Congress has restored funding of appropriated activities. The National Archives Building in Washington, DC, the National Archives at College Park, MD, and facilities nationwide, including Presidential Libraries, will open to the public as soon as possible. Please check archives.gov for updates.
ALTWe’re sorry, but we will not be able to post updates to our social media channels during the government shutdown. All National Archives events–virtual or in person–are canceled until further notice. We will be unable to reply to messages or emails until the government reopens.
The National Archives holds numerous patent records in our Catalog—documents that showcase American creativity and ingenuity. Let’s dive into some fascinating inventions together! 💡
Is reading cursive your superpower? ✒️
🎉 It’s #NationalVolunteerWeek! Thank you to our 23,454 Citizen Archivists (as of March 31, 2025) who have contributed to the National Archives Catalog by transcribing 1,147,019 pages. We invite everyone to volunteer as a #CitizenArchivist and help bring history to life.
It’s #WorldBookDay, and we’re highlighting a page-turner in the holdings of the National Archives: George Washington’s Revolutionary War account book.
General George Washington refused to accept a salary as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, but he did receive reimbursement for his expenses.
Washington was always meticulous with his finances. He accounted for every penny spent at his Mount Vernon estate and applied the same precision in managing the Continental Army.
Throughout the 8 years of the Revolutionary War (1775 - 1783), Washington maintained a complete record of all the expenses he incurred as Commander in Chief. This book is written almost entirely in his own hand and includes the charges of his daily meals, housekeepers, and spies.
According to his accounts, Washington had incurred expenses totaling $160,074 by the end of the Revolutionary War.
These records provide enlightening insights into the daily lives of Washington, his family, and the people who played vital roles around them.
On April 19, 1775, the “shot heard around the world,” ignited the American Revolutionary War. 250 years later, we reflect on the battles of Lexington and Concord, where colonial resistance first erupted into open conflict.
Boston, the largest city in the 13 colonies, played a key role in stoking revolutionary fervor. Colonists, frustrated by taxation without representation, clashed with British troops in a fight that would shape the course of a nation.
Explore the full story in our latest blog post, part of our countdown to the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. See how the National Archives is preserving the history of America’s fight for liberty: https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2025/04/18/lexington-and-concord-22-hours-and-a-shot-heard-around-the-world
