Do You Know About the Newburg Conspiracy of the Revolutionary War?

 

by Barbara Latta

When thinking about George Washington and the Revolutionary War we think of winning battles, crossing the Delaware on Christmas Eve and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

But do you know what the Newburg Conspiracy is?

The Revolutionary War Almost Ended in Mutiny

by Barbara Latta

The Country that Almost Wasn't

George Washington thwarted a mutinous attempt. 

When thinking about George Washington and the Revolutionary War we think of winning battles, crossing the Delaware on Christmas Eve and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Newburgh Conspiracy, so called because the Continental Army was housed at Newburgh, New York in 1783,  is not one of the popular topics of discussion in our historical recollection of our country. But the Revolutionary War almost ended in mutiny.

The Articles of Confederation did not allow for taxation. Congress did not have a way to finance the war and relied on the states to make voluntary payments known as requisitions. Since the financial distribution was voluntary, payment was seldom made and the military suffered. Lack of supplies and no pay for the soldiers created unrest among the ranks.

Revolutionary Thanksgiving Proclamation

by Barbara Latta

On November 1, 1777, the Continental Congress made a Thanksgiving Proclamation. This was the first observance of a national day of giving thanks.The entire document can be read by clicking on the link below.

Happy Thanksgiving!

George Washington in prayer

Continental Congress Thanksgiving Proclamation

Do You Know Your Presidents?

 by Barbara Latta

How well versed are you in American history? Sadly, as time passes the education children receive in school is giving them a distorted view of our country’s founding and its patriots. History books have been altered to agree with political correctness instead of stating facts. While it is true there are dark days and tragedies in our historical record, wiping them off the printed page doesn’t take away their existence. We can learn from mistakes and we can profit from leadership accomplishments.

This week we recognize President’s Day, a combination of President George Washington and President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. I would like to share some little known facts about these two great leaders because so little is known today about actual history.  I saw a survey conducted on a street corner asking people historical questions such as "When was the War of 1812?"  Hmmm, let me think now, DUH! The answers were so astounding it was embarrassing.

George Washington

• George Washington did not have a middle name.
• Washington did not throw a silver dollar across the Potomac River. This river is one mile wide and no matter a person’s strength, the feat could not be accomplished. Also, there were no silver dollars during this time period.
• Young George contracted smallpox while on the island of Barbados in 1751. Surviving this disease gave him lifelong immunity which saved him during the smallpox epidemic during the American Revolution. During the war he also ordered his troops, who were dying by the hundreds of this malady, to be inoculated which stopped its spread.
• At the battle of Monongahela in 1755, George Washington had two horses shot out from under him and four musket balls made holes in his coat but he was never seriously wounded in battle.

 Abraham Lincoln

• Abraham Lincoln was the first president to have a beard.
  
• He patented a system to alter the buoyancy of steamboats in 1849.
• One week before he died, Lincoln had a dream of someone crying in the White House. When searching out the room where the noise came from, he asked who had died. The man in the room replied, “The President.” Abraham looked into the casket and saw his own face.
• He created a national banking system in 1863 which resulted in a standardized currency.
• Mary Todd’s parents did not want her to marry Abe because he was from a poor background.

Finding factual details about our country and its founders is necessary to have the correct view of our country.

What is your opinion of the way history is treated today?

Sources: www.mountvernon.org., www.alincoln-library.com. For further reading check out www.wallbuilders.com. 

History: True or False?

 Did George Washington really cut down a cherry tree and then admit to his father that he couldn't tell a lie? He may have cut down many trees in his lifetime, but that tale was actually written by Parson Mason Weems. He included it in a biography of Washington with several other anecdotes to make it more interesting to portray our first president's heroic feats. The story then became part of General Washington's legacy.

What about Thomas Jefferson? Did he father one of Sally Heming's children? Even though DNA testing was done several years ago, and the results reported in the news media at first confirmed this, it was later recanted. Of course, the retraction was not as publicized due to the embarrassment of the those doing the study. In fact, Jefferson's DNA was not even used in the test. Kind of hard to prove something that way, isn't it?

These are just two examples of some in our society who try to change history and pass down stories and traditions as fact. 

In September of this year, Mount Vernon (George Washington's home in Virginia) will celebrate the opening of  his Presidential Library. This will contain many of his documents and books collected while he was serving as the leader of our country. You can learn more about him on the website www.mountvernon.org.

Another helpful site for the truth about our history on any subject is www.wallbuilders.com. David Barton has collected thousands of original documents and his book, The Jefferson Lies, puts to rest many of the myths about Thomas Jefferson. Believing falsehoods about our roots is a curve in the road we need to navigate by dispelling myths and lies and standing for the truth.

Happy Birthday America and may God continue to bless our country.

Have you found some myths about our history you would like to share?