Cultivating Legitimacy: Soldiers, Civilians, and Environment in the Revolutionary Hudson Valley
MHS Event
Author: Blake McGready, The Graduate Center, CUNY
Comment: Megan Kate Nelson, Historian and Writer
This is a hybrid event. The in-person reception will begin at 4:30 PM.
During the Revolutionary War, Hudson Valley farming families feared for the land’s long-term vitality. The Continental Army had destroyed forests, eradicated wild animals, and ruined numerous farmlands. Revolutionary leaders responded by both addressing civilian complaints and casting themselves as stewards of the countryside. Wartime environmental change was thus both a liability and a political opportunity. American rebels secured civilian support in this theater by mitigating environmental damage and presenting Continental soldiers as caring cultivators. The struggle for political legitimacy in the Hudson Valley ran directly through environmental relationships.
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Hybrid Event
The in-person reception starts at 4:30 PM and the seminar will begin at 5:00 PM.
Masks are optional for this event.
The virtual seminar begins at 5:00 PM and will be hosted on the video conference platform, Zoom. Registrants will receive a confirmation message with attendance information.
By registering you are agreeing to abide by the MHS Visitor Code of Conduct.
