History of the "Spirit of 76"

The "Spirit of '76" (1891 version) painted by Archibald Willard (1836-1918) represents charactertures from the American Revolutionary War (American colonies secession from the United Kingdom), which commenced officially on 4 July, 1776, with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and ended in 1783.

The "Spirit of '76" is represented by the marching ghosts (spirits) of a fife player, a drummer and a minuteman.

In the background are the "clouds of war" and an image of an early US Flag (13 stars on a blue field, with 13 red and white stripes; the same number as on today's flag; representing the 13 colonies and what would be come the first 13 states) superimposed above the spirits and the clouds.

The spirits are portrayed with the battle scars of war.

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