On September 17, 1787, as the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia finished its vital and contentious work, Ben Franklin was asked whether the delegates had created a monarchy or a republic. “A republic,” Franklin famously replied, “if you can keep it.” Franklin’s words remind us that self-government is fragile and difficult and must be guarded diligently, especially by the governed.
In recognition of these existential truths and in the glow of our nation’s Semiquincentennial, the Ohio County Public Library (OCPL), will offer a multifaceted celebration and critique of our relatively young experiment in keeping a republic, exploring 250 years of successes and failures, beginning with an amazing Main Exhibit that will feature period artifacts (including documents signed by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and other Founders) and information.
On Tuesday, July 7 at Noon, the Lunch With Books program will welcome Founding Mother Phyllis Wheatley, “the poet laureate of the American Revolution.” An enslaved person, Wheatley was also the first published African American poet and writer. After she dedicated a poem to George Washington, the general was impressed enough to visit her in Boston. Dr. Daisy Century, also a published author, portrays Ms. Wheatley.
Further expanding on this theme, the new summer 2026 edition of the Upper Ohio Valley Historical Review will explore the theme: “America 250: Wheeling and the Ohio Valley in the National Story.” This volume will delve into areas in which our Valley has had a national impact in the 250 years since Independence was declared, including a fresh look at the Sieges of Fort Henry and local skirmishes to the extent that they had an impact on the war at large by history educator Mike Giorgianni; an essay on two military leaders that visited the Ohio Valley area after the American Revolution: The Marquis de Lafayette in Wheeling and James Varnum, a founding member of the Ohio Company, which established Marietta, Ohio, by historian Phillip Greenwalt; Wheeling as an early Gateway West- a river, road, and rail transportation hub also by Giorgianni; a look into what extent the Wheeling Conventions and West Virginia Statehood may have impacted the outcome of the Civil War by Muskingum University history professor William Kerrigan; and Landmark Cases: The legal cases with local origins and national significance by attorney Patrick Cassidy.
Two of the authors of articles for the Review, Wheeling native Phillip Greenwalt and Pittsburgh native Michael Giorgianni will lead an impressive roster of instructors for the new People’s University Series, “America 250: Revolution and Constitution.” Attendees of this 8-part series will learn about the Revolutionary War, the Enlightenment ideals and grievances that led to the Declaration of Independence, and origins of the new American government that unfolded over several fitful years in a struggle to turn abstract ideas about self-government into a viable structure, with important lessons for twenty-first-century Americans.
The series will conclude on August 13 at noon, as members of our community participate in public readings of selections from our most cherished documents: the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. See the full schedule below.
People’s University: America 250, Revolution & Constitution
Full Class Schedule (All Thursdays)
Class 1: June 25 @ 7PM: The Meaning of Freedom (1763-1775)
At the conclusion of the Seven Years’ War, known in North America as the French and Indian War, Great Britain had become the dominant empire. Yet, the coffers in London sat bare and money needed to be raised to repay loans, station troops, and administer the empire. Parliament and the prime ministers under King George III enacted a series of taxes. The British also set a figurative line down the Appalachian Mountains as part of the Proclamation of 1763.
How would the colonists, jubilant in their part of defeating the French, pushing back the Native American presence, and promised land for their prior service? How about the bevy of new taxies levied on them? What ensued in the twelve years, from 1763 to the first shots in a Massachusetts town in April 1775, provides the answer.
Instructor Phillip S. Greenwalt is the co-founder of Emerging Revolutionary War and a full-time historian with Emerging Civil War. He is the author or co-author of seven books on the American Revolution and Civil Wars. He is a 2008 graduate of Wheeling Jesuit University with a degree in history. He also holds graduate degrees in American history from George Mason University and International Affairs and Leadership from Arizona State University. A current resident of Baltimore, Maryland, he has worked for the National Park Service in various roles for the last 19 years. And, yes, being from Baltimore, he is an avid Orioles baseball fan.
Class 2: July 2 @ 7PM: Independence Declared (1775-1776)
“A dear bought victory” A gathering of respected prominent colonists in Philadelphia, and the arrival of George Washington to head the transformation from New England militia gathered around Boston to a Continental Army, all took place within a few short months of late spring into summer 1775. An entire year before that Congress, the Second Continental Congress, convening in Philadelphia’s hall, declared independence.
Between spring 1775 and summer 1776, what Lexington and Concord ushered in, grew in momentum, from a patriot victory at Breed’s Hill—best known in history as the Battle of Bunker Hill—to the announcement of George Washington as commander-in-chief, to the American invasion of Canada. Men died. The cause of the colonists expanded. The Siege of Boston won. The war moved south in 1776.
On July 9, General Washington read the Declaration of Independence to his troops in New York City. They were declaring independence from Great Britain, but the mother country was in the process of sending the largest armada of troops and transport in the western hemisphere to date. Washington would lose New York, escape across New Jersey, during the “times that tried men’s souls” but rally before the calendar year flipped to 1777. These two years were remarkable.
Instructor: Phillip Greenwalt
Class 3: July 9 @7 PM, “The Double Sevens” (1777): Princeton to Valley Forge
In the war for our nation’s independence, all of the years were significant in many ways. One year, 1777, stands out as exceptionally pivotal with its high and low points that would shape the remainder of the war. Our class will examine how the year begins with the Battle of Princeton as the Americans expand on Washington’s famous crossing of the Delaware River. Other major events discussed will range from the British campaign to take Philadelphia leading to the winter encampment at Valley Forge and the American siege and weighty victory at Saratoga. The Fall of 1777 would also bring action to the upper Ohio Valley as the first siege and defense of Wheeling’s own Fort Henry opened the month of September. We will discuss Major Samuel McCulloch’s famous leap to escape capture and the often overlooked fighting in the western frontier region. Interesting roles of individuals and various accounts will be discussed as we explore “The Double Sevens”.
Instructor Mike Giorgianni is a lifelong western Pennsylvania resident with a deep passion for American history, particularly the Civil War and the role of Pittsburgh in our nation’s development. He has taught middle school social studies in the Hempfield Area School District for over 25 years, inspiring generations of students with his enthusiasm for the past. Michael is especially drawn to human interest stories found throughout history and is excited to share his research and meet fellow history enthusiasts. He has also seen his research extend beyond presentations with several articles published onto the website Emerging Civil War. Michael earned his Bachelors in Secondary Education, Social Studies from Clarion University of PA in 1998 and his Masters in Education, Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Pittsburgh in 2002.
Class 4: July 16 @ 7PM: The Year of the French (1778)
This program will explore 1778 as “The Year of the French,” a pivotal turning point in the American Revolution when France formally entered the war on the side of the American cause. Attendees will examine how French military and naval support, through leaders such as the General Rochambeau, Admiral de Grasse, and the Marquis de Lafayette, reshaped the course of the conflict and strengthened the prospects for American independence. The program will also highlight the broader Franco-American alliance and the enduring legacy of these key French figures in the Revolutionary story.
Instructor Robert Kelly graduated from Old Dominion University in 2009 with a B.A. in History and has fifteen years of public history experience. He began his career as a Historian at Fort Monroe National Monument in 2011, focusing on African American and Franco-American histories, and published “Humanizing the Enslaved of Fort Monroe’s Arc of Freedom” in Yale’s Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies (2019). Since 2020, Robert has been Director of the Gloucester Museum of History, near Yorktown, Virginia, the site of the 1781 Battle of the Hook, a major Franco-American victory in the American Revolution. He also serves as Vice President of the American Friends of Lafayette, and co-directed the recent Lafayette Bicentennial. Robert’s accomplishments include the 2024 Médaille d’Honneur du Souvenir Français for strengthening U.S.-France relations, selection for Old Dominion University’s “40 under 40” (2023), and recognition as a Virginia Humanities Scholar (2020). Active throughout southeastern Virginia, Robert is President of the Fort Monroe Historical Society, President of the Peninsula Museums Forum, and Co-chair of the Gloucester250 Committee. He resides at Fort Monroe, the largest masonry fort in North America, designed by French engineer Simon Bernard and visited by General Lafayette in 1824.
Class 5: July 23 @ 7PM: “All That Can Be Expected: The Battle of Camden and the British High Tide in the South” (1779 -1780)
The Battle of Camden was one of the worst military defeats in American history. On the heels of the surrender of Charleston, American prospects for victory in the south were never dimmer. This talk will review the events of summer 1780 leading up to the battle and the decisions and field situations that led to a overly confident Horatio Gates fleeing the field.
Instructor Robert Orrison received his Bachelor’s Degree in Historic Preservation at Longwood University and received his Master’s Degree in Public History from George Mason University. Currently Rob serves as the Director for the Prince William County Office of Historic Preservation. Rob also serves on the Board of Directors of the Frontier Culture Museum, Stafford County (VA) Historic Commission and serves as the Past President of the Virginia Association of Museums. His published works include several articles and books focus on the Civil War and the American Revolution including A Want of Vigilance: The Campaign and Battle of Bristoe Station, October 14, 1863; Last Road North: Guide to the Gettysburg Campaign; To Hazard All: Guide to the Maryland Campaign of 1862; The Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Beginning of the American Revolution, April 19, 1775 and All That Can Be Expected: The Battle of Camden and the British High Tide in the South, August 16, 1780. Rob lives near Fredericksburg, VA with his wife Jamie and sons Carter and Grayson.
Class 6: July 30 @7 PM, “Siege and Surrender” (1781-1782), The Articles of Confederation; Siege of Yorktown, and Cornwallis Surrenders
As the Revolutionary War continued, our leaders developed and implemented our first national government, The Articles of Confederation. Replaced in less than a decade, a discussion on the strengths, weaknesses, and most importantly, lessons learned is still valuable in understanding the time period. Analyzing the consequential siege and battle of Yorktown, Virginia must be addressed when examining 1781. Our discussion will look closely at various accounts of the surrender and roles of individuals such as Alexander Hamilton and General Cornwallis. Effects of this American victory will be seen in both England and in America for many years to come as we discuss “the world turned upside down”.
Instructor: Mike Giorgianni
Class 7: August 6 @7 PM, Foundations of Freedom, Building a National Government (1783-1789)
Once peace was secured through treaty negotiations with European nations in 1783, Americans still faced a very uncertain future. Citizens needed to build a government that could protect their young country’s independence and fulfill revolutionary principles. The origins of the federal government unfolded over several fitful years. Deeply divided citizens argued, compromised, and persevered in this challenging struggle to turn abstract ideas about self-government into a viable structure. This week’s class explores the push toward the Philadelphia Convention of 1787, the contentious ratification debates of 1787-1788, and the 1789-1791 conflicts over creating a Bill of Rights. Far from a single “original” design, these enduring foundations of freedom emerged from a deeply divided country, more like our own than we usually remember, with important lessons for twenty-first-century Americans.
Instructor Lorri Glover is the Bannon Endowed Professor in the History Department at Saint Louis University. Her books include The Fate of the Revolution: Virginians Debate the Constitution (2016), and Eliza Lucas Pinckney: An Independent Woman in the Age of Revolution (2020). Glover has served as president of the Southern Association for Women Historians and the Southern Historical Association.
Finale: August 13 @ Noon: A Republic — If you can keep it.
On September 17, 1787, as the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia came to a close, Ben Franklin was asked whether the delegates had created a monarchy or a republic. “A republic,” Franklin famously replied, “if you can keep it.” Franklin’s words remind us that self government is fragile and difficult and must be guarded diligently, especially by the governed. In recognition of these existential truths and in the glow of our nation’s Semiquincentennial, OCPL will feature a main exhibit celebrating our relatively young experiment in keeping a republic, exploring 250 years of successes and failures, and, on August 13 at noon, we will invite members of our community to participate in public readings of selections from our most cherished documents: the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
