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In the early years of the American Revolution, the Boston Tea Party was but one symptom of the mounting mutual embitterment between Britain and the American colonies. Author Nick Bunker examines the lethal blend of politics, personalities, and economics that culminated in an all-out war for independence.

Nick Bunker is the author of Making Haste from Babylon, a history of the Mayflower Pilgrims and, most recently, An Empire on the Edge: How Britain Came to Fight America.

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As the infamous commander in chief of the doomed Confederacy, Jefferson Davis is often defined by his defeat. Considered difficult, egotistical, and cold by his subordinates and enemies alike, Davis’s strengths are often diminished. But has history been unfair to him? Historian James M. McPherson argues that despite the failure of Davis’s cause, no other chief executive in American history exercised such tenacious hands-on influence in the shaping of military strategy.

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9 am — Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:30 am — Program

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A progressive statesman and an outspoken opponent of slavery, many of John Quincy Adams’s beliefs foreshadowed those of Abraham Lincoln and his Republican Party. Unlike Lincoln, however, the sixth President of the United States has been largely overlooked by modern Americans. Drawing on unpublished archival material, biographer Fred Kaplan shines new light on the legacy of this visionary leader.

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9 am — Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:30 am — Program

In the early hours of June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy and began the push to liberate Western Europe from Axis control. One of the greatest naval historians of our time sheds light on the remarkable but little-known naval arm of the invasion—Operation Neptune—the largest seaborne military assault in history.

Please note: Due to unforeseen circumstances, Harold Holzer is no longer able to participate in this program.

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Many pre-Civil War antislavery proponents advocated for peaceful abolition: if slave states were surrounded by free states, mass numbers of slaves would be compelled to escape, the Southern economy would be undermined, and voluntary state abolition would be imminent.

Note: This event is sold out

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The French were pioneers of iron and glass construction in the 19th century. By first building shopping gallerias in the early 19th century, then Henri Labrouste’s magnificent iron-framed Saint Genevieve and National Libraries in the mid-century, then the celebrated Eiffel Tower and the Grand Palais at the century’s end, the French showed us how to “love” metallic construction and embrace its new aesthetic.

This program has been canceled due to unforeseen circumstances. We apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you very much for your interest in and support of New-York Historical Society's public programs.

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The forests of Virginia literally erupted into flames during the 1864 battles for the Wilderness, as Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee engaged in a horrific combat in early May.

Note: This program is sold out

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A remarkable military leader, Robert E. Lee was a likely candidate to take charge of the Union Army in 1861. However, compelled by a love of his home state of Virginia, this principled man, who disliked slavery and disagreed with secession, pitted himself against an army he served for 36 years. Bestselling author Michael Korda explores this compelling figure, who, as the leading Confederate General, provided the Union with a most fierce adversary.

This program has been canceled due to unforeseen circumstances. We apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you very much for your interest in and support of New-York Historical Society's public programs.