History students Kayla Krupski, Ava Dimao, Morgan Kilger, and Isabella Biviano, presented their work at the Student Research and Creativity Exposition. They created posters based on work they had done in history classes, including ways to use AI in research. Students in History 419: Digital History and Archival Practices researched a book from St. Bonaventure's Rare Books and Special Collections using old-fashion archival research combined with AI tools such as NotebookLM from Google.
We will be wrapping up our series on America at 250 with an open panel Monday night. Chris Mackowski will moderate as the SBU speakers will discuss the American Revolution today.
As America looks ahead to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this summer, St. Bonaventure University would like to invite members of the public and the campus community to come together to discuss what “independence” means.
Since mid-March, St. Bonaventure’s “America’s 250 Series” has explored various facets of the American Revolution. To conclude the series, our historians will gather for a final panel discussion and open Q&A with the audience.
The program, “The Revolution Today,” will be held on Monday, April 27 at 7:00 p.m. in Walsh Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.
What themes have emerged from our series? What questions have the Founders raised for us? What does the American Revolution mean to us today? What is our own role in remembering America’s 250th birthday?
Here is the recording of Dr. Pitt's presentation, "Why Boston?" in which he explores the economics behind Boston being a center of revolutionary activity.
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y., April 22, 2026 — As America looks ahead to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this summer, St. Bonaventure University invites the public and campus community to come together to discuss what “independence” means.
Since mid-March, St. Bonaventure’s “America’s 250 Series” has explored various facets of the American Revolution. To conclude the series, university historians will gather for a final panel discussion and open Q&A with the audience.
The program, “The Revolution Today,” will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, April 27, in Walsh Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.
Discussion topics will include:
The university’s “America’s 250 Series” is sponsored by the History Department, the Jandoli School of Communication, and Emerging Revolutionary War. For more information about the series, contact Dr. Phil Payne at ppayne@sbu.edu.
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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #8 for value and #19 overall by U.S. News and World Report (2025).
Link: https://sbu.zoom.us/j/92889479800
Pitt will present “Why Boston? A New Economic Interpretation of the American Revolution” on Monday, April 20 at 7:00 p.m. as part of St. Bonaventure’s “America’s 250 Series.” The event, which will be held in Walsh Auditorium, is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be served
“The sparks of revolution swirled in Boston, and the language of liberty coursed through its streets in the decade leading up to the Declaration of Independence,” explains Pitt, an associate professor of history who focuses on colonial and Revolution-era America.
According to Pitt, the Stamp Act Crisis, Townshend Acts boycotts and riots, the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and the Intolerable Acts reinforced and compounded grievances over economic decline, taxation, Navigations Acts enforcement, impressment, and imperial overreach. The port became the epicenter of resistance with the rise of the Sons of Liberty and eventual converts like John Adams.
“But why Boston? Why not Philadelphia, New York, or Charleston, SC?” Pitt asks. “The answer lies in Boston’s unique and complex religious, political, military, and economic trajectory that promised opportunity but led to frequent disillusionment.”
At every turn, Pitt explains, Bostonians from all classes tried to escape rigged economic systems (sometimes even systems they created), but conflicting internal desires and external forces thwarted their plans and shifted economic power to neighboring ports. By 1775, economic self-preservation propelled Bostonians onto the revolutionary path.
Hosted by Chris Mackowski, historians from the Emerging Revolutionary War discuss the military history of the Revolution. It is a fun and spirited discussion. Enjoy.
Here is my talk on way Americans have thought about George Washington's legacy. I also try to draw the differences and connections between academic history and social memory. The video isn't great, apologies. This might be one you should listen to and not so much watch.
