Experience George Washington

05/27/2026

Samuel Sprague, only 19 at the time, was among the protesters who boarded the Dartmouth, Eleanor, and Beaver and dumped 342 chests of British tea (equivalent to $2.3 million today) into Boston Harbor.
Sprague served during the American Revolutionary War and spent much of his life working as a laborer and craftsman.
By the mid 19th century, he had become something of a historical curiosity because he personally remembered major Revolutionary era events that by then already seemed very distant to most Americans.
He lived into his 90s and passed away in 1843. In his later years, newspapers and historians often interviewed him as one of the last surviving participants of the Boston Tea Party, making him a direct living connection to the founding generation of the United States.

05/25/2026

05/25/2026

Facing a severe shortage of supplies and anticipating a massive British invasion, George Washington appeared before Congress in Philadelphia to emphasize the perilous situation and urgent needs of the Continental Army in New York.

Second Continental Congress: May 24, 1776
May 24, 1776

The Committee appointed to confer with General Washington, Major General Gates, and Brigadier General Mifflin, brought in their report; which, after consideration was agreed to: Whereupon, the commanding officer in Canada, General Schuyler, was issued several directives since the United Colonies were “fully convinced of the absolute necessity of keeping possession of that country, and that they expect the forces in that department will contest every foot of .”

Resolved, That Robert R. Livingston be added to the committee of conference who brought in the foregoing report; and that they be directed to confer with General Washington, Major General Gates, and Brigadier General Mifflin, touching the most proper posts, and measures to be taken for effectually preventing the enemy’s communication with the upper country from Canada, and such other measures as shall tend to secure the frontiers.

General Washington attended Congress, and, after some conference with him, was directed to attend again tomorrow.

Source: American Founding.org https://americanfounding.org/entries/second-continental-congress-may-24-1776/

This image is a reproduction of the painting "Congress Voting the Declaration of Independence," which was started by Robert Edge Pine and finished by Edward Savage. Image courtesy of History.com
https://www.history.com/articles/the-continental-congress

05/25/2026

"I am a Warrior. My words are few and plain; but I will make good what I say. 'Tis my business to destroy all the Enemies of these States and to protect their friends. You have seen how we have withstood the English for four years; and how their great Armies have dwindled away and come to very little; and how what remains of them in this part of our great Country, are glad to stay upon Two or three little Islands, where the Waters and their Ships hinder us from going to destroy them. The English, Brothers, are a boasting people. They talk of doing a great deal; but they do very little. They fly away on their Ships from one part of our Country to an other; but as soon as our Warriors get together they leave it and go to some other part. They took Boston and Philadelphia, two of our greatest Towns; but when they saw our Warriors in a great body ready to fall upon them, they were forced to leave them." George Washington, George Washington, Speech to the Delaware Indian Chiefs on May 12, 1779

Source: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/political-writings-of-george-washington/to-the-delaware-nation-may-12-1779/143C1E655C98720438D5E8BE4C0A48CC

Compliments of George Washington Society, an educational 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your tax deductible contributions are appreciated: https://georgewashingtonsociety.org/

05/25/2026