Philadelphia American Revolution Conference

These pictures come from the collections at the Library Company of Philadelphia and the archives for the as-yet-to-be-opened Museum of the American Revolution.

This is an almanac featuring James Otis, an early leader of the Patriot movement.

 This is a first edition printing of Thomas Paine's "Common Sense".  This 47-page pamphlet was instrumental in encouraging many Americans to support the idea of independence.

This is a first edition of the Federalist Papers.  These are a series of essays, written anonymously by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison that promoted the Constitution during the ratification process.

This is a canteen issued to a Continental Army soldier.  What is neat about the artifact is the "USTATES" stamped on it.

This is a musket and sword used by Continental Army soldiers.

Here's the stock of the musket from the previous picture.  Again, note the words "United States". 

Powder horn used by a Continental Army soldier.  Soldiers would often decorate and personalize these.

This box was owned by Daniel Boone.  His son, James, was killed in an Indian attack in 1773.  This box held a scale that could be used to convert the different types of money in circulation at the time.

Here's the scale from the box that is shown above.

This is an early draft of the Constitution.  Notice that the Preamble is different.  Instead of simply saying "We the People...", this draft specifically lists the names of the states. 

This is paper that was sent to America after the Stamp Act was passed.  You can see the stamp embossed on the paper.  It was illegal to use paper products that didn't have the tax stamp.  The Americans protested the Stamp Act and it was repealed the next year.

This is one of the neatest things we saw all week.  It is from July 2nd, 1776 and is the first announcement of independence being declared.  Because it was late in the day, the main part of the paper had already been set by the printers so the actual announcement had to be put at the end of the paper in the classified section.  I love how there is the announcement of independence immediately followed by an ad about some guy trying to sell a ship!

This is a loyalty oath that George Washington had all of his officers take.  This is the oath of the Prussian drillmaster Baron Freidrich von Steuben.  von Steuben was instrumental in drilling the soldiers of the Continental Army and training them in European-style battlefield tactics.