Presentation Details
Next year marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
How were the American colonies able to wage a successful war of independence against the world’s superpower of that day? What role did the American frontiersman and his weaponry play? How did the Revolution influence the values, policies, and defense of our new nation? What inspired our Bill of Rights?
In this 2-part program, historian Richard A. Cheatham, a graduate of Virginia Military Institute and former professional journalist, will answer these and other questions. Mr. Cheatham has addressed audiences across the country and beyond on a wide range of topics, including his ancestors John Rolfe and Pocahontas, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and the American concept of the Citizen Soldier.
Where: Montpelier Center Ballroom
Free admission
About Richard A Cheatham
Dick Cheatham was born in Richmond, Virginia and graduated in Liberal Arts and History from The Virginia Military Institute. Having been a TV journalist, a professional historian, and an educator, he started Living History Associates, Ltd. in 1986 with several partners. He's also a private pilot.
In addition to his work in dozens of TV and motion picture projects over the years as actor, historical technical advisor, period extras casting agent and locations scout, Dick also has done thousands of live presentations all over the states and internationally.
The vast majority of his presentations have taken the form of impersonations of important people from America's past. Some of his most popular characters are Pocahontas' husband John Rolfe, the man who saved America years before the Pilgrims landed (he's a direct descendant of Pocahontas and John Rolfe fourteen generations later), Richard Henry Lee, who made—not wrote—the declaration of independence on June 7th 1776, Captain Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson's personal secretary who commanded the most successful expedition in American history, President John Tyler, the precedent-setting Jeffersonian Chief Executive who expended all his Presidential capital defending the Constitution and several others.
Mr. Cheatham specializes in drawing lessons about human nature drawn from history. Period artifacts illustrating the topic from the personal collections of members of the Cavalier Rifle & Pistol Club will be on display.
This program is part of the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA 250), which was created by the Virginia General Assembly for the purpose of planning for—and commemorating—the 250th anniversary of Virginia’s participation in American independence. The Declaration of Independence, written primarily by Virginia’s Thomas Jefferson, was signed by fellow members of the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.