Ladies and gentlemen, please recognize the color guards from each of the original 13 states as they are introduced in the order in which each state ratified the u. S. Constitution and entered the union. Delaware, first delaware regiment. [ applause ] pennsylvania, first troop Philadelphia City cal valerie. New jersey, old barracks museum. Georgia, sons of the revolution in the state of georgia. Connecticut, the governors foot and horse guard. Massachusetts, 54th massachusetts volunteer regiment. Maryland, maryland society, sons of the American Revolution. South carolina, South Carolina national guard. New hampshire, first New Hampshire regiment. Virginia, the Virginia Military institute regimentel color guard. New york, ninth new york field artillery, veteran corps of artillery of the state of new york. North carolina, the over mountain men. Rhode island, united train of artillery. And presenting the flag of the United States, the color guard of the third u. S. Infantry regiment known as the old guard. [ applause ] members of our audience, will you please rise for the National Anthem, performed by Curtis Institute of knew i can student, jamez mccorkle. O say, can you see by the dawns early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight oer the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming and the rockets red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave o er the land of the free and the home of the brave [ applause ] please be seated as the colors are retired. Please welcome, the president and ceo of the museum of the American Revolution, Michael Quinn. [ applause ] thank you so much. Our deepest thanks to the color guards of the original 13 states and to the color guard of the third u. S. Infantry regiment, the old guard, as well as to the Curtis Institute of music. What a wonderful start to a very momentous opening. [ applause ] this is the third part of our opening celebration. Our Program Began this morning at the tomb of the unknown soldier of the American Revolution in Washington Square where we honored those who sacrificed their lives to create our nation. Our program continued in front of Independence Hall where we celebrated the future of that nation and the youth who are the legacy of the great ideals founded at that time. And now we are at the museum of the American Revolutions. We are celebrating not just the opening of the museum, but the people and the ideas of the revolution and the great landmarks and the history of philadelphia. And we are grateful to the many faith leaders, the students and others who made this day possible. The museum we open today tells the story of the creation of the american nation, how people from all walks of life found a bond in the soaring ideals of equality, freedom, and selfgovernance had the who consecrated that bond by their courage and sacrifice through eight years of warfare. That bond is what turned them into the unified people of one nation and has done so for every generation since. This Museum Celebrates and belongs to the american people. There are many distinguished speakers with us on this joyful day and we will introduce them as they speak. We are grateful for their enthusiasm and their support and we are pleased to welcome many Additional Special guests. The governor of the Common Wealth of virginia, the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, dan forest, the lieutenantgovernor the rhode island, dan mckee, the former governor the of delaware, michael castle, the former governor of new jersey, james florio, maryland, martin omalley, and the former governor of the pennsylvania and our great city of philadelphia, edwin rendell. Thank you for speaking as Independence Hall. [ applause ] im also pleased to recognize congressman kyle waritty for joining us and members of the city council of philadelphia, mark squilla, less ree russell. Thank you. [ applause ] we are joined by our great partner, the superintendent National Historical park, cynthia mcleod. It is such a privilege which the architect of this great landmark new building robert a. Stern and his Associates Join us. Were delighted you came. [ applause ] and we are also joined by the founder of intech construction who built this museum on time and on budget, Will Schwartz a new member of the board of the museum of the American Revolution. We have guests from many places and we are we are so honored that leaders of museums and cultural institutions from across philadelphia are with us today. You are too numerous to support so raise your hands so that everyone knows you are here. Thank you for turning out and joining us and welcoming us as we proudly join your ranks as one of the great cultural institutions of this city. Were also joined by people from many other institutions, but probably no one is has come further or is more special to us than ellen chictans and her family from china and japan, the donors who have donated the two wonderful bronze sculptural panels on the Chestnut Street side of the museum depicting Washington Crossing the delaware and the declaration of independence. Thank you so much. [ applause ] there are leaders from many distinguished institutions from across the nation today, and im delighted to recognize some of them. Steve rockwood, ceo of Family Search International from salt lake city, utah. Louise mere from the president of new york historic society. Jack Dwayne Warren executive director of cincinnati. John bray, director of the Smithsonian National museum of American History. Anne turner dylan president general of the National Society daughters of the American Revolution. James vaughan, executive director of the pennsylvania historical and museum commission. Stephanie stybic, director of the smith son known American History, american art museum, robb shink, Vice President of George Washingtons mount vernon. Susan stein, Vice President of Thomas Jeffersons monticello. Ruth taylor, executive director of the Newport Historical society, catherine robinson, president and ceo of historic charleston foundation. David row sell, the executive director of wintter Museum Garden and library. Beth hill of for tying of new york, and bonnie cho of the delaware tribe of indians. [ applause ] and now id like to introduce the members of the board of directors of the museum of the American Revolution. Will you raise your hands so everyone knows where you are and that you are here today. [ applause ] these are the volunteers who have guided and sustained the Multiyear Initiative to create the museum. And now it is a very great pleasure to welcome the mayor of the great city of philadelphia, mayor jim kenney. [ applause ] good morning, everyone. I cant tell you how proud i am as a native lifelong philadelphian to be standing here in front of this building and in front of all the great dig that dignitaries that have come here today. I just personally very much honored. Its fantastic to see so many of you out there helping us open this addition to our citys already thriving historic district. Those looking to find out more about the founding of their country have made philadelphia a priority. The museum will bring those people back while giving those who havent made yet the trip more incentive to did so. Philadelphia is named the Heritage City because it served as the backdrop for the formation of our country. This museum will provide greater insight into the sacrifices that were made in order to make the ideas that were first discussed in Independence Hall a reality. This museum will provide us with a much deeper appreciation of what it means to live free. And i think the most important part of this museum for me as ive gone through it is it acknowledges fully and totally the contributions of other folks who made this country great, africanamericans, native americans, women, and all others besides those who signed the declaration of independence. Without all of them, this would never have happened and they are finally and fully acknowledged in this space and i think thats wonderful. [ applause ] and gerry lenfest, youre a great philadelphian and a Great American and im honored to know you. Thank you very much and im glad to see you here today. Thank you very much, everyone. [ applause ] thank you. Please welcome the governor of the commonwealth of pennsylvania, tom wolfe. [ applause ] thank you very much. Mayor kenney, thank you for your comments. And its great to be here and i want to welcome all of you who are from out of town to pennsylvania. I just want to point out that the weather is always like this in pennsylvania. Again, i want to thank all of our distinguished guests for being here today but i especially want to welcome Vice President joe biden. Vice president. [ applause ] we are truly honored to have you here today since you began your career you have stood up for the middle class, for working people, for families and the interests of the less fortunate everywhere. Your time in the senate and in the white house have made this country better and i just want to welcome you back home to pennsylvania. [ applause ] im proud to be here to help commemorate the opening of the new museum, this museum of the American Revolution that will act as a monument to the lives of those who created this great nation. There is no better home for this museum than in philadelphia, than in pennsylvania, am i right . [ applause ] because this museum tells the story of the women and the men who created this nation right here in philadelphia where this nation began. Located with only within only a few blocks of the museum are a number of historic treasures that tell the story of how a loose band of colonials toppled a mighty empire that created for two centuries from independent hall to the site of the liberty bell to the president s house to congress hall, to the tomb of the unknown revolutionary war soldier, all around us are reminders of the struggle that our founders undertook to create a nation dedicated to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And now we have a museum solely dedicated for the first time to the lives and the sacrifice of those early americans who for far too long have gone nameless and uncommemorated. Those who fought and struggled ultimately won our independence and deserve our respect. Only a couple blocks away emblazoned on the tomb of the unknown soldier of the revolutionary war are the words freedom is a light for which many men and women have died in darkness. This museum will aim to turn the light on and tell the stories those women and men and for people all over the world who have made this country what it is and who shocked the world 240 years ago by doing the impossible by defeating the mighty empire. I cant think of a more fitting tribute to their memories and im glad pennsylvania will play home to this new treasure. I want to thank everyone who made this project a success and i want to thank Michael Quinn whos been up here. Can we give a round of applause to Michael Quinn. [ applause ] michael will lead this museum to Great Success right here in philadelphia. Thank you all for being here, thank you for helping us celebrate this great moment in American History. Thank you. [ applause ] please welcome noted author and twotime recipient of the pulitzer prize, David Mccullough. [ applause ] what a morning. What a morning to be grateful we are americans. [ applause ] what a morning to celebrate our past and what that teaches us about how we should move forward into the days that come. The American Revolution still goes on. The American Revolution was one of the most important events of all time and very much of it happened right here in this great storied city. Its not easy to understand the past because for one thing no one ever lived in the past. They lived in the present. But it was their present, not ours. And we have to not only understand who they were, what they set out to achieve, how successful they may have been, but we have to understand the time in which they lived. We have to not only understand what they wrote, but what they read. Because if we dont understand what they read, we wont understand why they said or wrote what they did. They were real people. History is human. When in the course of human events, human is the operative word. We can learn more from history than any other subject because it is about the human experience. And we can learn more about our country, our people, our past, our heart and soul as a civilization by knowing more about the American Revolution. We can never ever know enough about the American Revolution. And the opening of this magnificent museum is not just a moment to celebrate here in philadelphia, but all over our country. This is a moment of National Importance and cause to celebrate. [ applause ] one of the easiest, most obvious lessons of history is almost nothing of consequence that has ever been accomplished alone. Its a joint effort. Our country is a joint effort. This city is a joint effort. And this Marvelous Museum is a joint effort. And i think we should pay tribute to all of those who worked for 16 years to make this happen and congratulations and god bless you. [ applause ] and no one deserves more credit than gerry lenfest. [ applause ] i think today we should all go away from this ceremony standing taller. Because of who we are and what weve believed in, what we stand for, the values we still hold dear to us and this museum will do more to teach the oncoming generations about the importance of the revolution, not just in the military sense, but in a sense of ideas and the human spirit that anything weve ever had. High time we had such a museum as this. [ applause ] history isnt just about politics and war. History is about art and music and architecture. Architecture. And historys about poetry and about memory through the arts. We have a broadway show right now hamilton. We have the work of john trumble. We have the architecture of that marvelous period and of now, bob sterns work right here. This is a major work of architecture. [ applause ] this is april 19th, 2017. Heres a poem from april 19th, 1837. 180 years ago written by ralph waldo emerson. By the road bridge that arched the flood, there flagged aprils breeze unfurled. Here once the embattled farmer stood and fired the shot heard round the world. The foe long since in silence slept, alike the conquerer silent sleeps. In time and ruin bridge has swept down the dark stream which seaward creeps. On this green bank by this soft stream we set today a votive stone that memory may there deed redeem, like our sires, sons are gone. Spirit that made those heroes dare to die to leave their children free, bid time and nature gently spare, the shaft we raise to thee. Spirit, spirit and perseverance. George washington once said to me its one of the most powerful messages ever to all of us. Perseverance and spirit. Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages. [ applause ] please welcome Oneida Nation representative and ceo of Indian Nation enterprises, ray halbritter. Thank you for that kind introduction. Its truly an honor to follow one of americas greatest historians. I bring you greetings of peace from oneida Indian Nation and our people began gatherings and have since time memorial with a thanksgiving address with these thoughts that we all come together in peace as one and we give thanks to what we have and our minds become as one. Native members have traveled here to be part of this special day know that prayer well. We are so fortunate that together we could be here to celebrate the grand opening of such an important museum, one that recognizes the oneidas significant role in the establishment of the United States of america. Today is a day of gratitude. The Oneida Nation is proud that our ancestors will be memorialized in the museum of the American Revolution. We are thankful that such Great American leaders like mayor kenney, governor wolf, former Vice President joe biden are here with us today. Gerry lenfest your determination and contributions kept the vision of the Museum Revolution in motion and for that we are forever thankful. At a time when we experience so much political acrimony it is gratifying to see leaders in organizations from all walks of life come together to honor our nations founding. Just as the thanksgiving prayer says, this is also a day that gives my people great peace of mind because is it is the culmination of years of work to preserve, honor, and enshrine our historic role in the founding of this country. Never forget the phrase we often hear about history. The phrase implores us to preserve our heritage and also reminds us that without effort our pasts can be erased from our memories. Few know this better than native americans. And we are proud to be taking steps to make sure our role in this nation founding is remembered. And that the stories of our history are told and retold for generations to come. With todays opening of the National Museum of the American Revolution, we are rescuing the history of this countrys birth and native americans role in it from the dark abyss of the memory chasm. As a proud supporter of this wonderful new facility, the United Nations thrilled to be part of this initiative because we believe that it is a critical facet of both preserving the history of the United States and honoring Indigenous Peoples formative role in building this great country of ours. Today, Many Americans have no knowledge of native americans role in the revolution but now they have a chance to hear the rich and compelling story of how our people reached across cultural lines and worked together with the founders and the unified fight for freedom. The history of my ancestors pivotal coalition with those fighting british tyranny began well before the founders had any allies that came to the aid of the revolution. Before the french it was the United People who became George Washingtons first allies at great sacrifice to us. It was the oneidas who took up arms in such their colonial neighbors early on considered by many historians to be the bloodiest battle of the revolution. That battle cemented the longstanding friendship between the oneidas and the colonies and it made the oneidas the first allies of this country. Our blood was mingle a blood, our bones were mixed with the bones of the patriots. To be sure, it is troubling that this history has often been omitted from americas founding story, but those omissions only underscore the significance of this new facility and the moral imperative of the museums mission. The museum makes sure that we are not succumbing to reduction ifl and not oversimplifying the beginnings of america. It guarantees that the details are preserved and that all the stories of sacrificed are passed on to future generations as our grandmothers and grand fathers have admonished us to do so. Preserving and teaching the true founding story of america is not an exercise in selfcongratulations. It makes sure that in an increasingly diverse history accurately reflects the diversity of its foundational story. This is particularly important for people of color who too often are victims of historical revisionism, distortion and omission. Nativeamerican heritage for example has too often been fictionalized or altogether omitted in ways that are both factually inaccurate and deeply destructive. It is more critical than ever for future generations to learn and making sure we preserve that multicultural story is not a radical or dangerous idea. More than two centuries after my ancestors fought side by side with general George Washington, our ancestors deserve their place in our collective memory about this countrys founding. While their bodies died for our future we now ensure that their memories will not. In erecting this museum we are also protecting the longevity of the revolutions core ideals for to come. Two centuries after the war, those notions remain as revolutionary as ever and an inspiration to the world. When my ancestors joined with the colonists they were standing for these immutable ideals just as our country still stands in defense of those today. In latin that spirit of solidarity is summed, from the many one, in native american thanksgiving prayer, we have that similar verse, we bring our minds together as one and in the spirit of that prayer, let us give thanks today for this museum and its work protecting the ideals of america and its founding story. Were doing our part to make sure that the spirit of the American Revolution endures and that the diverse roots of americas founding are inshrined for posterity. [ applause ] please welcome colonel john bircher, a recipient of the purple heart for combat service in vietnam and representing the military order of the purple heart. [ applause ] thank you. Its such a great honor to be able to be here today. I want to thank general jumper and mike, the mike quinn and especially Vice President joe biden, what an honor it was to meet you today, mr. Vice president. We miss you. [ applause ] can i see a show of hands how many of you in the audience are veterans . [ applause ] wow. Im here today on behalf of a special group of veterans, the 1. 7 million men and women who have either given their lives or have been wounded in combat serving to protect the freedoms that weve all come to take so much for granted. I can tell you that the cost of freedom is not free. Its paid for in the blood of the sons and daughters, our mothers, fathers, sisters, and especially the spouses. General George Washington at the end of the revolutionary war wanted to do something to recognize the fidelity and bravery of the common soldier, not officers, but rather the ncos and privates who served in the continental army. And so he created on the 7th of august, 1782, the very first declaration in the Colonial Army called the badge of merit. It was a simple piece of purple cloth inscribed with the world merit on it. At first we thought there were only about four people who received it, but our research in the archives has now shown that we know of at least 27 men who received the badge of merit. But after the revolutionary war, it went into disuse and in 1932 then chief of staff of the army General Macarthur wanted to do something to recognize the 200th birthday of George Washington. And so he brought the badge of merit out of retirement and recreated it as the medal that i wear today. Its the same purple heart and on the back has the words for military merit. But on the face has the likeness of George Washington to recognize all that he did in founding the country. As i mentioned, there have been 1. 7 million recipients of the purple heart medal. Every single veteran has served in sacrificed something, some gave all but all gave some. And so its an honor for me to be able to be here on behalf of those purple heart recipients who have sacrificed their lives protecting the freedoms that we all enjoy today. Thank you so much. [ applause ] please welcome the students of philadelphias high school for the creative and performing arts and the original cast member of the hit Broadway Musical hamilton sidney James Harcourt. [ applause ] philly, how are you today . [ applause ] yeah. I cant tell you what a great day it is to celebrate the birth of our country every day is a great day to celebrate American History. Its alive here in philly, its everywhere. And it is my honor to be here for the opening of this gem in your city and in our country the museum of the American Revolution. Its fantastic. [ applause ] yeah. Long time coming. This next song is particularly relevant because of an exhibit inside this museum. As an actor, especially in a period play, youre always imagining your surroundings, what was it like, what did it sound like . Were there doors . Were there lights . So many little things. And i cant tell you how many hours ive spent imagining washingtons command tent. Its inside this building. That tent, seeing it in person, it was so moving. It gave this next song new meaning for me. It takes place on the eve of the battle of yorktown, roughly 1781. David mccullough can correct me if i get anything wrong. And general washington was giving hamilton his first command and some sage advice. Washington had the forethought to know that the actions they were taking were going to reverberate through history for hundreds if not thousands of years. He warned us of demagogues and gave sage advice to hamilton about how to use this power. And i have to say that there may be no greater moment for me than to get to perform this song in front of our Vice President who embodies the ideals that George Washington spoke about and i want to thank you for your service mr. Joe biden. Thank you, sir. [ applause ] this next song is called history has its eyes on you. I was younger than you are now when i was given my first command i led my train into a massacre, i witnessed their deaths firsthand i made every mistake, i felt the shame rise in me and even now i lie awake, knowing history has eyes history has its eyes let me tell you what i wish i know when i was young and dream of glory, have no control who lives who dies who tells your story we can win i know that greatness lies in you but remember from here on in, history has its eyes on you history has its eyes on you [ applause ] history does have its eyes on us. Everywhere you look there is history reverberating. This is like a theme park for history. It is. Everywhere you look. And in particular, Alexander Hamilton walked these streets. His buildings for the Treasury Office were right there. Thats the first bank of america, and our next song, yeah, lets hear it for the first bank of america. We have a lot now. But our next song details how that bank got its charter. Hamilton was obsessed as treasury secretary with getting a debt plan passed and paying for all the debt they incurred with the war, and the seven democrat republicans were dead set that he would not pass it. And he had to turn to the political machine to do something he didnt really enjoy, but to make some trades to see what he could get done. Never before i think has a song made passing a debt plan sexy and danceable, so its got that going for it. It also happens to be the the platform and the impetus for aaron burr to jump into a political life. He was laying back at that time, and when he saw the kind of power that hamilton could wield, he wanted in. Helping me, we have playing the role of hamilton, gracious and taylor. We have Thomas Jefferson is ramik. And we have James Madison as desi. This song is called the room where it happens. Mr. Secretary did you hear the news about good old general mercy no the mercer legacy is secure sure to do is die thats a lot less work you ought to give it a try. Now how you going to get your debt plan through i guess im going to have to finally listen to you really talk less smile more do whatever it takes to get my plan on the Congress Floor now madison and jefferson are merciless hate the sin not the sinner hamilton im sorry burr i got to go what decisions are happening over dinner immigrant walk into a room diametrically opposed they emerge with the compromise Opening Doors that were previously closed the immigrant emerged to financial power a system he could shape however he wants the virginians emerge with the Nations Capital and heres the resistance no one else was in the room where it happened where where it happened room where it happened no one else was in the room where it happened no one really knows how the game is played the art of the trade how the sausage gets made we just assume that it happens but no one else is in the room where it happens alexander went to washingtons doorstep one day thomas clay i have nowhere else to turn and basically begged me to join i said i know you hate him but lets hear what he has to say. And i raised a meeting are i raised the venue and the seating no one else was in the room where it happened the room where it happened the room where with it happened no one else was in the room where it happened the room where it happened we just assumed that it happens but no one else is in the room where it happens meanwhile madison is grappling with the fact that not every issue can be settled with Committee Meanwhile congress is fighting over to where to put the capital, it isnt pretty then jefferson approaches with the dinner and madison responds with virginian insight maybe we could solve one problem with another and win the victory for the southerners in other words, a quid pro quo wouldnt you like to work a little closer to home actually i would i propose the potomac and youll provide the votes lets go no one else was in the room where it happens the the room where it happens no one else was in the room where it happened no one else was in the room where it happened my guys got to trust but we never really know what got discussed no one else was in the room when it happened and no one else was notice room where it happened Alexander Hamilton what did he say to you to get you to sell your city down the river Alexander Hamilton or did you know even then it doesnt matter where you put the u. S. Capital because well have the banks were in the same spot you brought more than you gave and i wanted what i got. When you got skin in the game you stay in the game, but you dont get a win unless you play the game all you get hate for it, you get nothing if you wait for it wait for it wait god help and forgive me i want to build something thats going to out live me. You want hurt what do you want i want to be in the room where it happens the room where it happens i want to be in the room where it happens, room where it happens i want to be in the room where it happens i want to be in the room where it happens oh, oh, oh, i want to be, i got to be, i got to be, i got to be in the room, in that big old room hold your nose and close your eyes we want to be there to save the day we dont want to give the trade away we dream what we dream in the dark for the most part i got to be in the room where it happens i got to be the room where it happens i got to be in the room where is happen the i got to be in the room where it happens click boom [ applause ] thank you so much. Guys, one time lets hear it for the students of kappa in philly. Thank you so much. My pleasure. [ applause ] ladies and gentlemen, sydney James Harcourt and the students of the high school for the creative and performing arts. [ applause ] please welcome the best selling author of histories of american women and political commentator for abc news and npr, cokie roberts. [ applause ] so beautiful and this wasnt this quite wonderful . Singing about history. Mr. Vice president , honored guests and supporters, and especially the young people here today, i have a message. History has its eyes on you. Its true that as general washington said in the song that you have no control over who tells your story. But its important that his story and that of the other heroines and heroes be told and of course thats what were celebrating here today. You know, there are many stories of bravery on the battlefield in the eight long years of the American Revolution. But there are many other stories of people not in combat but in support of the cause, the cause of the idea that became america. Take martha washington, she would brave bad roads, she was a prime hostage target. She had to brave diseases and the discomforts of cold and poor rations to join the troops at camp not just the awful winter of valley forge, but every winter of the long war. And she did it despite her very strong desire to stay home and tend to her duties at mt. Vernon. But she did it because the general, as she called him, begged her to come. My friend David Mccullough has written about how important it was that George Washington kept the army together, but he needed martha to do that. And he understood that she and her officers wives were absolutely essential to officer morale as they came and cooked for the soldiers and prayed with the soldiers and nursed the soldiers and put on big entertainments for them to keep them going through the long winters. I must say it was a good thing that martha was around because george could sometimes be a little indiscreet. There was the time he danced for three hours straight with the very flirty and pretty katie green, so it was good that martha was on hand. Keeping up morale was particularly hard in the year 1780. The british were winning on the battlefield, taking american cities, the french had not yet shown up. Something had to be done for the soldiers. And one woman here in philadelphia, perhaps at the urging of martha washington, decided that she was the one to do it. Esther reed understood that even as a woman in the 18th century, a woman with no political power and no legal power, married women could not own property, the jewelry on their bodies belonged to their husbands, that when youve got skin in the game, you stay in the game. But you dont get a win unless you play in the game. So she penned the sentiments of an American Woman. It was printed in newspapers up and down the coast. She called on the women of the country to make sacrifices for the armies which defend our lives, our possessions, our liberty. Now, esther reed had only been an American Woman for ten years. She came here, married to joseph reed who by 1780 was the president or governor of pennsylvania. You might like to be called governor or president , governor wolf, its a nice title. And it was a hard adjustment. She wrote home to england saying i cannot say america is agreeable, but soon she became an absolutely ardent patriot arguing for independence as early as october of 1775. When war came and her husband joined George Washingtons forces, esther and her four little children found themselves refugees running from placetoplace to escape the british. Her former countrymen, think of it, and disease was rampant. Smallpox claimed one of her babies, but she soon had another. The men came home just long enough. But with all of that hardship and really think of it just getting through the day in the 18th century was very hard. She was not worried about herself. She was worried about the troops. And so she organized. She became publicly active in a way that a good citizen should. She organized the Ladies Association of pennsylvania in which she was elected the leader. And then put together teams of women to go doortodoor around philadelphia and the suburbs to collect money for the troops. And the publicity about it spurred women in other states to act as well. As the first lady of pennsylvania, she wrote to all the other first ladies in the states and asked them to start fund raising drives for the troops as well. In fact, the only extant letter of martha jeffersons that we have because Thomas Jefferson burned all of her letters for which i could kill him again, but the only one we have is her letter as the first lady of virginia asking the women of virginia to go to their rural churches and donate money for the troops so that they may have an opportunity of proving that they also participate in this virtuous feelings. In just a couple of weeks the women in philadelphia raised 300,000 and expected more from the other states to come in. It was almost equal to what Robert Morris had painstakingly raised to capitalize his bank. So then she had a fight with general washington about how to spend the money. He wanted shirts, she wanted to do something more special for the troops. He was the general, after a series of intense and intenser letters, he won. And shirts were made. And esther died. She was just shy of her 34th birthday, but dysentery came raging through philadelphia and she succumb to it. The council and the Assembly Adjourned for her funeral because she was such a noted personage. The business of the Ladies Association was taken up by Sarah Franklin beige. And the women did what the general asked and made shirts, 2,200 of them in one place for the troops just to show that it was Something Special from the women of america every woman sewed her own name into the shirt so every soldier knew there was a woman who cared about him, a citizen who cared about him out there grateful for the work that he was doing. And it tided them over. It kept them going until the battlefield victories started to come in and the french finally arrived. No one would have criticized esther reed if shed stayed home and worried about her children and just privately voiced her concerns about the troops, but thats not what she did. She decided to make a difference, to engage not only herself but many other women in the effort to make a difference. She put skin in the game for her country, a country that would deprive her of political and legal rights. Thats what joe bidens been doing for his entire adult life despite personal disasters and political disappointments, hes stayed in the room where it happens. And he knows that thats the way. [ applause ] thats the way you win at the game. Thats the way you make a difference for your country. And thats what you young people are called upon to do as citizens of this Great Republic that our forefathers and mothers fought for on the battlefield and in the Public Square over the centuries. Its my hope that this beautiful new museum helps inspire you to become those active involved citizens in this very great country, because history has its eyes on you. [ applause ] please welcome vincent brown, the Charles Warren professor of history at harvard university. [ applause ] thank you all for coming out today. Its a real incredible honor to be here. This museum has been a long time coming. Its startling to think were only now dedicating a museum to the American Revolution, but perhaps thats a good thing. Too often museums are where history goes to die. People can be forgiven for thinking that anyway. Dead historys commemorated and revered usually with complex and confusing events shrouded in sacred legend. Legends are powerful. They can motivate people to heroism, loyalty to a cause, high ideals and the courage to carry them out. But they can be brittle, bend too sharply, challenge with too much contrary evidence it snaps and were weaker for it. The history of revolution is and should be a living history as alive in the aspirations of the present as it was in the dreams and deeds of the past. This kind of history is messy and contradictory, tragic and ironic, as often as it is heroic. It also has the virtue of being closer to the truth. So im grateful, deeply grateful to the curators of this exhibit for having the courage to tell that truth, to show us not only a proud story of National Origins but a multifaceted account of how one might have experienced a time of such turmoil, the danger it presented, the hope it offered, the uncertain outcomes of agonizing decisions. While events commemorate and great men to revere according to custom, in this Museum American people are on display. And from the perspective of People History is a predicament rather than a sequence of singular events to be glorified. This is a living exhibit. From George Washingtons tent, we can imagine the tension he must have felt when making lifeanddeath decisions that would eventually reverberate across the continent and the world. And we see the shackles use to restrain an enslaved child. Were reminded that the new nation did not stand for freedom for all. That the United States would soon come hold the largest slave population in the history of the world. And yet, the revolution continued to inspire. We can turn our attention, even if only briefly to harry washington, he escaped from mount vernon and joined the british army, where he found liberation from bondage. Migrating to nova scotia and eventually to sierra leone. In 1800, he joined another rebellion against the british in that african colony. And though harrys revolt failed, we can know he embodied the american spirit of revolution, as certainly as george. 75 years after the declaration of independence, the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass famously asked, what to the slave is the fourth of july . His answer an inspiration to overthrow the tyranny of his day. To side with the right against the wrong, with the weak against the strong and with the oppressed against the oppressor, he said. Here lies the merit of those revolutionaries and many that have followed. Like douglass, most americans are not content with reassuring origin stories. We work now for the prospect of a better future. With past struggles as our guide. When we see the American Revolution in its own historical present, we look not only on the grandeur of longdead heroes, bee we appreciate the efforts of men, women and their losses as well as victories and their determination to turn those losses into lessons that would keep them fighting on. Americans can be true to that past by recommitting ourselves for the time to come. Taking this history as an inspiration to make the United States the country we dream and need it to be. I for one feel very fortunate that this museum is alive right now. To show a way. Please welcome the chairman of the museum of the American Revolution, and the 17th chief of staff of the United States air force, general john p. Jumper. Mr. Vice president , the distinguished guests, jerry, marguerite and your family, the museum of the American Revolution honors the courage, the sacrifice, the toil, and the blood of a generation who dared to fight the war for independence. They did so in a quest to found a nation dedicated to those selfevident values and truths that all people are created equal and in a conviction that citizens of our nation can and should govern themselves. Now, 242 years after the first shot was fired at concord, the museum will begin its work as an institution that preserves the stories and inspires generations of young people to embrace the meaning of those truths. But as a museum, even as a new museum, we have our own story and our own heroes, whose courage, toil and sacrifice made the day possible. It is both my pleasure and my duty to thank and recognize them. First, or predecessor, the Valley Forge Historical society. Founded by the reverend herbert burke, and sustained by many dedicated and selfless people throughout the 20th currentry. Thanks to them we can present an unparalleled collection of artifacts presented in our museum. To the National Park service which gave up ownership of this land within the independence National Historical park, so we could serve the millions who come here every year. To mr. Robert stern, who designed this landmark building and the skilled and tradesmen and workers in this city who built it. Our highest thanks goes to our staff. And to their families, led by mike quinn, who have transformed our organization into a fullgrown institution, who have overseen the construction, who have conceived a remarkable Exhibit Program and assembled the Phenomenal Team of designers, filmmakers, digital programmers and artists to bring this all to life for us. None of this would have been possible without the financial resources, generously given by more than 11,000 donors, 11,000 donors, remarkable. Not only from philadelphia, but from every state in the union. You will see the names of these major donors chiselled on the stone inside the wall here, inside the entrance of the museum. Our deepest thanks go to each and every one of them. But today we reserve our loftiest admiration and deepest respect for the one man most responsible for bringing us to this place on this day. And that is jerry lanfist. Hes here with his wife, marguerite and his family, jerry became the founding chairman in 2005, and although relinquishing that official position last december, he will forever remain that singular selfless power able to elevate the human spirit and inspire human endeavor and to deliver this enduring tribute honoring the nations struggle for independence. Jerry, its a privilege to follow you as chairman and its a privilege to recognize you for your selfless dedication and inspiring leadership. Ladies and gentlemen, jerry lynnfest. Jerry just asked me it make a few comments on his behalf. Although it took many years for the museum of the American Revolution to be brought to this nation, it is finally here. And we would like to thank all of those who contributed to its being, way to go, jerry. [ applause ] thank you, marguerite, thank you, jerry. Well its now my duty to introduce our keynote speaker, former Vice President joe biden. Im note sure what more i can say. Youve heard so much praise of him all absolutely true. But i do want to add that he is actually a son of pennsylvania, born in scranton, but at an early age, his family undertook that hazardous crossing of the delaware river. To settle in wilmington. Dear mr. Biden, successfully ran for and won a seat in the u. S. Senate in 1972, becoming one of the youngest senators in American History. And that was just the beginning of a career of one of our nations great public servants. He won election to the senate six times, and he was elected Vice President twice. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the 47th Vice President of the United States of america, joe biden. [ applause ] thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much, very much. It is, you know, those of us who served in Public Office for some time, are accustomed to say its an honor to be here. But this is truly an honor to be invited to participate today. And to follow such a distinguished speakers. And i mean that sincerely. Thank you. Governor, its a pleasure to see you again and mr. Mayor, thank you for the passport into philadelphia. And to all the distinguished guests. I was contemplating when i had, was flattered to be asked to cokeynote. And it will not be a long keynote. I was contemplating what i should talk about. And i thought about what i think is a fundamental question. What, what is this museum intended to stand for . Is it, were our founders who lived the revolution, who gave their lives to the revolution . What were they attempting to do . What did they stand for . I think its important that we answer that question, because its as relevant today as it was then. To paraphrase, emersons poem, what did the people hear when they heard that shot heard round the world . What was it that they heard . What was this experiment about . Was it just about independence . Revolution for independence . I think it was about an idea how to give life to a renaissance idea, that a country could actually be governed by its people. All of its people. Its wealthy people, its poor people. Its people who could read, who couldnt read. Educated, uneducated. The revolutionary notion of the consent of the governed. It seems to me thats ultimately why they say america was an idea. The idea that people could govern themselves. Not a monarchy. Not a governmental twist in the plot. Our principles, our founders, seems to me they asserted its been referenced already, again what was a revolutionary idea, including the french revolution. We hold these truths to be selfevident. We hold these truths selfevident. There was nothing selfevident about that assertion. When it was made. The x on the wall. All men are created equal. Endowed by their creators. We initially asserted that our rights do not come from a government. They come from the mere fact were children of god. We exist. Therefore we have these rights. We need not ask anyone. For any of the rights we possess. This new republic went on to, would not be defined by single race or religion but by those inalienable rights. That to our founders were selfevident. And they thought selfexecuting. But it took 13 years to get those asserted rights. 13 years to put these ideas into a document of governance. The constitution. The constitution that made our institutions. The guarantor off, but the guarantor of these inalienable rights. It was the vehicle that we constructed here in this city, that would enshrine the principles we said we believed in. And unlike any other nation in the world, and that is no hyperbole in that statement, unlike any other nation in the world, the United States is uniquely a product of our political institutions. You cannot define an american by race, religion, ethnicity. You can only define an american by an intuitive commitment to the notion that all men are created equal. Endowed by their creator and guaranteed by that constitution. Our constitution and our aid heerns to i harns to its principles why were the most respected, emulated, revered nation in the world. Notwithstanding what you hear today from some others. I was criticized most times totally justifiable criticism, about 12 years ago when i said in a major speech, that we lead the world not by the example of our power, but by the power of our example. That is not hyperbole. We lead the world by the power of our example. Theres nothing guaranteed about our democracy, though. Nothing guaranteed about selfgovernance. Theres no guarantee that well remain the greatest example of freedom and liberty and equality in of the history of the world no guarantee at all. We have to remind ourselves why weve been able to accomplish so much. How did we earn that respect . And how can we maintain it . Just as the generation of revolutionaries before us did. Just like every generation thats followed and will follow. But if you excuse a contemporary comment, the only way this nation can be governed with the consent of the people, is we arrive at a consensus that requires a consensus. It requires compromise. It requires reaching out. It requires sometimes overlooking. Someone once said the truly wise parent, i would argue wise government, knows what to overlook as well as what to look at. But Politics Today is pulling us apart at the seams. Its gotten worse. Politics has become too negative, too nasty. Too petty. Too personal. Partisans are not looked at as opponents, but as enemies. We no longer just question the judgment of our opponents. We spend more time questioning their motive. Very presumptuous thing to do. Cokie has heard me say, i learned a lesson early on as a young senator. I did not want to go to the senate because of an accident that occurred after i was elected. And a man named mike mansfield, a man who had more integrity in his little finger, than most people have in their whole body, came in and said you owe it to your deceased wife and child to be sworn in only 1712 i think he said had ever been sworn in come in, stay six months. So the day i was supposed to be sworn in as mike castle remembers, i didnt show up, i stayed in the hospital. I changed my mind. So he sent the secretary of the senate to the hospital to swear me in. And when i went down i got an assignment, i thought every freshman senator got an assignment. Once a week i would show up in the Majority Leaders Office to report on the assignment i was given. It took me about three months to figure out all he was doing, god love him, as my mother would say, was taking my pulse, see how i was doing. One day, in the end of may, following the tradition i had which was to walk through those doors, double doors down into the well of the senate, to check when the last vote would be, so i know which amtrak train i could ge take it get home to see my sons. And jesse helms from North Carolina was excoriating a friend of mine to this day, bob dole and one of my mentors, teddy kennedy. For the precursor, for the americas with disabilities act. Talking about its not governments obligation to deal with or care for the handicapped, et cetera. So i walked down and sat down for my meeting. And i guess i looked angry and he said, whats the matter, joe . He spoke in clipped terms. I said that jesse helms, and i went on to basically say he had no social redeeming value. I didnt understand how he could do what he was doing. And he looked at me and he said joe, what would you tell me if i told you that dot and jesse helms three years ago were reading the raleigh observer in their hometown of raleigh, North Carolina there was an advertisement for a young man with steel braces up to his hips and steel crutches, saying all i want for christmas someone to love me. What would you say if i told you they went and adopted that child . I said i would feel foolish. He said, well, they did, joe. He said i learned a long time ago, everyone has been sent here, was sent because their state found something good about them. Its your job to look for that. Its always appropriate to question a man or womans judgment. But never their motive. Because you dont know it. Well ladies and gentlemen, all we do today it seems, is question motive. We need to focus on the things that unite us. Focus on what our founders understood. That there is nothing beyond our capability. Beyond our capacity. Nothing. Focus on the model that was referenced by a previous speaker. E pluribus, unum. Out of one, many. Thats who the hell we are. Were so different, were so different. But so similar. In our aspirations. We have the crucible, the constitution. To make those aspirations sing. History demonstrates when we act as one america, we always do well no matter whos in charge. Rich, poor, middle class, black, white, asian, hispanic, gay, transgender. Those are new generations, and those who have only come recently. One america. Even when its not easy. Which most of the time its not. Even when theres setbacks, xenophobic attitudes. We have always eventually stepped forward. Weve always overcome. But as martin omalley, who i consider a great friend, who was an incredible governor, he heard me say this before when he asked me to speak, that fort mchenrys 200th anniversary. I think were the only country in the world with an anthem, a National Anthem that ends with a question. I dont think theres any other. I may be mistaken. I dont think theres any other anthem in the world. That ends with a question. Does that starspangled banner yet wave . That question and its implicit aspiration, as echoed through every single perilous moment in america. Has helped us endure over the past two centuries, was it still waving in the mist, 200 years ago at fort mchenry . Was it waving 50 years later as the dawns early light broke over a nation ripped apart by a civil war . Was it waving on the beaches of normandy, in the mountains of korea and the jungles of vietnam, the streets of fallujah. In the kunar valley of afghanistan . Was it still waving . Is it waving over america . When an american stood on the moon . Our first responders, at ground zero, was it waving when a weary president at gettysburg or a preacher with a dream at the lincoln memorial, does it wave over every embassy, every forward position, every ship, every man, every woman in the service of america . Every firehouse, ballpark town and city this great nation. And the front porches of my house and many of yours. Waiting for their return. To state the obvious, thus far the resounding answer is yes. And it will now and forever wave, but only if we hold on to it. Because if not the flag, that were waving, its what lives within us is it in our heart . Do we really understand and mean what this museum is about to celebrate . In the heart of every american, is the very idea of america. They dont even know it to articulate it that way. Ask the average person when you leave here go, to lunch on a Street Corner why do you have the right to do a, b, c or d . Theyll tell you because the constitution says i do. And theyve never even read the constitution. Folks, this is important, not monument, but reminder, we got to fight every damn day to remind ourselves how we got to where we are. And dont ever think that theres ever anything selfexecuting about democracy. It lives in this museum. Every movement of every child whos going to walk through this door. In the hand of a parent. And believes that he or she can do anything. Why . Because were american. Why . Because we hold these truths to be selfevident. Why . Because its all about the consent of the governed. Thats what makes us different thats what makes us special. And thats why its such an incredible honor to be able to stand here, the opening of this museum, before so many of my fellow americans. God bless you all and may god protect our troops. [ applause ] thank you, Vice President biden. Now will you please join me, general jumper, and jerry lenfast and marguerite lenfast, for the Ribbon Cutting to open the doors to the museum of the American Revolution to people around the world. The philadelphia boys choir will perform america the beautiful while we cut the ribbon and take the official photograph. So please be patient a little. And thank you all for coming. America, america america, america america, america my home o beautiful for spacious skies for amber waves of grain for purple mountains majesty above the fruited plain america, america, god shed his grace on thee and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea tonight, American History tv will be live from the museum of the American Revolution in philadelphia. Well be joined by top museum staff to learn about exhibits and to answer viewer questions about the American Revolution. Heres a preview. So in this gallery then we kind of unpack the story of the declaration of independence. We have a small theater which explores the actual process of drafting and passing the declaration of independence. We rotate on display, printings of the declaration, were all familiar with the engrossed copy on parchment that you can see in washington, d. C. At the national archives. But other than members of congress, very few people ever saw that document. Most people encountered texts of the declaration, either from newspaper, broundside printings or having it read out loud at the various communities so we retate on display different printings of the declaration. Right now we have one of the rarest actually is a german language printing here in the center. There are only two copies of this july 1776 printing of the declaration in german that had survived. This is been shared with us by Gettysburg College in pennsylvania. Its side by side with a salem, massachusetts printing of the declaration. We also explore the promise of equality, so this notion that all men are created equal endowed by their create where certain unalienable rights, thats language that each person has to decide, does that apply to me. So people who wrote those words maybe didntly recognize the revolutionary potential in them. Actually some people like john adams probably did realize that when you declare that all men are created equal, people might say, well what about women . What about enslaved people . Laboring men . We try to explore that story through this wall here where we look at the status of laboring men, of enslaved people, of women. Including abigail adams. More exhibits of the museum of the American Revolution in philadelphia and the your phone calls about the museum and the revolutionary war on American History tv, starting tonight at 7 00 p. M. Eastern. Now education policy and lists on the federal role in education and how that could change, under the trump administration. Later, the topic turns to states accountability. The Education Writers Association hosted this conference