New Jersey and the American Revolution: 1775–1781

New Jersey played a pivotal role in the American Revolution, earning its title as the “Crossroads of the American Revolution” due to its strategic location between New York and Philadelphia and the sheer number of military engagements fought on its soil.

This engaging lecture provides a comprehensive overview of New Jersey’s involvement in the Revolutionary War, highlighting the political, military, and civilian experiences that shaped the state during the struggle for independence. Attendees will learn how New Jersey’s geography made it a constant battleground, as well as a crucial supply route and encampment area for both British and Continental forces.

The presentation features profiles of notable New Jersey patriots, soldiers, and leaders who contributed to America’s fight for freedom, alongside stories of ordinary citizens whose lives were forever changed by the war. Key battles and landmark events are explored in detail, including George Washington’s daring Crossing of the Delaware River, the Battles of Trenton and Princeton, the Battle of Monmouth, and many other significant encounters that turned the tide of the Revolution.

This lecture brings to life the people, places, and pivotal moments that made New Jersey central to the birth of a nation.

Speaker Brian Armstrong is an independent historian, researcher, and author with a long-standing passion for American and New Jersey history. He is the President of the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey and a former President of the South River Historical & Preservation Society. Armstrong also serves as a director of the Raritan Millstone Heritage Association.

He is the award-winning author of The Franklin Park Tragedy: A Forgotten Story of Racial Injustice in New Jersey, which received the 2020 New Jersey Studies Academic Alliance Author Award. His other works include South River and A History Lover’s Guide to Bar Harbor, Maine, along with several additional historical titles.

A frequent lecturer, Armstrong presents on local and political history, World War I, the Spanish Influenza, and genealogical research using digital newspapers. He is also a collector of U.S. presidential election memorabilia and a member of the American Political Items Collectors.

This program is made possible with the support of the Friends of the Livingston Public Library.