John Marshall's Statue
by grandmaR
I took this picture of John Marshall's statue at the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and wrongly identified it in my notes as John Jay. The artist was William Wetmore
Inscription:
Chief Justice of the United States 1801-1835.
As soldier he fought that the nation might come into being.
As expounder of the Constitution he gave it length of days.
John Marshall was born on September 24, 1755 in what became Fauquier County, Virginia four years later. He served as a lieutenant and in July, 1778, was made captain in the Continental Army. He spent the winter of 1777-1778 with the troops in Valley Forge.
In 1781, he resigned his military commission to become a lawyer, practicing in Fauquier County and later in Richmond. He was a member of the Virginia assembly in 1782-91 and 1795-1797
John Marshall married Mary Willis Ambler (daughter of the treasurer of VA) in 1782. They had ten children, six of whom grew to adulthood. His wife died in 1831, and subsequently he suffered severe injuries in a carriage accident. He returned to Philadelphia for medical assistance and died there on July 6, 1835. His body was taken to Richmond and he was buried in Shockhoe Hill cemetery.
He was Secretary of State under Adams from June 6, 1800 to March 4, 1801. In the meantime he had been appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, his commission bearing the date January 31, making him the fourth Chief Justice. Thus while still Secretary he presided as Chief Justice.
Visit the Philadelphia Museum...
by jesyme
Visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art, it's a great place to relax as you view their diverse collection of fine art from around the world. There's a wonderful restaurant within the museum, if you get the urge for a full meal. If you just want a snack there's a cafeteria down the hall that serves quality food. The best thing about Philadelphia are the restaurants, French to Mexican and everything in between. There's no reason to go to New York if all you want is a unique culinary experience. The best thing is you don't have all the hassle in Philadelphia that you would New York and the food is just as good.
Reflect upon history
by Sharrie
Reflect upon history & try to understand the consequences of the Revolutionary War. My intro to the Revolutionary War was basically from the movie 'The Patriot' by Mel Gibson. Not much for history lessons, but it helps nonetheless.
My forte is really not history. So, in order not to mess up this page, I'm going to draw upon certain sources of information so that readers of this page will at least have a clear picture of this important war.
Source of information: National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
AMERICAN REVOLUTION AT A GLANCE: 1775 - 1783
The American Revolution was an event of sweeping worldwide importance. A costly war that lasted from 1775 to 1783 secured American independence & allowed new approaches to self-government to develop. At its core, the war pitted colonists who wanted independence & the creation of a republic against the power of the British crown, which wanted to keep its empire whole. From the family whose farm was raided, to the merchant who could not trade or the slave who entered British lines on the promise of freedom, everyone had a stake in the outcome. Why the War Came:
The American colonists did not embrace independence easily. Most of them were of British ancestry. They spoke English & traded mainly with Britain & other British colonies. Most shared the mother country's Protestant religious tradition. The American's pride in being British reached a high point in 1763, with Britain's great victory in the Seven Years' War (known in America as the French & Indian War). That victory gained Britain what had been French Canada & all territory east of the Mississippi River, including Spanish Florida.
Heavily in debt as a result of the war, Britain decided to keep an army in America to secure her new possessions & looked to the colonists to help pay for it. The British Parliament approved new taxes on colonial imports & for the first time imposed a direct tax - the stamp tax (1765) - on the Americans. Colonial resistance to the new taxes only stiffened Parliament's insistence on its right to govern the colonists 'in all cases whatsoever.'
Even after fighting began at Lexington & Concord Mass., in April 1775, the Continental Congress petitioned King George III for redress & insisted that the colonists wanted to reamin within the empire - but only as free men. The king responded by pronouncing the colonies to be in rebellion, & Congress decided it had no alternative to proclaiming independence.
On July 4, 1776, it declared that the 'united colonies' were henceforth 'free & independent states.' Making good on this declaration, however, required a military victory over Britain.
Philadelphia Exchange
by yooperprof
Wonderfully designed portico building, architect William Strickland. Dating from the 1830s, this was the hub of Philadelphia's thriving financial community. Now it houses offices of the US Park Service and is not generally open to the public.
Don't worry, you won't get...
by Kentbein
Don't worry, you won't get caught in a cross fire when visiting. Not only that, but we almost even have decent relations with the British these days, in spite of JoeCooper's comments on our use of the English language!! (Remeber however, Joe, we've KEPT those muskets just in case you guys get a little rowdy once more!!!
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Good times
Mojitos and more!
Me and Ferni enjoying ourselves
JKF square
