Introduction to Crisis and Community

Anna Stoddard was a young girl during the Revolution. Learn how she and her siblings experienced the conflict as the children of a prominent loyalist.

Town residents, neighbors, and family members often found themselves in conflict over the ideals and tactics of the Revolution. Americans wishing to remain loyal subjects of Great Britain faced violent reprisal, the loss of their property and even exile. Such conflicts reflected the challenges and promises inherent in rejecting monarchical rule in favor of government by and for the people. This crucial legacy of the Revolution will resonate with 21st-century Americans experiencing the divisive politics of their own time and the responsibility of citizens to participate in government.

Explore the artifacts and documents in the following topics to learn how the Revolution both united and divided Americans.