20 March 2008

Revolutionary War Lecture

One of the foremost experts on New Jersey's role in America's fight for independence is speaking on Tuesday in Trenton at an event sponsored by the the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services. The following comes form the H-Net:

Mark Lender, professor and chairman of the history department at Kean University will give a talk entitled "Crossroads of the American Revolution: New Jersey and the Struggle for Independence," on Tuesday, March 25 at 10:00 AM in Committee room 16 in the State House Annex in Trenton.

For almost half of America's Revolutionary War, from 1776 to 1778, George Washington and his Continental Army engaged the mightiest
military land force on the globe - the British Army and its allied Hessian troops - in battles and skirmishes that were fought across the
landscape of New Jersey, while much of the civilian population was ensnared in the bitter and bloody conflict. During the entire period
of the revolutionary struggle, from 1775 to 1783, New Jersey was home to a series of events - both political and military - that reflected
the importance of its historical contributions to our achieving independence from Great Britain. Today, there are over 50 sites in
the Garden State where one can retrace the steps of the Continental Army; and federal legislation was enacted in October 2006 to designate
the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area in New Jersey (one of only 37 nationwide), which includes 213 cities and
towns stretching from Fort Lee in Bergen County to Red Bank Battlefield in Gloucester County.

Mark Edward Lender (Ph.D., Rutgers University), former Dean of the Nathan Weiss Graduate College at Kean University, has focused his
teaching and scholarship on early American military and social history and often writes on New Jersey subjects. Professor Lender has been
the recipient of several professional awards, including the Richard J. Hughes Award in 2005, which is the highest honor conferred by the New
Jersey Historical Commission. A member of the Board of Directors of the Crossroads of the American Revolution Association, he is the
author or co-author of many publications on the Revolution and is currently completing a book on the Battle of Monmouth in 1778.

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