On Wednesday, April 8th, South Brunswick High School hosted an event called “Revolutionary Roots” in the auditorium, which served as an assembly for students to learn more about the history of the American Revolution and how South Brunswick was involved. The program was centered around a PBS documentary called “The American Revolution” by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, and the event featured a panel of experts to answer questions about the war and discuss our Revolutionary roots. There was also a segment showcasing a real revolutionary-era musket.
The auditorium quickly began brimming with students, creating a busy but engaged atmosphere. Interestingly, other classes began to pour into the event late, filling up the already-crowded auditorium. Aside from the sudden arrival of students, the event was smooth-sailing and faced minimal disruptions.
Ken Burns’ “The American Revolution” covered the general history behind the American Revolution. The sections that were shown in this event explained the troop movements around New Jersey and the ‘ten crucial days’ campaign which marked three major Continental victories at Princeton and Trenton from late 1776 through early 1777. Immediately after the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777, the Continental Army passed through what is now South Brunswick. George Washington held his “Conference on Horseback” in Kingston after his men destroyed the surrounding bridges to slow the British advance. This was where Washington chose to move to safety in Morristown instead of proceeding into New Brunswick, which was the base of British operations in New Jersey. The PBS film, coupled with the context and clarity provided by specialists on-stage, was educational and informative, providing an engaging learning experience for all students.
The most fascinating part about the assembly was the segment showcasing a real musket. One of the specialists explained, “back then, it took over 20 seconds for soldiers to complete the entire firing process, of loading, firing, unloading, and reloading.” The audience quickly peaked in curiosity during this segment. The musket segment also featured a timed challenge, in which one expert managed to complete the firing process in under 20 seconds. Interestingly, due to security concerns, the musket had to go through a rigorous inspection that morning before being allowed into the building.
A year after the ten crucial days, more fighting came to New Jersey during the Battle of Monmouth in present day Freehold and Manalapan, one of the most important battles of the Revolution. Longbridge Farms (now Monmouth Junction) played an especially important but overlooked role as a way station and key hub for Continental troops. During the march across the state, the Continental army stationed here on June 25th and 26th as a rest stop on their march to the battle, which was crucial for dealing with the large heatwaves the troops faced. Ultimately, South Brunswick became the quiet crossroads of the American Revolution. These events are reflected by the many historical sites across New Jersey. Interesting visitor sites include The Whitlock Tavern (now La Taverna), Morristown Green, the Princeton Battle Monument, Trenton Battle Monument and the Monmouth Battlefield.
