By Clare Sherman —
Historian, author, and professor Robert J. Allison spoke at Miami’s Hamilton campus recently to celebrate the significance of the American Revolution. With the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding, Allison spoke as a part of “America 250: Ohio,” an initiative focused on celebrating Ohio’s history and contributions to the nation.
Dr. Matthew Smith, who served as the master of ceremonies, welcomed the crowd and thanked Badin High School, Hamilton High School, The Hamilton Community Foundation, and special donor William V. Combs for making the day’s event possible. Fenwick High School students also received an acknowledgement, with Dr. Smith appreciating their willingness to travel all the way from Franklin, Ohio, to hear Mr. Allison’s lecture.
Robert J. Allison’s variety of accomplishments was introduced, including his experience teaching at Suffolk University and the Harvard Extension School. His impressive list of publications includes “The American Revolution: A Concise History,” “The Crescent Obscured: The United States and the Muslim World, 1776-1815,” and “A Short History of Boston.” Most recently, Mr. Allison became the chair of “Revolution 250,” which is a collection of organizations celebrating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
Robert J. Allison took the stand a few minutes late, explaining that the delay came from a chat with Badin and Hamilton High School students, who excitedly asked questions and brought book copies for him to sign. He noted that the experience was one of the most memorable of his life, and it reminded him of the importance of understanding and remembering history.
As a historian, Allison is constantly thrilled about historical events; however, anniversaries “ending in zero” are particularly exciting because the public becomes enthralled with history as well. He reflected on major anniversaries in the past, noting that the 50th and 100th anniversaries of the United States occurred during politically and economically unstable times.
With the more recent bicentennial celebration of the American Revolution came the release of an incredibly noteworthy scholarship relating to the birth of our nation, including letters by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. An interest in local history also came to life around this time, which encouraged historians to connect the history of everyday people to the larger American story.
From here, Robert J. Allison jumped into the heart of his lecture: the Revolution itself. From the American Revolution came incredible stories filled with resilience and passion, including the story of Henry Knox. These stories portray the drive behind the American Revolution, which Thomas Jefferson described as the desire to restore “the rights of man.” Allison noted that America’s fight for liberty was so powerful that it inspired movements all over the world.
Henry Knox, a young bookstore owner and military science enthusiast, found himself with the Continental Army while the British controlled Boston. The intricately built fort that Knox built stood out to George Washington, who was otherwise disheartened at the state of the Continental Army. Washington recruited Knox, who Allison joked was chubby to the point of not being able to ride a horse into battle, to the role of artillery specialist.
Knox was tasked with retrieving all the artillery needed from a fort 200 miles away, and braved the journey during the cold winter months. While pulling several large cannons that weighed half a ton each over frozen water, one of them fell through the ice to the bottom of the river. Not wanting to leave any artillery behind, the cannon was retrieved with divers and ropes. Weeks later, the artillery arrived in Boston and was used to drive the British out on March 5th—the anniversary of the Boston Massacre.
Allison followed the story of Henry Knox with an account of George Washington’s leadership. After the peace treaty between the Americans and the British was finalized in 1783, the Continental Army had still not been paid for its service, and its anger was rising. Aware that they held the fragile nation together, the Continental Army met in New York to discuss how they could ensure their rights.
Washington wanted to sustain the dignity of the soldiers and the newfound nation, so he entered the meeting alone and recited a heartfelt speech. Despite praising the soldiers for their work and reminding them that they fought “not to secure their pay or their power, but to secure the republic,” the soldiers weren’t swayed. It was only when Washington pulled out a letter from Congress guaranteeing pay, which included a humble moment of Washington putting on reading glasses to read the small print, did the soldiers understand that Washington was the key to cooperation with Congress. Washington’s integrity led the soldiers to abandon their idea of a coup, something that toppled many other post-revolutionary nations.
So why are these stories worth telling 250 years later? Allison said it’s more than appreciating the events of the past; it’s also about learning from them. “It’s not about 1776, or even 2026. It’s about 2076 and 3076.” Studying history, he argued, helps us continue the work of liberty, governing ourselves, and creating a free nation for future generations.
The nearly full house gave a lively round of applause before Dr. Matthew Smith handed the microphone over to the floor. One gentleman asked how George Washington, who yearned for a quiet life, ended up as our first president. Allison explained that Washington took on the position largely through the American people’s overwhelming persuasion and his own sense of duty.
Before attendees were dismissed to converse with one another or return to school buses waiting outside the venue, Dr. Matthew Smith reminded them of an upcoming event on the Hamilton Campus: Daymond John, best known for his presence on the hit TV show “Shark Tank,” will visit Miami Hamilton this Thursday, November 13th, as a part of the Harry T. Wilks Distinguished Lecture Series. To learn more about the event, click here.