This presentation was part of the 2025 Fall Conference, Sparking the Revolution: Flintlocks, Gunpowder, and Policy in America’s War for Independence, held in November 2025 in partnership with the Springfield Armory National Historic Site.
Featuring:
Andrew Fagal, Princeton University
In his presentation, Andrew Fagal examines how early the United States attempted to arm themselves without creating a centralized military-industrial system. He describes how the federal government relied on private contractors and state armories to supply muskets and equipment rather than establishing a European-style national arsenal.
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