Upcoming Exhibition

Revolution in their Words: How the Cause Became the Revolution

Open March through December 2026

The War for Independence began long before any shots were fired as revolution began to simmer in the minds of the colonists. Beginning in 1764, they voiced their reactions to the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act. Women, as well as men, outlined the increasingly intolerable situation in the British colonies. The words and rhetoric of colonists enslaved and free Black people, and Native Americans all expressed dissatisfaction with their lack of representation and power, compelling them to construct “the Cause”. Whether through letters, diaries, newspapers, proclamations or wampum belts, their outrage and anger provided the motivation and inspiration to turn words into actions. These sources demonstrate the growing belief that war was the only option for the Cause. The voices of the participants speak for themselves, explaining the Revolution in their own words.

Revolution in Their Words illustrates the inexorable movement from outrage to war through the many forms of communication. using documentary sources and artifacts to provide the context of the Cause and how it irrevocably led to the War for Independence.