For 2026: New Republics, New Worlds
Friday, October 23, 2026 to Sunday, October 25, 2026School of Education
The American Revolution forged a new nation out of thirteen British colonies, triggering a host of predictable and unexpected consequences. This conference will explore the novel circumstances, challenges, and opportunities of the transitional era that followed victory in the War for American Independence. What were the fresh constitutional and political structures fueled by the Revolution, and what were the possibilities in play then and after? How were families, communities, boundaries, and environments changed in the new era? What were the ambitions of this new nation, and what do we now know about how diverse communities assessed its prospects? How did the various peoples within its borders and beyond respond to this new moment?
For 2026, one of the nation's first Semiquincentennial themed events, returns for its final meeting in 2026. W&M faculty, staff, and students are welcome to attend for free.