{"id":15155381,"date":"2026-06-12T16:48:49","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T20:48:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/there-would-be-no-u-s-army-without-philadelphia\/"},"modified":"2026-06-12T21:10:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T01:10:33","slug":"there-would-be-no-u-s-army-without-philadelphia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/there-would-be-no-u-s-army-without-philadelphia\/","title":{"rendered":"There would be no U.S. Army without Philadelphia"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/figure>\n

Love Philly? So do we. Let\u2019s be friends. <\/em>Sign up for the Billy Penn newsletter today<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Let\u2019s take it back to June, 1775. The Continental Congress is meeting in the city at the Pennsylvania State House \u2014 what we now call Independence Hall. Our Founders are getting together just a few months after the battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. <\/p>\n

The Revolutionary War has arrived, but the country is not a country yet. British troops, complete with polished English uniforms and flintlock muskets, are all over Boston. The New Englanders have no official unified way of fighting back. <\/p>\n

No way to fight back, that is, until the birth of the Continental Army.<\/p>\n

\u201cA group of New England militiamen from Massachusetts and New Hampshire and Connecticut had encircled the British in Boston,\u201d said Matthew Skic, director of collections and exhibitions at the Museum of the American Revolution. <\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the Continental Congress decides to do is to engage in this war, and they decide to create a Continental Army \u2014 an army that is going to represent the continent, represent the 13 colonies united together to try and restore their rights and liberties in the British Empire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite being down in numbers, weapons and men, early American leaders decided to fight back. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey appoint George Washington to be the commander in chief of that army,\u201d Skic said. \u201cAnd George Washington leaves Philadelphia, rides north to take command.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Matthew Skic, director of collections and exhibitions at the Museum of the American Revolution, and artist Sean Bryant (Nick Kariuki\/ Billy Penn)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A year later in 1776, the founders signed the Declaration of Independence. Now, the United States is a nation. Now, the army has a country to fight for. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis Continental Army is not representing united colonies, but representing the United States,\u201d Skic said. \u201cIt would continue to fight for independence until 1783. When independence is secured, the Continental Army disbands. At that point. George Washington resigns, famously hands his commission back to Congress, and the Continental Army, even though it disbands, is the origin of the United States Army that still exists today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Honoring the first U.S. Army<\/h2>\n

This story, the rise of the first U.S. army, is part of the city\u2019s ongoing Firstival celebrations \u2014 honoring different firsts established in Philadelphia. <\/p>\n

\u201cPhiladelphia is a great supply hub for this army,\u201d Skic said. \u201cAll the crafts people that are working in this city to supply what the army needed. So, the story of the Continental Army, the first army to represent the United States, is very much a Philadelphia story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saturday, June 13, the Museum of American Revolution is celebrating the first U.S. Army from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.<\/a> Skic will tell stories of the first Continental Army, and there will be kids and family activities at the museum’s plaza. <\/p>\n

Artist Sean Bryant painted the Firstival \u201cnumber one\u201d sculpture to mark this milestone. The artwork features both colonial and modern soldiers working together in front of different backdrops of blue skies and golden hour hues.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to make this painting look a bit more like traditional inking for the characters,\u201d Bryant said, \u201cAnd then for the background I wanted to add high saturated colors for the lake, for the sky.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Artist Sean Bryant designed this Firstival sculpture commemorating the first U.S. Army. (Gustavo Garcia, Colibr\u00ed Workshop)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While he usually creates from lived experiences, for this artwork Bryant wanted to engage with history experts to invoke the spirit of the men who have fought for our nation. Certainly, the first U.S. army has come a long way. What was originally a group of scrappy underdogs coming together is now arguably the most powerful military in the world. <\/p>\n

Skic said that he believes Washington would be in awe of the modern U.S. military. <\/p>\n

\u201cI really think that Washington, seeing this army, seeing its professionalism, the size of it, what it represents would be impressed,\u201d he said. \u201cThe army very much commemorates and celebrates its origin story with the Continental Army \u2014 with the training that Baron Steuben implemented at Valley Forge, that made it a bit more of a professional fighting force that we associate with the United States Army today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bryant\u2019s sculpture features a large, vibrantly painted sun hovering just above the ocean. Like Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention, we wondered whether it depicted sunrise or sunset.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is a sunset,\u201d Bryant said. <\/p>\n

Below is your full guide to all of this year\u2019s Firstivals:<\/em><\/p>\n

Completed<\/strong><\/p>\n

Week 1:  Successful balloon flight in America (1793)<\/a><\/p>\n

Week 2: The Mummers parade, the nation\u2019s first folk parade (1901)<\/a><\/p>\n

Week 3: Volunteer fire company (1736)<\/a><\/p>\n

Week 4: Professional basketball league (1898)<\/a><\/p>\n

Week 5: Public Girl Scout cookie sale (1932)<\/p>\n

<\/a>Week 6: African Methodist Episcopal congregation (1794)<\/a><\/p>\n

Week 7: Abolitionist society in America<\/a> (1775)<\/p>\n

Week 8: Authentic Chinese gate built in America<\/a> (1984)<\/p>\n

Week 9: Public protest against slavery in America<\/a> (1688)<\/p>\n

Week 10: Flower Show<\/a> (1829)<\/p>\n

Week 11: Women\u2019s medical college<\/a> (1850)<\/p>\n

Week 12: Matchbook<\/a> (1892)<\/p>\n

Week 13: Medical school <\/a>(1765)<\/p>\n

Week 14: Stadium <\/a>(1895)<\/p>\n

Week 15: Circus performance <\/a>(1793) <\/p>\n

Week 16: Botanical garden<\/a> (1728)<\/p>\n

Week 17: Postmaster<\/a> (1737)<\/p>\n

Week 18: American-made piano and sousaphone <\/a>(1775 and 1893) <\/p>\n

Week 19: Mother\u2019s Day<\/a> (1908) <\/p>\n

Week 20: Hospital in America <\/a>(1751)<\/p>\n

Week 21: World\u2019s Fair on American soil<\/a> (1876) <\/p>\n

Week 22: Steamboat for passengers and freight<\/a> (1787)<\/p>\n

Week 23: American flag<\/a> (1777)<\/p>\n

Upcoming<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u2022 U.S. Army (1775)<\/strong>
<\/strong>June 13, Museum of the American Revolution, 101 S. 3rd St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Annual Reminder demonstration (1965)<\/strong>
<\/strong>June 20, Philly Pride Visitor Center, Lombard St. and S. 12th St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Paper maker in America (1690)<\/strong>
<\/strong>June 27, Rittenhouse Town, 6034 Wissahickon Ave.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Bank of the United States (1791)<\/strong>
<\/strong>July 4, First Bank of the United States, 120 S. 3rd St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Organized baseball team (1831)<\/strong>
<\/strong>July 11 (location TBD)<\/p>\n

\u2022 Ice cream soda (Oct. 1874)<\/strong>
<\/strong>July 18, Franklin Fountain, 116 Market St. <\/p>\n

\u2022 American art school (1805)<\/strong>
<\/strong>July 25, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 118-128 N. Broad St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Scientific Society of Natural History (1812)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Aug. 1, at Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway<\/p>\n

\u2022 Zoo in America (1874)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Aug. 8, Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave.<\/p>\n

\u2022 U.S. Mint (1793)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Aug. 15 (location TBD)<\/p>\n

\u2022 Selfie (1839)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Aug. 22, Love Park, 1501 John F Kennedy Blvd.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Slinky (1943)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Aug. 29, Philadelphia Art Museum, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway<\/p>\n

\u2022 Signing of the Constitution (1787)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Sept. 5, National Constitution Center, 525 Arch St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Continental Congress (1774)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Sept. 12 at Carpenters\u2019 Hall, 320 Chestnut St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Naming of the United States (1776)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Sept. 19, Independence Hall<\/p>\n

\u2022 Ronald McDonald House (1974)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Sept. 26, Ronald McDonald House, 3925 Chestnut St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Penitentiary in America (1829)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Oct. 3, Eastern State Penitentiary, 2027 Fairmount Ave.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The First Peoples<\/strong>
<\/strong>Oct. 10, Penn Museum, 3260 South St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 U.S. Navy and Marine Corps (1775)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Oct. 17, Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Public showing of a motion picture (1870)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Oct. 24, Philadelphia Film Society, 1412 Chestnut St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Modern detective story written (1841)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Oct. 31, Edgar Allan Poe House, 532 N. 7th St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Thanksgiving Day parade in America (1920)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Nov. 7, Benjamin Franklin Parkway<\/p>\n

\u2022 University in America (1740)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Nov. 14, Houston Hall, The University of Pennsylvania, 3417 Spruce St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Children\u2019s hospital in America (1855)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Nov. 21, Children\u2019s Hospital of Philadelphia, Main Building, 3401 Civic Center Blvd.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Pencil with an attached eraser (1858)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Nov. 28, National Liberty Museum, 321 Chestnut St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Weather bureau (1870)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Dec. 5, The Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Electronic computer (1945)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Dec. 12, The University of Pennsylvania, 3451 Walnut St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Public lending library in America (1731)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Dec. 19, The Library Company of Philadelphia, 1314 Locust St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Philly food firsts: Cheesesteaks (1930s), water ice (1932) and bubble gum (1928)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Dec. 26, Reading Terminal Market, 1136 Arch St.<\/p>\n

The post There would be no U.S. Army without Philadelphia<\/a> appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Source: News \u2013 World \u2013 Philadephia \u2013 rss.app2 \u2192 manual entry<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Love Philly? So do we. Let\u2019s be friends. Sign up for the Billy Penn newsletter today. Let\u2019s take it back to June, 1775. The Continental Congress is meeting in the […]
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