Local Author and Lecturer Dr. Carole Owens will present a talk on what life was like in 1776 as the colonies declared themselves free and no longer part of the British Empire. A tea will be served after her presentation. On July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, 12 of the 13 colonies voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence (New York abstained). As the colonies declared themselves free and no longer part of the British Empire, what was life like in The Berkshires? How wide was a road, how long did it take to get from Stockbridge to Philadelphia, how fast could a horse go, and were there any sidewalks?  What was life like? How were privileges and responsibilities different for men and for women? Who got married, who was tried for fornication, who was excommunicated, who was jailed, enslaved, and foreclosed, who opened a tavern, who was cast out of the village, and who marched off to war? What were the politics and what were the stats and the stories of this momentous time in our history.