The Memory of ’76: The Revolution in American History

The Memory of ’76: The Revolution in American History

Americans agree that their nation’s origins lie in the Revolution, but they have never agreed on what the Revolution meant. In this sweeping take on American history, Michael D. Hattem reveals how conflicts over the meaning and legacy of the Revolution—including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution—have influenced the most important events and tumultuous periods in the nation’s history. Whether it has been African Americans, women, and other oppressed groups shaping the popular memory of the Revolution, or the Cold War influencing our contemporary memory of the nation’s founding, Hattem shows how the meaning of the Revolution has never been fixed.

Biography:
Michael D. Hattem is Associate Director of the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute and a historian with interests in early America, the American Revolution, and historical memory. He is author of The Memory of ’76: The Revolution in American History and Past and Prologue: Politics and Memory in the American Revolution. His work has been featured in The New York Times, TIME magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine, the Washington Post, as well as many other mainstream media publications and outlets. He is currently writing a book on the Declaration of Independence for Oxford University Press.

History Forum 250: Revisiting the Revolution

Join celebrated authors and award-winning historians for a thought-provoking series on the history and legacy of the American Revolution during our nation’s 250th anniversary.

This program is part of MN250, commemorating the 250th anniversary (semiquincentennial) of the American Revolution.

Since 2004, the Minnesota Historical Society’s History Forum has brought the nation’s leading historians and scholars to St. Paul to enrich our understanding of American history. Each year’s line-up features speakers who demonstrate excellence in historical scholarship and showcase the diversity, power, and complexity of our shared American story.

All events have live-captioning.

Event Location:

3M Auditorium, Minnesota History Center