Revolutionary War
The Revolutionary War (1775–1783) had its heartbeat in Philadelphia and across the Delaware Valley.
Here, the colonies debated independence, and in the halls of the Continental Congress, the Declaration of Independence was crafted and signed.
The region’s landscape became a proving ground for the fight: the Battle of Paoli and Brandywine, the struggle at Germantown, and the brutal winter encampment at Valley Forge tested the resolve of Washington’s army.
One of the war’s most iconic moments unfolded in Bucks County, where Washington’s army crossed the icy Delaware River on Christmas night, launching a daring surprise attack that revived the cause.
In our farms, taverns, meeting houses, and city streets, the idea of American independence and freedom took root and a new nation began to form.
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Before the Revolution Was Fought with Guns, Philadelphia’s Thomas Paine Sparked It with His Pen
Before the Revolution was fought with guns and bayonets, Thomas Paine fought it with words. Words that were sharper, louder, and more dangerous than any…
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Did You Know? The Battle of Brandywine, America’s First 9/11 Tragedy
The Battle of Brandywine was fought between the American army of General George Washington and the British army of General Sir William Howe on September…
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Couple Flips, Maintains Authenticity of Squire Cheyney’s Estate in Thornbury
In 2013, John Murphy, a history buff with a keen interest in the Revolutionary War, and his wife Vicki purchased Squire Thomas Cheyney’s estate –…
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Historic William Peters House in Chadds Ford Hits Market for First Time in Six Decades
The historic William Peters House in Chadds Ford which traces its roots back to before the Revolutionary War has hit the market for the first…
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Ardmore Company Lists Letter Proving Benjamin Franklin’s Influence in the American Revolution
The Raab Collection, an Ardmore-based company that buys and sells historical documents, recently listed a letter written by Benjamin Franklin, writes Tori Latham for the…
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French General Who Fought in Battle of Brandywine Played Key Role in American Independence
A French figure is being lauded as a foreign fighter that contributed to the success of the Revolutionary War. Marquis de Lafayette has a family…
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Bringing the Revolutionary War to Life: My ChatGPT-Powered Approach to Localizing American History
When the first episode of Ken Burns’s The American Revolution airs on Sunday evening, millions of viewers will rediscover the birth of our nation through…
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British Loyalists Played a Role at Battle of Brandywine in Chadds Ford
The Battle of Brandywine, which took place in 1777 in Chadds Ford, was the largest, longest, and loudest land battle in the Revolutionary War, writes…
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The Revolutionary War’s Tide Turned in Bucks County. Washington’s Crossing Changed Everything
By the last week of December 1776, a full year before the winter encampment in Valley Forge, the fields and riverbanks of Bucks County felt…
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A Chadds Ford Visit Immerses You in History, Nature, and Art
Nature and history meet in Chadds Ford, writes Arpita Adhya for Islands. This Brandywine Valley suburb‘s history dates back to the Revolutionary War. The township…
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Exton Man, Gene Delaplane, Digs Up the Past at the Oldest Home Still Standing in Berks County
Exton resident Gene Delaplane, a former history teacher and the president of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology’s local chapter, is among a group of volunteers…
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Christian Sanderson’s Unique Collection Gives a Peek Into Chadds Ford History
The Christian C Sanderson Museum, a Chadds Ford museum collection is an eclectic mix built from one man’s curiosity, but it’s also a window into…
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Was The Revolutionary War America’s First Civil War? You Decide
When Ken Burns sat down with Joe Rogan last month and called the American Revolution “our first civil war,” it caught a lot of people…
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Ridley Creek State Park Street Named for Revolutionary War Traitor
A street in Ridley Creek State Park is named for a controversial Revolutionary War figure who was later hanged as a traitor, reports Joseph A.…
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Valley Forge Explained So a Fifth-Grader Could Understand: Cold, Courage, and a Comeback
Most of us have heard of Valley Forge, but not many people really understand what happened there, or why it mattered so much. It wasn’t…
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Ken Burns’ Delaware Valley Roots: How His Mother’s Battle with Cancer Forged a Passion for Storytelling
Before Ken Burns became the United States’ most admired documentary filmmaker, he was a quiet boy growing up in Newark, Delaware, the son of a…
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For 33 Years, He’s Crossed the Delaware With George Washington
John B. Kelly of Drexel Hill likes to time travel back to Colonial America for Christmas. A 1776 Christmas, to be specific, writes Maria Pownall…
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Newly Discovered Original of Betsy Ross’s Husband’s Diary Confirms ‘Profound Sacrifices’ Flagmaker and Her Family Made to Create United States
The original diary of John Claypoole, the third husband of Betsy Ross, the seamstress often credited as the maker of the first American flag, has…
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