Conceived in Crisis: Pennsylvania in 1776

Conceived in Crisis: Pennsylvania in 1776

The Pennsylvania Provincial Conference was held June 18–25, 1776, at Carpenters’ Hall in Philadelphia. The Conference had a profound impact on American public opinion and facilitated the passing of the Declaration of Independence only a few days later. The 1776 Pennsylvania Constitution was radically innovative for its time, including a Declaration of Rights that predated the Bill of Rights and a provision that voters did not need to own property. Christopher Pearl, scholar and author of “Conceived in Crisis: The Revolutionary Creation of an American State,” will lead a discussion on the radical birth of the Keystone State.
A number of original manuscripts from the Provincial Conference will be on view in a pop-up display just for the evening. Also, program attendees will have the opportunity to view the exhibition Paths To Independence, 1765-1787, which includes significant founding documents such as the only known printer’s proof of the Declaration of Independence.