The Histories of Patriots

The First Continental Congress
Their meeting in Carpenters' Hall was the first step toward independence.

"...My Zeal for Liberty"
The story of Charles Thomson, Secretary of the Continental Congress

The Unlikely Spy
The story of Chevalier Julien-Alexandre Achard de Bonvouloir, a French spy, and his secret meeting with Benjamin Franklin at Carpenters' Hall that led to the French Alliance.

Blueprint for a Revolution: The Spies at Carpenters' Hall
Online book by Charles and Nancy Cook. The story tells how Francis Daymon helped both Benjamin Franklin and the French spy, Bonvouloir, secretly meet to discuss the colonies' upcoming revolution against England.

The Quiet Revolutionary
The Revolution divided friends and families over the question of loyalty to Great Britain and the non-debatable issue with Quakers — pacifism.

Washington's Army Marches Past the Hall
Twice the Continental army marched in review past Carpenters' Hall; In August, 1777, one month before their disastrous rout at Brandywine, and four years later en route to the victory at Yorktown.

The Battle for Philadelphia
War burst upon Philadelphia less than three years after delegates to the First Continental Congress concluded their sessions at Carpenters' Hall.

Answering the Call to Arms
In the Revolution, the Hall became an arsenal for the War Department — and home to its first secretary, Henry Knox.

Pennsylvania: From Colony to State
Without Pennsylvania, independence appeared impossible.

The Federal Procession of 1788
The Federal Edifice, designed by Charles Willson Peale, was the centerpiece of this celebration of the newly-ratified Constitution.