Remembering the Revolutionaries: Heroes of the Revolutionary War in American Culture, 1783-1863

August 2013 – March 2014

Heroes of the Revolutionary War became the cultural icons of the early American republic. Remembering the Revolutionaries explores how the popular memory of these heroes evolved from the end of the Revolutionary War through the Civil War. Through books, prints, and artifacts, this exhibition documents the enduring popularity of George Washington, the rise of Francis Marion as a national hero, and the emerging popularity of revolutionary heroes suited to the democratic spirit of Jacksonian America. The exhibition concludes with the Civil War, which created its own cultural icons and redefined the popular memory of the Revolutionary War.