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This nonpartisan exhibit illuminates the 15-year political evolution of the United States by showcasing 18th- and early 19th-Century primary sources from each of Americas Four United Republics: United Colonies of America: Thirteen British Colonies United in Congress (September 5th, 1774 to July 1st, 1776) was founded by 12 colonies under the First Continental Congress and expired under the Second Continental Congress; The United States of America: Thirteen Independent States United in Congress (July 1776 to February 28th, 1781) was founded by 12 states in the Second Continental Congress and expired with the ratification of the Articles of Confederation; 2nd, The United States of America: A Not Quite Perpetual Union (March 1781 to March 1789) was founded by 13 States with the Articles of Confederations enactment and expired with the ratification of the U.S. Constitution of 1787; 1st, 3rd, The United States of America: We the People (March 4, 1789 to Present) was formed by 11 states with the enactment of the United States Constitution of 1787 and still exists today.

King George and Queen Charlotte welcome visitors in an oil painting gallery. The section includes letters and manuscripts of United Colonies Continental Congress Presidents Peyton Randolph, Henry Middleton, and John Hancock. Exhibit highlights include: 18th-Century signs a March 4, 1773 Virginia Five Pound Colonial Note. The note, legal tender in Virginia, is also signed by future Constitution of 1787 signer and Supreme Court Justice John Blair. Loan Courtesy of Louis and Jenna Klos names the Continental Congress in this rare colonial printing: Extracts From The Votes And Proceedings Of The American Continental Congress, Held At Philadelphia, On The 5th Of September, 1774 Containing The Bill Of Rights, A List Of Grievances, Occasional Resolves, The Association, An Address To The People Of Great-Britain, And A Memorial To The Inhabitants Of The British American Colonies, Published By Order Of The Congress. Philadelphia: 1774 - Klos Yavneh Academy Collection Proposed Plan of Government in an eight page manuscript entitled: Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union entered into by the Delegates of the several Colonies in General Congress met at Philadelphia, May 10, 1775. [Philadelphia, July 21, 1775]. This is an exceptionally rare and important United Colonial manuscript. - Loan Courtesy of Seth Kaller, Inc. signs the March 23, 1776 Privateering Act which is a United Colonies of America resolution that empowered privateers to harass British shipping. You may, by Force of Arms, attack, subdue, and take all Ships and other Vessels belonging to the Inhabitants of Great-Britain, on the High Seas ... Loan Courtesy of Seth Kaller, Inc. Richard Henry Lees Resolution for Independence is followed by an original July 1776 Declaration of Independence imprint surrounded with rare letters and documents from numerous Declaration of Independence signers, including all those from Maryland. The oil painting gallery continues with documents from three more Presidents of the Continental Congress, John Hancock, Henry Laurens, and John Jay. Highlights include: as published in the first few days of July in the Pennsylvania Magazines June Pamphlet that was edited by Thomas Paine. Due to a shortage of paper, this June issue was held past its normal publication date allowing time for the last-minute insertion of the actual July 2, 1776 resolution of the Continental Congress declaring independence from Great Britain. Loan Courtesy of Seth Kaller, Inc. autographed letter signed: We shall be obliged to you to procure and deliver to Captain John Lynn two pairs of shoes and eleven shirts from detachment of the Continental line to the west River for the protection of the State Ship. With Great Respect, Honorable Sir Your Most Humble and obedient servant William Paca. Loan Courtesy of Michael J. Sullivan of Mt. Victoria. May 28, 1779, Presidential letter to Governor Patrick Henry transmitting the Address of Congress to the Inhabitants of the United States imploring the populace to maintain its resolve, and to be wary of insidious reports that the new government was failing in the wake of the collapsing U.S. Continental Dollar. The letter is also docketed by Governor Henry on the verso. Also displayed is $5 and $50 Continental Currency with the 1780 Journals of Congress resolution that increases, from 1 to 40 the amount of US dollars required to be paid for 1 Spanish Silver dollar. Loan Courtesy of Forgotten Founders, CT

Featured here is the Treaty of Paris Proclamation & Presidential oil painting gallery displayed above letters and manuscripts of the ten USCA Presidents under the Articles of Confederation: Samuel Huntington, Thomas McKean, John Hanson, Elias Boudinot, Thomas Mifflin, Richard Henry Lee, John Hancock, Nathaniel Gorham, Arthur St. Clair, and Cyrus Griffin. in the Journals of The United States in Congress Assembled Published by Order of Congress & opened to March 2, 1781 recording ratification & Samuel Huntington as the 1st USCA President. - Loan Courtesy of Forgotten Founders, CT. October 16th, 1782 Thanksgiving Proclamation is displayed with a Military Commission signed by United States in Congress Assembled President John Hanson and Charles Thomson as USCA Secretary. - Loans Courtesy, respectively, of Forgotten Founders CT & Rick Badwey, Museum Framing. August 15th, 1782, autographed letter signed as Commander-in-Chief to James McHenry discussing the very serious business of funding and maintaining troop levels to discourage future British actions. Loan Courtesy of Seth Kaller, Inc. July 9th, 1783, letter signed as President of the United States in Congress Assembled written to Major General Arthur St. Clair; "You may depend on Congress having been perfectly satisfied with your conduct." St. Clair, on June 20th, 1783 was instrumental in dispersing 400 mutinous federal soldiers who, under arms, surrounded Independence Hall while the USCA and Pennsylvania Supreme Council were in separate sessions. Due to this mutiny, the USCA relocated the U.S. Seat of Government to Princeton, New Jersey. - Loan Courtesy of Dan Western January 14th, 1784, By the UNITED STATES in CONGRESS Assembled, A PROCLAMATION Broadside announcing the ratification of the Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary War and confirming United States Sovereignty. This is one of only two known completed with the official seal, and signatures of Thomas Mifflin as Our President and Charles Thomson as Secretary of the United States in Congress Assembled convening in Annapolis. The only other known copy is in the National Archives. Loan Courtesy of Seth Kaller, Inc. April 30, 1784, Broadside USCA resolution that requests from the States the power to regulate trade signed as USCA Secretary. - Loan Courtesy of Seth Kaller, Inc. is displayed here in The American Museums Septembers issue, which has the very distinguished honor of being the first magazine to print the U.S. Constitution of 1787. At its conclusion are the signatures in type of George Washington and other members of the Constitutional Convention, listed by state. Displayed with a full printing of the 1786 Annapolis Convention proceedings - Klos Yavneh Academy Collection This section is filled with key 18th Century founding letters, documents and manuscripts from President George Washington, Vice President John Adams, and cabinet members Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Henry Knox and Edmond Randolph. This section also addresses the 1790s real estate collapse. North American Land Company REIT, and the imprisonment of Robert Morris with a letter from debtors prison. - Klos Yavneh Academy Collection - Fourth Republic Highlights include: , January 24, 1795, autograph letter signed to Winthrop Sargent that obsesses over the survival of civilization in the wake of the French Revolution - Loan Courtesy of Seth Kaller, Inc. printed An Act declaring the consent of Congress to a certain Act of the State of Maryland, and an Act declaring the assent of Congress to certain Acts of the States of Maryland, Georgia and Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations. signed Th: Jefferson, Secretary Loan Courtesy of Seth Kaller, Inc.

In support of the ACCS vision to establish a in Annapolis, the following exhibitors, historians, professors, and experts are scheduled to speak in their respective U.S Founding fields:
9:00am: Americas Four Republics: The More or Less United States exhibit opens with Annapolis Town Crier and performances by Forgotten Founders Troubadour . 9:30am: Opening remarks by and Maryland State Archivist . 10:00am: Creating a Continental Navy and Licensing Privateers (1775-1779). , Historian, writer, and former instructor at the United States Coast Guard Academy and the University of New Hampshire. 12 noon: The Articles of Confederation Crisis and the Miracle of Philadelphia: The Rise of the Modern Presidency. . President, the Center for the Study of the Presidency & Congress and former Special Counselor to President Ronald Reagan. 2:00 pm: How Annapolis was Chosen as the Seat of Congress in 1783. , Adjunct Professor of History, the George Washington University. 4:00 pm: The Dubious Achievement of the First Continental Congress. , Publisher, Commonwealth Books. 7:00 pm: Americas Four Republics: The More or Less United States. , independent scholar and author, America's Four Republics: The More or Less United States. 9:00 am: The Annapolis (1786) and Philadelphia (1787) Conventions..." , Professor of Law, University of Pennsylvania. 11:00 am: The Proper Care and Restoration of Rare Historical Documents. , Former Head of Conservation, Folger-Shakespeare Library, Washington DC 12:30 pm: Framing and Displaying Rare Historical Documents. , Principal, Museum Framing, Alexandria, VA. 1:30 pm: Shays Rebellion and the End of the Articles of Confederation. , Associate Professor, political Science, St. Mary's College of Maryland 3:30 pm: The Northwest Ordinance , independent scholar and author, Americas Four Republics: The More or Less United States. 7:00pm: Remembering the Ladies: Women and Hospitality in the Promotion of the New Republic. , Director, University Honors Program, Loyola University New Orleans. 9:00am: Proclaiming Independence: Surprising Finds from the 1776 Printings of the Declaration and the Articles of Confederation." , President of Seth Kaller, Inc., historic document dealer and museum collection builder. 10:30am: "The Life of James Monroe: Delegate to Congress (1783-86, including George Washington's resignation in Annapolis) and Colonel in the Continental Army (1776-1781)." ., President, the James Monroe Memorial Foundation. 12 noon: "Terms and Conditions: The Treaty of Paris Chronology (1783-84)." , Assistant Professor of History, Anne Arundel College. 1:30pm: "Founding Foods and Drinks: The Colonial and Early American Diet." (free samples!) , President, Capital Teas and , Co-founder, Farm Food Freedom Coalition. 3:30pm: "A Permanent Home in Annapolis: The National Continental Congress Center Project. , Director, the Annapolis Continental Congress Society.

The 2012 Continental Congress Festival and Americas Four Founding Republics Exhibit is made possible by the generosity and support of individual benefactors, corporate donors and partners of the Annapolis Continental Congress Society including: Annapolis Forum, of Forgotten Founders CT, Historic Inns of Annapolis, Irish Traditions MD, J Frank Mowery & Associates Inc., Museum Framing, , Inc., of Mt. Victoria, of Western Properties, , and the .