Bittersweet: Sugar’s Sticky Road to Revolution
New Exhibition Explores How Sugar Drew Rhode Island into the American Revolution
(PROVIDENCE, R.I.) – The Rhode Island Historical Society is proud to present Bittersweet: Sugar’s Sticky Road to the Revolution, the newest exhibit at the John Brown House Museum.
The exhibition opens Thursday, May 25, and will remain in the museum’s gallery until Saturday, December 30.
Sugar and its derivative products (molasses and rum) were among the major commodities that drove the Atlantic world economy.
The burning of the Gaspee would not have happened if not for sugar.
It is arguable that Rhode Island may not have been so quick to join in the Revolution had its economy not depended so completely on rum, which allowed the colony to engage in, by far, the most profitable trade at the time—the African slave trade.
The exhibit displays objects, maps, and documents related to sugar production, trade, and consumption—from Caribbean plantations to the colonial table—and shows the link between this system and Rhode Island’s entry into the American Revolution.
The museum is open Tuesday-Friday, 1:00-4:00pm and Saturday, 10:00am-4:00pm.
About the Rhode Island Historical Society
The Rhode Island Historical Society, the state’s oldest and only statewide historical organization, is dedicated to honoring, interpreting and sharing Rhode Island’s past to enrich the present and inspire the future.
Founded in 1822, the RIHS is an advocate for history as a means to develop empathy and 21st -century skills, using its historical materials and knowledge to explore topics of timeless relevance and public interest. As a Smithsonian Affiliate, it is dedicated to providing high-quality, accessible public programming and educational opportunities for all Rhode Islanders through its four sites: the John Brown House Museum, the Museum of Work & Culture, the Mary Elizabeth Robinson Research Center and the Aldrich House.
The headquarters of the Rhode Island Historical Society are located at 110 Benevolent St., Providence, RI 02906. Information: (401) 331-8575.
Website:
Follow the RIHS on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.