Independence National Historical Park

An Insider's History

William C. Kashatus

• Publisher: Schiffer
• Year: 2026
• Topic: History
• eBook ISBN:
  9781507307489
• Subtopic: Early American History
• Index: History

An in-depth examination of the major historical events that occurred at Independence Hall, Carpenters' Hall, Congress Hall, and Franklin Court, among other park sites, as well as the founding fathers who shaped those events. An ideal companion for those who desire more than the brief overviews presented in tourists' guidebooks. Lavishly illustrated with prints from the INHP collections, the book is based on primary source documents, including - Journals of Congress; - Records of the Pennsylvania Assembly; - contemporaneous newspaper accounts; - the diaries and papers of such founding fathers as Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson; and - more-recent scholarship on early American history. What distinguishes the book from other similar works is that it's an insider's account of the history that took place in INHP, written by a former park ranger and now volunteer who holds a doctorate in early American history and taught the subject for 35 years at the prep school, undergraduate, and graduate levels.  

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Welcome Park: William Penn’s Holy Experiment
• Chapter 2: Liberty Bell: Symbol of Three Freedoms
• Chapter 3: Independence Hall and the Evolution of Popular Sovereignty
• Chapter 4: Benjamin Franklin’s Court and His Divided Family
• Chapter 5: Carpenters’ Hall: Setting the Stage for the American Revolution
• Chapter 6: Declaration House: Thomas Jefferson’s Incubator for Independence
• Chapter 7: Betsy Ross’s House and the Flag-Making Controversy
• Chapter 8: President’s House: Home to Washington and His Slaves
• Chapter 9: Congress Hall: A Peaceful Transition of Power and the Origins of Partisan Politics
• Chapter 10: Old City Hall: John Jay, Oliver Ellsworth, and the Not-So-Supreme Court
• Epilogue: The Founding Fathers and Slavery
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Index
• Acknowledgments
• About The Author