Coined the “Crossroads of the American Revolution,” New Jersey was a hotbed of political unrest during the War for American Independence and witnessed more conflict than nearly any other state. In the years following the war, campaigns passed into the realm of history and mythology. The injured were treated, the dead buried, and towns ravaged by war began to rebuild. The first of four Revolutionary War veteran pension acts were passed in 1818. Widows of veterans were first allowed a pension under the act of 1836. Through an examination of Revolutionary War pension files, this presentation will illuminate the diverse and vital experiences of women during the War for Independence.
Nicole Skalenko holds a master’s degree in American history from Rutgers University, Camden. She specializes in military and political history of the American Revolution in New Jersey and eighteenth-century print culture. Nicole has contributed to a number of public history projects including the American Philosophical Society’s The Revolutionary City: A Portal to the Nation’s Founding, The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia produced by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities (MARCH) at Rutgers-Camden, and Kean University’s William Livingston’s World. Nicole serves as a Historian/ Architectural Historian with Hunter Research, Inc. and as a Historical Researcher on a project titled “Re-Investigating the Battles of Connecticut Farms and Springfield.”
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The New Jersey Studies Academic Alliance (NJSAA) is an interdisciplinary organization dedicated to advancing teaching and research about New Jersey. The organization brings together educators, historians, geographers, museum professionals, archivists, and librarians. As a proud RevolutionNJ Partner, NJSAA is excited to collaborate with Flounders Brewing in Hillsborough, NJ, to present a series of talks highlighting New Jersey and the 250th commemoration of the American Revolution. These talks are open to everyone and are all about making New Jersey’s Revolutionary past fun and easy to explore. Grab a drink, join the conversation, and connect with fellow history lovers and neighbors in a Revolutionary War era barn.