Fifes and drums, tricorn hats and muskets, and lots of red, white, and blue. Perhaps these are the images that come to mind when you think of Revolutionary-era Philadelphia. A new exhibition at American Philosophical Society Museum, Philadelphia, the Revolutionary City, complicates this stale and limited version of life in the “Birthplace of the Nation” during the messy era in which that birth was taking place. A rich variety of material objects, maps, letters, documents, broadsides, and other ephemera depict Philadelphia from 1760 to the early 1780s as a diverse, dynamic city in which loyalties were sometimes murky and changeable.
A Multicultural City
luʾaḥ. shel shenat 541 [1780-1781] including the parallel Christian calendar, Printer unknown, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 1780 | Image courtesy of Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, the University of Pennsylvania Libraries
Workshop of the (North American) World
An east perspective view of the city of Philadelphia, in the province of Pensylvania, in North America; taken from the Jersey shore by artist George Heap and engraver John Carwitham. Published in 1778 by Carington Bowles. | Image courtesy of the American Philosophical Society
Philadelphia’s economic vibrancy is as evident as its cultural richness. Trade cards, similar to small advertisements, are displayed for a cabinet maker, a fabric merchant, and a fishing tackle seller. A pewter tankard, a musket, an earthenware punch bowl, and a tall case clock that may have belonged to Benjamin Franklin are examples of Philadelphia-made goods. An East Perspective View of the City of Philadelphia…taken from the Jersey shore” shows a place of almost dizzying action: a harbor full of ships of varied types and sizes, a skyline dotted with spires, and a port running the length of the city. A powder horn with an engraving of the skyline exemplifies the pride that at least one soldier felt for his hometown. The wide array of printed matter, from newspapers and proclamations to Bibles and engravings, underscores Philadelphia’s role as a center of the printing industry.
The Fog of War
A drawing of the home of Israel Pemberton, a wealthy merchant, member of the Pennsylvania Assembly, and a Quaker exile, on 21st Street in South Philadelphia. Pemberton built the house in 1751. It was demolished in 1860. | Image courtesy of Print and Picture Collection, Free Library of Philadelphia
The burgeoning city faced its greatest challenge during the months of September 1777 to June 1778, the period of British occupation. Some residents fled to areas controlled by the Continental Army, and some left for England or welcomed the British to Philadelphia. Many, however, were focused on surviving a time of hardship characterized by severe shortages of food and other goods. Curator Caroline O’Connell avoided using the terms “Patriots” and “Loyalists” given that allegiances often shifted for both practical and philosophical reasons. The story of the Quaker Exile recounted in Ned Donoghue’s 2023 book is retold in the exhibit with a variety of documents including diaries of women, such as Elizabeth Drinker, left behind in the occupied city.
The willingness of some Philadelphians to cozy up to the British is clear in this verse that accompanied a newspaper delivered during the final days of 1777:
“Truth is, I always lov’d my King and Church,
And could not bear to leave them in the lurch,
To see Rebellion, wear the thin Pretence,
Of Freedom, Virtue, Truth, and Common Sense…”
An ornate, engraved ticket to the Meschianza in 1778. Over 400 tickets like this one were issued to elite Philadelphians and British citizens. | Image courtesy of The Library Company of Philadelphia
As British troops withdrew, following an extravagant party called the Meschianza, Philadelphians who had been made to give oaths to support General Howe and the British army were required to pledge their fidelity and allegiance to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Reprisals against those perceived as loyal to the British could be harsh, including at least one hanging for treason documented in the exhibition.
A Well-Timed Exhibit
Philadelphia, the Revolutionary City is not replete with bells and whistles. There are few interactive features other than earphones to listen to documents read aloud and a letter writing station. My advice is to give yourself the time to move through slowly and read most, if not all, of the descriptive materials. You may well find that you have a new appreciation for what our city has endured and a fresh sense of optimism about making it through our own challenging era.
Philadelphia, The Revolutionary City is on view through December 28. In preparation for the semiquincentennial in 2026, a digital archive, therevolutionarycity.org, is being developed as a central hub for educators, students, and the general public. American Philosophical Society, The Library Company of Philadelphia, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Museum of the American Revolution, McNeil Center for Early American Studies, and University of Pennsylvania’s Kislak Center are collaborating on the project.
