Day 21 (6/12): Philadelphia and Boston (revisited)

Previously, I mentioned the sheer number of monuments and memorials that pepper the east coast. There are so many places to visit and so much information to absorb in a limited amount of time, that it’s difficult to keep pace here on Medium. I will try to keep this post a little bit shorter, so that I can catch up a little ways. Additionally, since they share very similar themes and lessons, I’m combining my findings from both Boston and Philadelphia into one post. In reality, I visited Boston right after Lexington and Concord — and just before my last post on New York. My apologies for the confusion, but without further adieu, I present two cities rooted in revolution.
In Boston, it seems as though every building, street corner, and alleyway bears some sort of historical significance. Wander through the heart of the city for a short while, and it’s impossible to avoid the simple brick line in the sidewalk that marks the Freedom Trail. The trail guides you through Boston’s jumbled streets to some of the most critical places in the American Revolution, ending at Bunker Hill
After slogging up the 294 spiral steps of the Bunker Hill Monument, I looked down on the old city. Old North Church — where two lanterns once hung to inform Paul Revere that British Regulars were coming by sea to Lexington and Concord — is now dwarfed by modern skyscrapers. While Boston harbor was once filled with wooden sloops and frigates (not to mention tea), today paddle boarders, kayaks, and ships from all corners of the world cut through the water. Bunker Hill itself was nothing but a barren stretch of land when thousands of colonists and British Regulars fought over it in 1775, yet now it’s a dense residential area. Philadelphia, too, is home to important landmarks of the Revolution, such as Independence Hall — where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were drafted. Now the historical building is surrounded by Starbucks, Chipotles, and other signs of a modern metropolis.
These places demonstrate that the legacy of the early patriots is inseparable from the each city’s identity. Just as the revolution is interwoven into the fabric of these two cities, it’s also a key part of American culture. The same rebellious spirit that fueled our founding also led many to push for greater social justice throughout the years. Many of the historic places I visit on the road are indicative of solutions to problems that the Founding Fathers were unable to solve themselves. Whether it be the suffragists, King’s civil rights activists, or the Stonewall protesters I covered in my last post, countless Americans have continued the work of the nation’s founders over the years. Despite the differing means, goals, and leaders of these movements, they each are a part of a “perpetual American Revolution” that seeks to fight against tyranny and form a more perfect union.
-Nick
