Security in America: 1780-1799
| Did you see our new series? We are excited to kick off a brand new series that looks back on the history of security. Last month we explored how security during the Revolutionary War relied on fortifications, coastal defenses, and intelligence networks to protect our young nation. As the war ended and America stepped into its independence, security needed to shift. Which leads us here, where we will look at how communities safeguarded their new government, resources, and daily life, laying the foundation for many of the protections we still recognize today. As the Revolutionary War ended, the United States faced a new challenge, how to secure a nation it had just created. The 1780s and 1790s marked a shift from war-time defense to internal protection, laying the groundwork for today’s security infrastructure. FROM MILITIAS TO WATCHMEN: SECURITY IN A GROWING NATION |
| BUILDING DOMESTIC SECURITY FROM 1780-1790 1. Government Buildings: New institutions, like the early Capitol buildings, were guarded and fortified with rudimentary locks, stationed guards, and limited access to safeguard leaders and archives. |
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| A historic façade of Independence Hall; its masonry evokes early U.S. government buildings, where rudimentary access control like guards and locks guarded important proceedings. Source: U.S. National Park Service |
| 2. Supply Depots: Strategic sites like the Fishkill Supply Depot stored and repaired weapons, guarded against sabotage and theft. |
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| Van Wyck Homestead, the former Continental Army headquarters and focal point of the Fishkill Supply Depot during the Revolutionary War. Source: fishkillhistoricalsociety.org |
| 3. Private Protection: As towns expanded, citizens began using early locks and keys to secure homes and businesses—a small step toward the personal security systems we know today. |
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| Detailed illustrations of 18th-century half-heart padlocks and keys. Source: dhr.virginia.gov |
| 4. Local Militias: Serving as both military support and peacekeepers, militias upheld local order, especially in the absence of a formal national defense force. |
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| This is a period print depicting colonial militia in action—armed civilians organized for community defense. It illustrates how ordinary citizens mobilized during the Revolutionary period to protect their communities. Source: Massachusetts Militia. theimaginativeconservative.org |
| 5. Watchmen: The earliest public safety patrols, town-appointed individuals who walked streets at night, an early symbol of emerging public safety. |
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| A period-inspired depiction appropriate for themes of early community safety and watchman services—symbolizing the rudimentary watch systems used to deter nighttime disturbances. Source: Picryl |
| THEN TO NOW It’s remarkable how the earliest forms of locks, guards, and patrols have evolved into today’s smart systems, armed response, and integrated security platforms. What began in the 18th century still shapes our mission today. Honoring history. Advancing security. |