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The Pursuit of History: Rebellion in New England
Cambridge, Massachusetts — May 10–12, 2024
As the year 1774 began, the people of Massachusetts were worrying about how the royal government in London would react to the Boston Tea Party, which had taken place just a few weeks prior on December 16. Twelve months later, Massachusetts had a new governor and a revised charter, but most of the province was in open rebellion, preparing for war.
The Pursuit of History: Rebellion in New England is an unparalleled opportunity to learn about history where it happened with a small group of people who share your passion. This is a deep dive where you’ll learn not just what happened but why—and how the events of 1774 led directly to the outbreak of fighting in 1775 and to the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
As J. L. Bell explains in the video above, over these two days we will meet and discuss in Washington’s Headquarters, walk through historic neighborhoods, go behind the scenes at the Harvard Archives, have lunch at the historic Hooper-Lee-Nichols House (1685), and gather for dinner and conversation, joined by presenters from that day.
Join us for the optional third day for a guided tour of the Early American Galleries at the Museum of Fine Arts. Your ticket includes admission to the entire museum for the day.
The Pursuit of History: Rebellion in New England is the first of a three-part series. We hope you will also join us in 2025 for a weekend focused on 1775 and in 2026 for a weekend focused on 1776.