American Revolution Bicentennial 8c 1971 issue U

The Bicentennial Series was a lengthy series of American commemorative

postage stamps A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the fa ...

. It began with the issuance of a stamp showing the logo for the

Bicentennial __NOTOC__ A bicentennial or bicentenary is the two-hundredth anniversary of a part, or the celebrations thereof. It may refer to: Europe *French Revolution bicentennial, commemorating the 200th anniversary of 14 July 1789 uprising, celebrated ...

celebrations on July 4, 1971, and concluded on September 2, 1983, with a stamp for the

Treaty of Paris Treaty of Paris may refer to one of many treaties signed in Paris, France: Treaties 1200s and 1300s * Treaty of Paris (1229), which ended the Albigensian Crusade * Treaty of Paris (1259), between Henry III of England and Louis IX of France * Trea ...

. While many of the stamps showed the Bicentennial logo as a design element or contained the words "US BICENTENNIAL" or "BICENTENNIAL ERA", not all did. After the initial issue, few other stamps were issued through 1974. An annual issue of four stamps took place (usually on July 4 of each year): in 1972, honoring Colonial craftsmen; in 1973, Colonial communications; in 1974, the

First Continental Congress The First Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates from 12 of the 13 British colonies that became the United States. It met from September 5 to October 26, 1774, at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after the British Navy ...

. In addition, a block of four stamps was issued in 1973 for the bicentennial of the

Boston Tea Party The Boston Tea Party was an American political and mercantile protest by the Sons of Liberty in Boston, Massachusetts, on December 16, 1773. The target was the Tea Act of May 10, 1773, which allowed the British East India Company to sell tea ...

. In 1975, with the bicentennial of the start of the Revolutionary War, the series swung into high gear. Four stamps were issued honoring relatively obscure "Contributors to the Cause", of which the best known was

Haym Salomon Haym Salomon (also Solomon; anglicized from Chaim Salomon; April 7, 1740 – January 6, 1785) was a Polish-born Jewish businessman and political financial broker who assisted the Superintendent of Finance, English-born Robert Morris, as the prim ...

. On July 4, a block of four stamps was issued showing Revolutionary War uniforms, and with the bicentennial of the

Battles of Lexington and Concord The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. The battles were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord ...

, the first of a standardized set began—showing a detail from a painting depicting the event commemorated, with the name of the event and year, and US BICENTENNIAL XX Cents (between 10 and 20). This "painting" format continued with an issue for the

Battle of Bunker Hill The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775, during the Siege of Boston in the first stage of the American Revolutionary War. The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts, which was peripherally involved in ...

in June. File:Printer and patriots 1973 U.S. stamp.1.jpg, 1973 ''Rise of the Spirit of Independence'' issue File:Posting Broadside 8c 1973 issue U.S. stamp.jpg, 1973 ''Rise of the Spirit of Independence'' issue File:SOI postrider prev.gif, 1973 ''Rise of the Spirit of Independence'' issue File:Scott1479.jpg, 1973 ''Rise of the Spirit of Independence'' issue File:American Revolution Bicentennial We Ask But For Peace... 10c 1974 issue U.S. stamp.jpg, 1974 First Continental Congress issue File:American Revolution Bicentennial Carpenters' Hall 10c 1974 issue U.S. stamp.jpg, 1974 First Continental Congress issue File:American Revolution Bicentennial Independence Hall 10c 1974 issue U.S. stamp.jpg, 1974 First Continental Congress issue File:American Revolution Bicentennial Deriving Their Just Powers... 10c 1974 issue U.S. stamp.jpg, 1974 First Continental Congress issue File:Sybil Ludington stamp.jpg, 1975 Contributors to the Cause issue File:Salem Poor stamp 1975.jpg, 1975 Contributors to the Cause issue File:Haym Salomon stamp.jpg, 1975 Contributors to the Cause issue File:00PeterFrancisco.jpg, 1975 Contributors to the Cause issue File:Military Uniforms Continental Soldier 10c 1975 issue U.S. stamp.jpg, 1975 Revolutionary War uniforms issue File:Military Uniforms Continental Sailor 10c 1975 issue U.S. stamp.jpg, 1975 Revolutionary War uniforms issue File:Military Uniforms Continental Marines 10c 1975 issue U.S. stamp.jpg, 1975 Revolutionary War uniforms issue File:Military Uniforms American Militia 10c 1975 issue U.S. stamp.jpg, 1975 Revolutionary War uniforms issue File:Skilled Hands For Independence Seamstress 13c 1977 issue U.S. stamp.jpg, 1977 "Skilled Hands for Independence" issue File:Skilled Hands For Independence Blacksmith 13c 1977 issue U.S. stamp.jpg, 1977 "Skilled Hands for Independence" issue File:Skilled Hands For Independence Wheelwright 13c 1977 issue U.S. stamp.jpg, 1977 "Skilled Hands for Independence" issue File:Skilled Hands For Independence Leatherworker 13c 1977 issue U.S. stamp.jpg, 1977 "Skilled Hands for Independence" issue File:Boston Tea Party-1973 issue-3c.jpg, 1973 Boston Tea Party issue American Bicentennial Flag Series of 1976 U

American Bicentennial Flag Series of 1976 U

On January 1, 1976, a set of three stamps (lacking any text related to the Bicentennial other than the words SPIRIT OF 76) was issued, showing the well-known

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

. On February 23, a pane of 50 stamps with the

State Flags In vexillology, a state flag is either the flag of the government of a sovereign state, or the flag of an individual federated state (subnational administrative division). Government flag A state flag is a variant of a national flag (or occa ...

was issued, each stamp containing the Bicentennial logo and the words "BICENTENNIAL ERA 1776-1976". Four

souvenir sheet A souvenir sheet or miniature sheet is a postage stamp or a small group of postage stamps still attached to the sheet on which they were printed. They may be either regular issues that just happen to be printed in small groups (typical of many ea ...

s were issued for the INTERPHIL international stamp exhibition in May, showing famous paintings depicting Revolutionary War events. It was followed with a Bicentennial stamp honoring

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...

13-cent Declaration strip of four 1976 U

Originally, the

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...

had planned to issue another 50-stamp pane, showing the entire

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the ...

. Plans were shelved after the

American Philatelic Society The American Philatelic Society (APS) is the largest nonprofit stamp collecting foundation of philately in the world. Both the membership and interests of the society are worldwide. History The organization, originally named the ''American Phil ...

threatened the USPS with a "black blot" for excessive stamp issuance. Instead, a strip of four stamps showing part of the

John Trumbull John Trumbull (June 6, 1756November 10, 1843) was an American artist of the early independence period, notable for his historical paintings of the American Revolutionary War, of which he was a veteran. He has been called the "Painter of the Rev ...

painting showing the presentation of the Declaration (often believed to show its signing) was issued on July 4 (parts of Trumbull paintings were used for the issues for Bunker Hill and Saratoga, as well). American Bicentennial - Battle of Oriskany - 13c 1977 issue U

American Bicentennial - Battle of Oriskany - 13c 1977 issue U

A painting-format stamp was issued January 3, 1977 for Washington's successful battle at Princetonbr>
Similarly painting stamps were issued to commemorate the

Battle of Oriskany The Battle of Oriskany ( or ) was a significant engagement of the Saratoga campaign of the American Revolutionary War, and one of the bloodiest battles in the conflict between the Americans and Great Britain. On August 6, 1777, a party of Loy ...

and the

Battle of Saratoga The Battles of Saratoga (September 19 and October 7, 1777) marked the climax of the Saratoga campaign, giving a decisive victory to the Americans over the British in the American Revolutionary War. British General John Burgoyne led an invasion ...

. Four stamps were issued on July 4 to honor craftsmen with the legend "Skilled Hands for Independence". Additional stamps honored the

Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was an agreement among the 13 Colonies of the United States of America that served as its first frame of government. It was approved after much debate (between July 1776 and November 1777) by ...

and the arrival of

Lafayette Lafayette or La Fayette may refer to: People * Lafayette (name), a list of people with the surname Lafayette or La Fayette or the given name Lafayette * House of La Fayette, a French noble family ** Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757� ...

. One of the Christmas stamps that year, though not formally part of the series, showed Washington kneeling at Valley Forge. By 1978, not only was the nation losing interest in the Bicentennial, but most of the events familiar to citizens from school history books had already had their bicentennials pass. Only a single stamp, noting the

French Alliance The foreign alliances of France have a long and complex history spanning more than a millennium. One traditional characteristic of the French diplomacy of alliances has been the ''"Alliance de revers"'' (i.e. "Rear alliance"), aiming at allying w ...

, was issued that year. One Bicentennial stamp was issued in 1979, depicting

John Paul Jones John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-American naval captain who was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War. He made many friends among U.S political elites ( ...

. The next stamp issue would not occur until 1981, when two stamps marked the

Battle of Yorktown The Siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown, the surrender at Yorktown, or the German battle (from the presence of Germans in all three armies), beginning on September 28, 1781, and ending on October 19, 1781, at Yorktown, Virgi ...

. The final stamp in the series, noting the

in the painting format, was issued in 1983. A number of items of

postal stationery A piece of postal stationery is a stationery item, such as a stamped envelope, letter sheet, postal card, lettercard, aerogram or wrapper, with an imprinted stamp or inscription indicating that a specific rate of postage or related servi ...

were issued. Notably, the USPS found issuance of postal stationery a convenient way of marking the bicentennial of some of the more obscure, but important battles of the war (such as 1781's

Battle of Cowpens The Battle of Cowpens was an engagement during the American Revolutionary War fought on January 17, 1781 near the town of Cowpens, South Carolina, between U.S. forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan and British forces under Lieutenant Colo ...

) without the need to issue a stamp. Instead, a

postal card Postal cards are postal stationery with an imprinted stamp or indicium signifying the prepayment of postage. They are sold by postal authorities. On January 26, 1869, Dr. Emanuel Herrmann of Austria described the advantages of a ''Correspon ...

was issued. A number of other issues, while not part of the series themselves, had Bicentennial themes. The standard definitive postal card, throughout the Bicentennial Era, honored figures of that time such as

John Hancock John Hancock ( – October 8, 1793) was an American Founding Father, merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot of the American Revolution. He served as president of the Second Continental Congress and was the first and third Governor of the ...

and

Charles Thomson Charles Thomson (November 29, 1729 – August 16, 1824) was an Irish-born Patriot leader in Philadelphia during the American Revolution and the secretary of the Continental Congress (1774–1789) throughout its existence. As secretary, Thomson ...

. The 7.7 cent

coil stamp A coil stamp is a type of postage stamp sold in strips one stamp wide. The name derives from the usual handling of long strips, which is to coil them into rolls, in a manner reminiscent of adhesive tape rolls. A large percentage of modern stamp ...

for bulk rate issued in 1976 contains the inscription "Beat the Drum for Liberty and the Spirit of 76" (it depicts a drum). Envelopes, cards, and

aerogramme An aerogram, aerogramme, aérogramme, air letter or airletter is a thin lightweight piece of foldable and gummed paper for writing a letter for transit via airmail, in which the letter and envelope are one and the same. Most postal administration ...

s all had Bicentennial themes.

References

External links

{{Postage stamps of the United States Postage stamps of the United States Works about the American Revolution United States Bicentennial