The American Revolution secured our national independence, established our republic, created our national identity, and articulated ideals of liberty, equality, and civic responsibility that continue to shape our nation and inspire the world. The Society of the Cincinnati was founded to perpetuate the memory and enduring principles of that vast event. To fulfill that historic responsibility, the Society created the American Revolution Institute of the Society of the Cincinnati.
The Society carries out its historic mission by:
- cultivating reverence for the heroes of the Revolutionary War and brotherly affection among members of the Society;
- advocating popular understanding and appreciation of the American Revolution and its heroes;
- promoting effective teaching on the American Revolution by producing and distributing curricular materials, supporting educators with enrichment opportunities, and advocating educational reform to restore the American Revolution to its proper place at the center of American history education;
- encouraging advanced study and publication on the American Revolution by maintaining and building a leading special collections library, providing stewardship for a unique collection of rare printed and manuscript materials, practical support and recognition to scholars, and electronic access;
- presenting exhibitions on the American Revolution and its legacy at Anderson House and elsewhere, drawing on the Society's growing collection of Revolutionary War art and artifacts and its extensive library collections to inspire public interest in the American Revolution;
- conducting an expanding program of public lectures and events to focus attention on the American Revolution and its legacy and attract support for the American Revolution Institute;
- supporting the preservation and effective interpretation of Revolutionary War battlefields;
- welcoming the public to visit our headquarters at Anderson House, where daily tours focus attention on the Revolutionary War and the history of the Society; and
- securing support for our cause and our work from members of the Society, Associates of the American Revolution Institute of the Society of the Cincinnati, and all who respect the accomplishments and enduring principles of the American Revolution.