Studying the Military Side of the Declaration

The Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War and the University of Tennessee Department of History have announced a one-day symposium on “the military history of the Declaration of Independence” to be held at the university on 1 March 2025.

Here is the call for papers:

As the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence approaches, it is important to remember that this foundational document was written during a war. The Seven Years’ War, the Proclamation of 1763, settlers’ westward expansion, and Native American resistance shaped the contours of the Declaration specifically in this line item pertaining to George III’s tyranny: “He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes, and conditions.”

British naval impressment, an early modern cold war between Great Britain and France, nearby naval bases, and naval manning problems all influenced the writing of this additional reference to George III’s despotism: “He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.”

Hessian auxiliaries, British military occupation, naval bombardments, civilian casualties, “Quartering large bodies of armed troops,” and standing armies were all cited in the Declaration as evidence of “the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.”

The Declaration was, in large part, a Congressional war measure. It was meant to convince potential allies overseas and fence-sitters at home that the British government had devolved into a tyranny.

The conference organizers want proposals to fill eight 20-minute sessions and plan to publish the proceedings in an edited collection. Chosen speakers have their registration fee waived, but the event cannot cover travel and accommodation costs.

Scholars are invited to submit a 200-word abstract and a c.v. by email by 1 Oct 2024 to Dr. Chris Magra, director of the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War. (Here’s the full call as a Google Doc.)