Declaring independence: USA 250

250 years ago, on 4 July 1776, the Thirteen British Colonies in North America adopted the Declaration of Independence, breaking away from the British Crown and founding the United States of America. About Introduced through the story of the Washington Peace Medal, the display highlights material traditions of allegiance and treaty-making that shaped this pivotal moment in history. Made in Boston in 1777, the medal was presented by the Revolutionaries to members of the Wabanaki Confederacy as part of a treaty of friendship and alliance against the British. Soon after, British forces confiscated the medal under threat of military force and presented it to King George III as a war trophy. Passing through the hands of all three groups, the medal reveals the competing diplomatic and political interests at the heart of the conflict. Indigenous Peoples played a vital role throughout the War of Independence, forming alliances with both sides while navigating the human consequences of shifting political powers. Through treaties, diplomatic gifts and acts of resistance, the exhibition uncovers the global and deeply interconnected histories behind the founding of the United States. This powerful display features a rare handwritten manuscript copy of the Declaration of Independence arriving halfway through the run and ceremonial gifts exchanged between Indigenous Nations, the British and the Revolutionaries. A wampum belt and pipe tomahawk show how objects were used to negotiate diplomacy, loyalty, and land rights.