Captain John Parker is famously supposed to have said on Lexington Green, "If they mean to have a war, let it begin here." Even if the attribution is true, did the British or the Provincials mean to have a war in April of 1775?  Join Professor Robert Allison (Suffolk University) as he explores the aftermath of the events of April 19, 1775 through the end of the year.

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Jane McCrea’s death in 1777 became a powerful tool of Revolutionary propaganda, fueling anti-British sentiment across the colonies. Her murder by British-allied Native warriors was portrayed as savage and unjust, rallying support for the Patriot cause and highlighting the perceived brutality of British alliances. We talk with Blake Grindon about her book on the life, death, and legacy of Jane McCrea.

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2027 will be the 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Saratoga and the surrender of General John Burgoyne's forces to those of General Horatio Gates.  Often called the "Turning Point of the Revolution" the victory over Burgoyne was instrumental in earning America its first European ally, France. Long a subject of legend and story, Burgoyne's expedition is now the subject of a new series of novels by Avellina Balestri titled All Ye That Pass By.Join Revolution 250 guest host Jonathan Lane as he discusses Book 1 of the series, titled Gone for a Soldier with the author.

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The monuments of Washington D.C. are among the most visited sites in our nation's capital. The legacies of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Franklin Roosevelt are carried through the generations by their stone memorials in D.C.  Today, there is a national commission to investigate and plan for a new addition to those memorials, one dedicated to John Adams and the many notable members of his family, including Abigail, John Quincy, Louisa Catherine, Charles Francis and Henry Adams. We talk with Jackie Cushman, Chair of the Adams National Memorial Commission.

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What is a "turning point"?  We talk with John Mass, whose new book From Trenton to Yorktown:  Turning Points in the Revolutionary War looks at five episodes that changed the course of the war and lead toward the American victory.  Which were the decisive moments?  Listen to find out! 

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Don Troiani's magnificently detailed battle paintings and meticulously-researched uniforms bring to life early-American military history.  He has collaborated with historian John Rees on a visual and artistic look at Black soldiers from the Seven Years War to the Civil War, in this richly-illustrated   Don Troiani's Black Soldiers in America's Wars 1754-1865.   Historian John Rees, whose previous book, They Were Good Soldiers, told the story of African-Americans in the Revolutionary War, tells us about the world of Black soldiers which his and Troiani's book brings documents. 

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After World War II, book publishers and film makers worked to identify American heroes that they could promote to the world.  Frequently these heroes were self-made men who used specialized knowledge or skills to defeat an overwhelming enemy.  One such character was Francis Marion, a South Carolina plantation owner who utlized his knowledge of the countryside to prey upon British garrisons and foraging parties. We talk with John Oller, author of The Swamp Fox: How Francis Marion Saved the American Revolution. 

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 As we get close to Patriots Day, let us remember that the fighting along "Battle Road" and the entire siege of Boston involved thousands of men from hundreds of communities.  On April 19, 1775 as the "Lexington Alarm" spread throughout the region, towns mustered their militia and they marched towards the fight.  Needham sent 185 men to fight the Redcoats that day, losing five men in the process.  Join Gloria Greis of the Needham History Center & Museum in conversation with Professor Robert Allison on the history of Needham's role in the revolution and their plans to commemorate these "Moments that Changed the World." 

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On the afternoon of April 19, as the people of Plymouth and Barnstable counties heard of the battles at Lexington and Concord, they mustered their militia and sent them. .. to Marshfield.  We talk with Patrick Browne of the Plymouth Antiquarian Society about the "almost battle of Marshfield," the only town outside of Boston that had a detachment of Redcoats.  We hear about why the British were in Marshfield, and what the militia did to force them, and Marshfield's many loyalists out.  We also hear about other events on the South Shore, and about how Plymouth is commemorating its local heroine, Mercy Otis Warren.  

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For 50 years the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library in Lexington has been telling the story of America and the Masonic traditions that are interwoven with that narrative. The museum has a collection of more than 17,000 objects and manages another 11,000 objects belonging to the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. Objects from that collection and pieces from their world-class library are being used to launch a new exhibit on April 13, 2025 entitled Protest & Promise: The American Revolution in Lexington. Join Professor Allison in conversation with Assistant Curator Stacey Fraser on this iconic museum, its connection to the Bicentennial and the special exhibits and projects they have planned for the 250th.

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