“It was the people, not just a privileged few, who transformed grievances into a real revolution. This is at the heart of our robust origin story, important not only for us but for the whole world. For a successful revolution, a larger participation was necessary. The people were the power and they still are. If it had only been our founding fathers, we would still be singing ‘God Save the Queen,’” historian and author Timothy Breen speaking at a dinner hosted by the National Society of the Colonial Dames in America and the Society of Colonial Wars in the state of Illinois for the nation’s 250th birthday party.
But to celebrate that night, community was needed to pitch a tent. Look who got involved.
The recent all day celebration which began at Washington Square Park facing the Newberry Library brought together 500 people of all ages to pick up mallets, pull ropes and help pitch the replica of George Washington’s dining tent brought to Chicago by the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia partnered with The Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Illinois and the Newberry Library. Part of the First Oval Office Project, the day was surely the best way to teach family members of all ages about what is often considered the supreme relic of George Washington.
Costumed interpreters working alongside scouts, other children and their parents, told the immersive story of the complexities of life on campaign during the Revolutionary War and Washington’s role as Commander in Chief. Passionate scholars, the interpreters joined guests at the dinner celebration at the Fortnightly despite what it took to pitch the tent then take it down at afternoon’s end.
The Museum’s ongoing First Oval Office Project began in 2013 with a partnership with the Historic Trades Department at The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia to reproduce and use full-scale replicas of Washington’s tents and camp equipage.
Later in the day as part of the Newberry Speakers Series offered free to the public, dialogues on the Declaration of Independence’s journey and a book by political scientist Danielle Allen, Harvard Professor and formerly a most valued University of Chicago professor, attracted 400 guests who toured the Newberry’s Danelle Allen and Scott Stephenson discussed her recently released: Radical Duke: How One Aristocrat—and the American Revolution—Transformed Britain. Visitors also explored the Newberry’s exhibition, “Free and Independent: The Declaration of Independence and the Words That Made the United States,” featuring a rare early copy of the Declaration and more than two dozen historic items, curated by Eric Slauter.
The dinner at the close of a day gave Colonial Warriors head Geoffrey Euston the opportunity to thank Warrior Stephen Schwab who spearheaded the day’s efforts and the Colonial Dames for being such a significant supporter of the tent project.
We wanted to share with readers photos of the children who loved the day learning about the Revolution in this hands-on project. It brought so many community members together just as Professor Breen said was the true force of the American Revolution.