American Revolution
Tecumseh and the war for the Northwest Territory
Yesterday was the 209th anniversary of the killing in battle of Ohio Shawnee chief Tecumseh, born near Chillicothe in 1768. His efforts to build a permanent territory for a confederacy of Indigenous American tribes, bordered by the Great Lakes in the north, the Ohio River in the east and south, and the Mississippi River in […]
As American independence rang, a sweeping lockdown and mass inoculations fought off smallpox
By Woody Holton, University of South Carolina Many Americans of the founding era denounced government tyranny, celebrated the Declaration of Independence – and favored lockdowns and mass inoculations to combat a viciously contagious disease. Unchecked, smallpox kills more than one in 10 of its victims, leaving many of the rest blind, disfigured and sometimes sterile. […]
Refugees after the American Revolution needed money, homes and acceptance
By G. Patrick O’Brien, Kennesaw State University The U.S. has long been a destination for people fleeing war-torn regions of the world. But in 1783, the tables were turned: Between 60,000 and 100,000 disaffected colonists from diverse backgrounds were fleeing the American states newly independent from Britain. The leaders of these exiles referred to themselves […]