PBS KB AmericanRevolutionMr local history Project Ties
These are a series of posts that provide local insight into Ken Burns’ American Revolution series and its ties to local history, which the Mr. Local History Project has been covering.
Here are all six episodes of Ken Burns’ The American Revolution and we’ve added in where we’ve covered some local aspects to the series to provide context.
Episode 1 – In Order to Be Free (May 1754 to May 1775)
Duration: 1 hour 56 minutes
This episode shows how political protest builds into open violence and how war begins to give the thirteen colonies a shared cause
Episode 2 – An Asylum for Mankind (May 1775 to July 1776)
Duration: 2 hours 4 minutes
New Englanders surround the British army at Boston, George Washington takes command of the new Continental Army, and the Continental Congress declares American independence and claims the right of the people to resist tyranny.
Episode 3 – The Times That Try Mens Souls (July 1776 to January 1777)
Duration: 1 hour 55 minutes
The Revolution becomes a full war for independence as Washington struggles and largely fails to hold New York, then barely saves his army before regaining momentum with the surprise attack at Trenton.
Episode 4 – Conquer by a Drawn Game (January 1777 to February 1778)
Duration: 1 hour 56 minutes
British commanders drive on Albany and Philadelphia, defeating Washington at Brandywine and Germantown and forcing Congress to flee, while the American victory over Burgoyne at Saratoga opens the door to formal French support.
Episode 5 – The Soul of All America (December 1777 to May 1780)
Duration: 1 hour 54 minutes
Washington’s army emerges from Valley Forge to fight at Monmouth, and the new French-American alliance shifts the war to the seas, the Caribbean, Indian Country, and the South, where the British ultimately capture Charleston.
Episode 6 – The Most Sacred Thing (May 1780 to Onward)
Cornwallis fails to pacify the southern states, allied American and French forces win at Yorktown, and with independence secured, Americans wrestle with what it means to build a more perfect union.
Check at the end of this story which voice was used for each person in the series.
It’s time New Jersey – America is 250, and Our Jersey History helped make America the free country it is today. Join The Mr Local History Project as we celebrate all year long. New Jersey holds a central place in…
December 13, 1776, stands as the most electrifying day in Basking Ridge’s history, when the sleepy colonial crossroads suddenly became the center of the Revolution. At dawn, the infamous capture of General Charles Lee sent shockwaves through Washington’s struggling army…
December 13, 1776, stands as the most electrifying day in Basking Ridge’s history, when the sleepy colonial crossroads suddenly became the center of the Revolution. At dawn, the infamous capture of General Charles Lee sent shockwaves through Washington’s struggling army…
The world might have had a different look if it weren’t for this day’s event.December 13, 1776 in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Basking Ridge, New Jersey’s most famous incident, occurred on December 13, 1776, at about noon. General Charles Lee…
Back in 1924, silent films were all the rage. Bernardsville was just becoming a borough and separating from Bernards Township, but there was still only one movie theater, The Liberty Theater. How fortunate was the theater to feature the film…
Researching Local History with Maps As a historian, I believe maps are one of the greatest sources of information, capturing a time and place. We use these maps to research history and find buildings, families, farms, or streets. We often…
New Jersey is known as the “Cockpit of the American Revolution” for a reason – because it was. More battles, more encampments, more strategies took place in New Jersey than in any other colony of the original thirteen. Bookmark the…
Jockey Hollow is part of America’s first National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park which marks their 90th Anniversary in 2023. We also know there is a Jockey Hollow Bar and Kitchen, a four-part restaurant housed inside Morristown’s historic Vail Mansion…
Every great historical story starts with something like, “So we were at this tavern and……” This is one of those stories. America was in the final stages of the Revolutionary war. After an agreement with the French was finalized General…
Is William Alexander, aka The Earl & Lord of Stirling, Basking Ridge’s Most Famous Resident? Our researchers think so. Let’s see if we can answer that question. William Alexander (1726 – Jan 15, 1783) was the son of Secretary &…
Lewis – Boudinot – Southard- Ross Farm in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards Twp., New Jersey. The Ross Farm in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, has a rich history of the Revolutionary War and played a notable role in the…
Father of the American Army ArtilleryFather of the American NavyFather of the Military Draft Fate has it often that those who put themselves in constant danger and face death every day are often spared until some freak accident takes them away…
The wind that swept across the Somerset Hills in the bitter winter of 1779 carried more than snow and smoke. It carried the sound of hammers striking timber, the commands of officers echoing across the ridges, and the heavy clatter…
This is a story about a widow, a General, and a War for Independence. For over a decade, I’ve been researching the story behind the 1776 capture of one of General Washington’s head generals, but I never really focused on…
These are a series of posts that provide local insight into Ken Burns’ American Revolution series and ties to local history that the Mr. Local History Project has been covering. Episode 1, titled “How Land, Taxes and Rebellion Sparked the…
It’s been on our radar to prepare a post and video since one of the nation’s top fife and drum units made their march into New Jersey during a warm spell in July 2023. First in Morristown at the Ford…
With America’s 250th anniversary just around the corner, there’s no better time to recognize great American history about what we’ve coined “The Greatest Story Never Told” about the American Revolution – The Academy that came 24 years before the Military…
It was a cold, winterish April afternoon at the Jacobus Vanderveer House in Bedminster, New Jersey, as a very special guest came to tell his story about what has become a signature event in the history of the Revolutionary War…
The Mr. Local History Project is researching the thesis that another house, known as Stirling Manor in Basking Ridge, was built with similar architecture to the Proprietary House by England’s John Edward Pryor. Let us know what you think after…
Suppose you have the chance to visit Basking Ridge, New Jersey’s Ross Farm for an outdoor concert or to help out in the giving garden, remember this story about the historic Boudinot (Boo-DE-Know) family estate on the hill and their…
The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It was engrossed on parchment, and on August 2, 1776, delegates began signing it. Jefferson drafted the statement between June 11 and 28, submitted drafts to Adams and…
Knowing that people are very busy, we’ve gathered a playlist of short videos that take your through some of the most prominent events of the Revolutionary War in New Jersey. Watch the ones you can, or bookmark the page and…
The Knox Trophy is an award that was established on October 8, 1910, and given annually by the Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York to the United States Military Academy cadet with the highest rating for military…
Basking Ridge, New Jersey’s Most Famous Incident Yes, this historic event made the series, so look for it. The episode covering that timeframe is Episode 3: “The Times That Try Men’s Souls (July 1776 – January 1777)” about 1 hour…
On the internet, we’ve created the #3LOCALHISTORYEVENTCHALLENGE, where you share your town’s three most historic events. As the historian for Bernards Township, representing Bernards Towns#hip and its four hamlets is a great honor. We’re always looking for ways to showcase…
Be part of the Widow White’s Tavern limited edition run. Mr Local History is proud to announce the release of the 7th in the collectible series, the infamous 1776 Widow White’s Tavern in the village of Basking Ridge. Order now…
RAIN or SHINE – EVERY July 4th at 10:30 am – Join friends and family on Independence Day as the Washington Camp Ground Association honors the American flag, the playing of the Star Spangled Banner, and the reading of the…
Research Update:Are the Boylans and the Bullions the same family in Liberty Corner? Before Liberty Corner was Liberty Corner, it was Annins Corner AND we also found it named Boylans Corner (Bullions Corner). And what about that Bernardsville house targeted…
UPDATE: We are looking for art programs, non-profits, and elder program coordinators to consider programs where an entire art class works to create their own collection with ties to our collective local history. MLHP Education Coordinator The Mr. Local History…
Bridgewater was chartered in 1749, and Bernards Township was chartered in 1760. After the Revolutionary War, no Royal Charters were issued, so you had to incorporate through a vote in the New Jersey legislature after submitting a petition to separate.…
It takes around two minutes and eighteen seconds to sing God Bless America. Mr. Local History took a trip to the “Field of Honor,” an annual tradition at the Jacobus Vanderveer House in Bedminster, New Jersey. Sit back, relax, and…
During the Middlebrook Encampment periods during the Revolutionary War, George Washington strategically utilized the Watchung Mountain Range for both his soldiers and his own advantage. The mountains provided a perfect view of the surrounding areas where the British were stationed…
John Morton was a Colonel in the Continental Army. Still, he relinquished his commission in 1761 to become a highly successful merchant, specializing in the trade of flax from his native Ulster in Northern Ireland, thereby supporting the country’s linen…
Middlebrook is a know area in the Martinsville section of Bridgewater, Somerset County, New Jersey. We call it “Jersey’s Gift to America.” New Jersey is known as the “cockpit of the American revolution.” More battles were fought in New Jersey…
Meet Francis Hopkinson – New Jersey signer #Jersey5 signer of the Declaration of Independence, who also designed, presented, and received the Continental Congress’s Approval as America’s First official flag on June 14, 1777, in Philadelphia. The Francis Hopkinson Flag –…
The Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R) Goes Right Through Liberty Corner as the site of the English Farm that hosted 5000+ Soldiers During the Famous 1781 March to Yorktown. This march ended with defeating the British Army and General Cornwallis…
America’s First Historic National ParkMorristown National Historical Park Marks 90th Anniversary Congratulations to the Morristown National Historical Park and your 90th anniversary. The park was the first national historical park in the country, deemed so by law on March 2,…
The Mayor of New Jersey’s Historic Village has decreed two icons be added to the New Jersey Historic Wooden Village Collection recently in a bold move to expand the only set of New Jersey collectible icons. Produced in conjunction with…
Self-guided tours of some of the most historic pubs and taverns in the tri-state area. Who doesn’t like going on an adventure? The Mr. Local History Project has been building a list of historic pubs and taverns in the Jersey/New…
