“Newport 1775: Choosing Sides in Revolutionary America” with Don Johnson

The outbreak of the American Revolution forced people to make difficult choices in a dangerous and uncertain time. As a civil war between rebellious colonists and the Empire unfolded rapidly after the battles of Lexington and Concord, people across British North America chose which side to take and what course to pursue based on ideology, family ties, economic interests, and material survival. No one knew which side would emerge victorious, and the decisions made at the outset of the conflict had long-lasting changes. Those who sided with the victors stood to make fortunes and rise from obscurity to prominence, while those who picked the losing side faced the loss of their homes, livelihoods, and sometimes even their lives. This talk explores how Newporters from a variety of backgrounds navigated this treacherous situation and the consequences of those decisions for both individuals and the community. Donald F. Johnson is a historian of early America and an associate professor at North Dakota State University. His work focuses on popular politics during the era of the American Revolution, with an emphasis on how the lived experiences of ordinary people shaped major events and vice versa. His first book, Occupied America: British Military Rule and the Everyday Experience of Revolution, won the distinguished book award in US History from the Society for Military History and was a finalist for the Gilder Lehrman Prize in Military History. Johnson is currently working on a manuscript chronicling the role of local patriot leaders during the first months of the Revolutionary War.