On October 19, 1781, British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered to General George Washington at Yorktown after 7,000+ British and German troops were taken as prisoners by American and French troops. The Battle of Yorktown was the last major battle of the American Revolution.
While no modern proof exists, legend has it that hours after the surrender, British troops marched out of Yorktown to the tune “The World Turned Upside Down.” The signing of the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783, brought an official end to the Revolutionary War. #OnThisDay
U.S. National Archives retweeted
Join me for my new series, #FoundingFriday, where we explore history in the eyes of American statesmen.
We’re starting today with a quote from Founding Father and second president, John Adams: “Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people.”
It sounds like a sci-fi video game, but this is a color analyzer at the National Archives! 🕹️ With this machine, preservation staff can view and set light cues for film negatives and adjust light levels for red, green, and blue at specific frames. #AmericanArchivesMonth
Ready to get started on archival research at the National Archives? View our "Getting Started Overview" archives.gov/research/start and view our online Catalog at catalog.archives.gov/ for MILLIONS of our records. #AskAnArchivist
The real deal on handing records with and without gloves and how to handle your own family records. #AskAnArchivist
Let's start with the basics: What's a record and how does the National Archives organize so may records?
(We have 13.5 billion pieces of paper, by the way!) #AskAnArchivist
It’s #AskAnArchivist Day, and our archivists answered the top questions they get asked working at the National Archives. 🧵⤵️
Happy 251st birthday to the U.S. Navy! ⚓️
At the National Archives, we preserve a wide range of Navy records, from photos and maps to films and electronic records, offering a glimpse into their storied past. Explore our @USNavy records here: archives.gov/research/milita…
A couple of months ago, we highlighted some of our nation’s lesser-known Founding Fathers. Today, we’re sharing the stories of some Founding Ladies—women whose boldness and vision helped shape America.
#America250
Did you miss our "Forgotten Founding Fathers" post? Explore more founding-era stories here: xitter.cf/USNatArchives/status/2…
Signing the Declaration of Independence was an act of treason— and a potential death sentence.
Explore the lesser-known stories of our nation’s Founding Fathers.
#America250
Shortly after assuming the role of First Lady, Betty Ford received a breast cancer diagnosis. On September 26, 1974, doctors discovered a tumor, leading to a mastectomy two days later. Breaking with social conventions of the time, Ford openly shared her diagnosis with the public.
While public openness about healthcare might not seem unusual today, Betty Ford's advocacy in the 1970s for regular screenings made an extraordinary impact and led to a widespread surge in mammograms known as the “Betty Ford blip.” #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth
Happy #AmericanArchivesMonth! Following #ElectronicRecordsDay last week, we’re spotlighting the Digital Records Division at the National Archives, whose dedicated work ensures our nation’s digital records are preserved and accessible. 🧵⬇️
The Digital Records Division oversees every stage of the archival lifecycle for born-digital federal records, accessioning digital record types in over 60 formats ranging from computer aided design drawings and digital cinema to textual data, web records, and more. 💾💻
Many holdings are available in the National Archives Catalog at catalog.archives.gov for the public to explore online or download the full data files.
#ERecsDay #DigitalPreservation #DidYouKnow
Explore the extraordinary document that has driven our nation for more than 250 years at the National Archives Museum! Fly with us through "Free and Independent: A Celebration of the Declaration", on display through July 5, 2027. #NationalArchives #VisitWashingtonDC #America250
"Free and Independent" takes visitors on the emotional journey in crafting, adopting, and celebrating the Declaration of Independence. Get tickets at visit.archives.gov.
This video was NOT AI generated. Watch the wide-angle drone flight on YouTube: youtu.be/hAv2-LeqYVc?si=Hm4_…
The elite soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division, the @USArmy's first and only mountain infantry division, trained at Camp Hale in Colorado during World War II.
The soldiers participated in mountain warfare techniques including climbing, skiing, and cold-weather survival.
The original caption to a photo of a soldier mid-obstacle course notes, “The Camp Hale course would be arduous enough anywhere, but when it is coupled with an altitude of almost 10,000 feet, the record of 10 3/4 minutes for the complete round is remarkable.”
The Still Picture Branch at the National Archives holds many photographs related to Camp Hale and the Mountain Troops. Learn more: archives.gov/research/still-… #WWII #MilitaryHistory






























