA, United States

Join the Braintree Historical Society for the third of it spring lecture series where Chris Griffin will introduce us to King George III, the country's last king.

Free

Revolutionary Narratives: From Broadsides to Hollywood

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

The American Revolution has been contested since its very beginning. During the Revolution, contemporaries looking to understand what independence meant had to shift through disinformation and journalism rife with as many opinions as today. In the war's aftermath, narratives of the Revolution went through continuous reinterpretations in response to political and social changes. From the […]

$10

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

Curious & Complex Connections: Environmental History & the War of Independence

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

This program was rescheduled from its original date of 20 October 2025. Many of us give only a moment’s thought about the environment when considering the War of Independence: the slope of Breed’s Hill, the ice-choked Delaware River, and diseases such as smallpox. But what might we gain by connecting biology, ecology, and geology to […]

$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

Bus Tour to Historic 1788 “Ten-Footer” Boot Shop & Old First Cemetery 1735

Upton Town Hall Parking Lot Main Street 1, Upton, Massachusetts, United States

The Upton Historical Society invites the public to step back in time with a special narrated bus tour to one of Upton’s earliest surviving workshop buildings — the 1788 Seth Wood Boot Shop and the Old First Cemetery founded in 1735. Interpreters will be on site to tell these stories. The tour will take place […]

$5

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 […]

Reading and Celebration of the Declaration of Independence

Greylock Glen Center Gould Road 165, Adams, Massachusetts, United States

Join us as we celebrate the birth of our country with our community at the beautiful Greylock Glen Center, situated at the base of Mount Greylock, the tallest mountain in all of southern New England. Join other attendees while dressed in colonial era clothing. Commemorate and celebrate the birth of our country with our community […]

Free

John Dickson American Government- Mid term Elections and Vital Issues

Brewster Ladies' Library 1822 Main Street, Brewster, MA, United States

Monomoy Regional High School social studies teacher John Dickson has been named Teacher of the Year by the American Lawyers Alliance. The national recognition stems from Dickson’s contribution in educating students on law-related education in his civic classes. His civics course centers on the Constitution, law making and public policy, emphasizing the importance of Massachusetts […]

Free
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