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The
American Colonist's Library
A
Treasury of Primary Documents
Primary
Source Documents Pertaining to Early American
History
An invaluable collection of historical works which
contributed to the formation of American politics,
culture, and ideals
The following is
a massive collection of the literature and
documents which were most relevant to the
colonists' lives in America. If it isn't here, it
probably is not available online anywhere.
This
library is arranged in chronological sequence.
(500 B.C.-1800 A.D.) Use Your Browser's FIND
Function to Search this Library, or click on the
dates below to be taken to that section:
American
Colonists With Royal Ancestries A large
number of American Colonists trace their roots
back to the Kings and Queens of Europe. Here is
a list of some of them.
Classical
Literature Having Significant Influence Upon the
American Colonists
Classic
Philosophers and Poets, Most of the
founding fathers in America were thoroughly
familiar with these Greco-Roman authors: e.g.,
Aristotle, Plato, Cicero, Virgil.
Ancient
and Medieval Classics, The Great Books of
Western Civilization now available online. These
writings provide the European framework of the
cultural backdrop in which America was
established.
The
Latin Library, (Cicero, Livy, Horace, etc.)
Ability to read these sources extemporaneously
was an entrance requirement at colonial schools
such as Harvard.
The
Vulgate, The Holy Bible in Latin.
The
Bible, The best Bible online, which allows
the user to immediately discover the Hebrew and
Greek words behind the English words.
The
Bible, This book was, of course, the most
influential piece of literature in Colonial
America.
St.
Augustine, The church father of choice among
American Puritans.
St.
Augustine, English translations of his works
on predestination which greatly influenced the
Puritans.
Major
Medieval Sources Having Significant Influence
Upon the American Colonists
Ordinance
of William the Conqueror Sowing the seeds of
separation of Church and State in the English
world.
Laws
of William the Conqueror
Constitutions
of Clarendon (1164) Established rights of
laymen and the church in England.
Assize
of Clarendon (1166) Defined rights and
duties of courts and people in criminal cases.
Foundation of the principle of "due
process."
Assize
of Arms (1181) Defined rights and duties of
people and militias.
Magna
Carta (1215) One of the American colonists'
most revered documents, the Magna Carta
established the principle that no one, not even
the king or a lawmaker, is above the law of God.
De
Legibus Et Consuetudinibus Angliæ, Henry de
Bracton (1268) This text was the most important
legal treatise written in England in the
medieval period as it organized, systematized,
and explicated the principles of English Common
Law later embraced by the American colonists.
Summa
Theologica, St. Thomas Aquinas (1265-1273)
Pinnacle of Scholasticism. Covering a wide range
of topics, by the colonial times, most educated
people in the Western world were thoroughly
familiar with this important text.
Marco
Polo's Travels [excerpt] (@1300), the
description of the South Pacific which inspired
Columbus to attempt to go to India by way of the
Atlantic.
The
First Manual of Parliamentary Procedure (@
1350)
An
English Law Library, The sources studied by
many of the lawyers who founded the U.S.
The
Declaration of Arbroath (1320) Scotland's
declaration of independence from England. An
early model for the U.S. Declaration, this
document ends with a phrase parallel to that of
the U.S. Declaration: "and to Him as the
Supreme King and Judge we commit the maintenance
of our cause, casting our cares upon Him and
firmly trusting that He will inspire us with
courage and bring our enemies to nought."
Fifteenth
and Sixteenth Century Sources Profoundly
Impacting the History of America
Malleus
Maleficarum, Directions for witch hunting
(1486)
Journal,
Christopher Columbus, (1492). This document
begins with Columbus' statement that the reason
why Isabella sponsored his voyage was for the
sake of going to India to convert Khan to Roman
Catholicism.
Epistola
De Insulis Nuper Inventis, Christopher
Columbus (1493)
Letter
to the King and Queen of Spain, Christopher
Columbus (1494)
Prince
Henry VII's Commission to John Cabot (1497)
Cabot was the first Englishman to discover New
England.
The
Prince, Machiavelli (1513) Practical advice
on governance and statecraft, with thoughts on
the kinds of problems any government must be
able to solve to endure.
Works
of Martin Luther, The father of the
Protestant Reformation, his principles were a
major part of the American colonists' worldview.
On
Secular Authority, Luther (1523). This
document started the political discussion about
religious liberty which led to the American
Revolution. In this document Luther sets forth
the idea of "two kingdoms," one is
political and the other is spiritual, and the
two ought be separate. President James Madison
commended this "due distinction, to which
the genius and courage of Luther led the way,
between what is due to Caesar and what is due to
God." (Madison
to F.L. Schaeffer, December 3, 1821).
The
Bondage of the Will, Luther (1524). Luther
claimed that this particular document was the
cornerstone of the Protestant Reformation; it
argues the idea of predestination and God's
sovereignty, two principles which were paramount
to many of the American colonists.
The
Act of Supremacy, Henry VIII (1534). By this
act, the English Reformation began, and the pope
was stripped of his jurisdiction over the
English Church. This allowed Lutheran principles
to make their way into the English church, and
led to the birth of Puritanism.
Institutes
of the Christian Religion, John Calvin
(1540). Calvin's magnum opus. The most
celebrated American historian, George Bancroft,
called Calvin "the father of America,"
and added: "He who will not honor the
memory and respect the influence of Calvin knows
but little of the origin of American
liberty." To John Calvin and the Genevan
theologians, President John Adams credited a
great deal of the impetus for religious liberty
(Adams, WORKS, VI:313). This document includes a
justification for rebellion to tyrants by
subordinate government officials; this
particular justification was at the root of the
Dutch, English, and American Revolutions.
The
Journey of Alvar Nuñez Cabeza De Vaca
(1542)
Brief
Account of the Devastation of the Indies,
Bartolome de la Casas (1542)
On
the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies,
Copernicus (1543). This document touched off the
Scientific Revolution as it repudiated the
Geocentric theory and asserted a Heliocentric
theory of the solar system.
The
Council of Trent (1545) The Roman Catholic
responses to the Protestant Reformation.
Spiritual
Exercises, Ignatius Loyola (1548). Rules for
the Jesuits written by the founder of the Jesuit
Order.
The
Genevan Book of Order (1556) The Form of
Prayers and Ministration of the Sacraments, etc.
Used in the English Congregation at Geneva
A
Short Treatise on Political Power, John
Ponet, D.D. (1556) President John Adams credited
this Calvinist document as being at
the root of the theory of government adopted by
the the Americans. According to Adams, Ponet's
work contained "all the essential
principles of liberty, which were afterward
dilated on by Sidney and Locke" including
the idea of a three-branched government. (Adams,
Works, vol. 6, pg. 4). Published in
Strassbourg in 1556, it is one of the first
works out of the Reformation to advocate active
resistance to tyrannical magistrates, with the
exception of the Magdeburg Bekkentis (the
Magdeburg Confession).
How
Superior Powers Ought to Be Obeyed by Their
Subjects, Christopher Goodman (1558).
Justifying a Christian's right to resist a
tyrannical ruler. Goodman indicated that he had
presented the thesis of this book to John
Calvin, and Calvin endorsed it.
The
First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous
Regiment of Women, John Knox (1558). A
vigorous critique of the tyranny of "Bloody
Mary's" reign in England, and a call to
resist. A large portion of the Americans who
fought in the American Revolution were adherents
to Knox's doctrines as set forth in this
document.
Act
of Supremacy, Elizabeth I (1559). After the
brief and bloody reign of her sister, Mary I,
who executed numerous Protestants for the cause
of Roman Catholicism, this document states
Elizabeth's intention to reaffirm the English
Church's independence from Rome. Her beloved
status among her subjects caused the first
settlers of America to name their colony
"Virginia" in honor of this virgin
queen.
Complete
Works of Elizabeth I, Including her letters
and her poems.
Writings
and Speeches of Elizabeth I
Foxe's
Book of Martyrs (1563). Detailing the bloody
persecutions of Puritans during the reign of
Mary I, this book was second only to the Bible
in its popularity in the American colonies.
Supralapsarian
Calvinism, Theodore Beza (1570) Laying out
the principle that God willed and predestined
the fall of Adam and the existence of sin and
evil. This assertion became the most
controversial philosophical conflict among
American colonists up through the 19th century.
The
Scholemaster (1570) Philosophy of Education
among English people, particularly with respect
to the importance of learning Latin.
The
Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (1571) The
official statement of faith of the Church of
England; this document formally adopts the
Calvinistic doctrine of predestination and
repudiates common notion of "free
will."
Treasons
Act (1571) Forbidding criticism of
Queen Elizabeth.
The
St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572)
The
Right of Magistrates Over Their Subjects,
Theodore Beza (1574). Expanding upon Calvin's
political resistance theory set forth in the
final chapters of his Institutes, this work by
Calvin's successor in Geneva, Theodore Beza, was
published in response to the growing tensions
between Protestant and Catholic in France, which
culminated in the St. Bartholomew Day Massacre
in 1572. This text suggests that it is the right
of a Christian to revolt against a tyrannical
King: a principle central to the American
colonists' cause.
Of
the Tabaco and of His Greate Vertues,
Nicholas Monardes (1577)
The
Works of Sir Walter Raleigh, Sponsor of the
First Settlements in Virginia
De
Jure Regni apud Scotos, George Buchanan
(1579) Considered the most important piece of
political writing in the 16th century as it
articulated the doctrine of "the rule of
law."
Vindiciae
Contra Tyrannos, or, A Vindication Against
Tyrants (1579). This Calvinist document is one
of the first to set forth the theory of
"social contract" upon which the
United States was founded. The idea was
disseminated through the English Calvinists to
the pen of John Locke, and eventually into the
Declaration of Independence. John Adams reported
the relevance of this document to the American
struggle.
The
Dutch Declaration of Independence (1581);
This Calvinistic document served as a model for
the U.S. Declaration of Independence. In his
Autobiography, Jefferson indicated that the
"Dutch Revolution" gave evidence and
confidence to the Second Continental Congress
that the American Revolution could likewise
commence and succeed. Recent scholarship
has has suggested that Jefferson may have
consciously drawn on this document. John Adams
said that the Dutch charters had "been
particularly studied, admired, and imitated in
every State" in America, and he stated that
"the analogy between the means by which the
two republics [Holland and U.S.A.] arrived at
independency... will infallibly draw them
together."
A
Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of
Virginia, Thomas Hariot.
Discourse
of Western Planting, Richard Hakluyt, (1584)
First
Voyage To Virginia, Arthur Barlowe (1584)
Adam
Winthrop's Commonplace Book (1586) Early
diary of a Puritan whose family eventually
settled in America.
The
Colony of Roanoke, Ralph Lane (1586). The
first English attempt at colonizing the New
World
Return
To Roanoake, John White (1590) Relating the
surprise of the loss of the Roanoake colony and
the few clues left regarding their fate.
An
Act Against Papists (1593) Parliament's
tough words against those who would attempt to
depose Elizabeth for her Protestantism.
Works
of Richard Hooker (1593) Anglican political
commentator and major influence upon John Locke.
A
Trew Law of Free Monarchs, James I Stuart
(1598). Championed the doctrine of "Divine
Right of Kings." This oppressive political
theory contributed to the exodus of the Puritans
to America in 1630, and resistance to it was the
ultimate goal of three revolutions: 1) the
Puritan Revolution of the 1640s, 2) the Glorious
Revolution, and 3) the American Revolution.
The
Dutie of A King, Sir Walter Raleigh (1599)
Promoting the doctrine of "Divine Right of
Kings."
The
Geneva Bible, 1599 update of the translation
made by the Puritans in Geneva 1560. This was
the Bible of choice in New England. These are
the footnotes which provide a Calvinistic
theological interpretation of the Bible
Seventeenth
Century Sources Relating to American History
Colonial
Maps
Charters
of all the Colonies
Original
Dictionaries of the 16th & 17th Centuries,
six bilingual dictionaries -- John Palsgrave
(1530; English-French), Sir Thomas Elyot (1538;
Latin- English), William Thomas (1550;
Italian-English), Thomas Thomas (1587;
Latin-English), John Florio (1598;
Italian-English), and Randle Cotgrave (1611;
French-English) -- these give pairs of French,
Italian, and Latin dictionaries, each pair
separated by 50-80 years; four English hard-word
dictionaries -- Edmund Coote (1596), Robert
Cawdrey (1604; courtesy of Raymond Siemens),
John Bullokar (1616), and Henry Cockeram (1623)
-- and one English word-list by Richard
Mulcaster (1582); the first full English-only
dictionary -- Thomas Blount (1656).
Queen
Elizabeth's Farewell (1601)
The
Works of King James I
Voyages,
Samuel de Champlain (1604)
Primary
Sources Pertaining to the Gunpowder Plot
(1605)
The
First Virginia Charter (1606)
Instructions
for the Virginia Colony (1606)
Works
of Francis Bacon, Identified by Jefferson as
one of his three most profound influences.
Works
of Shakespeare
The
Settlement at Jamestown, John Smith (1607)
Including the famous account of Smith being
saved by Pocahontas.
The
Foundation of Quebec, Samuel de Champlain
(1608)
Full
Text of Robert Juet's Journal (1609)
The
Second Virginia Charter (1609)
John
Smyth's Confession (1609) the religion of a
Baptist.
The
Church At Jamestown, William Strachey (1610)
The
Third Virginia Charter (1612)
Good
News From Virginia, Alexander Whitaker
(1613)
An
Ordinance and Constitution of the Virginia
Company in England for a Council
Pocahontas,
John Smith (1616)
The
Starving Time, John Smith.
Laws
of Virginia (1610)
Pory
to Carelton from Jamestown (1619)
Laws
in Virginia (1619)
Jamestown
Laws
Indentured
Servant's Contract (1619)
Works
of Arminius Arminius was a Dutchman who
dared to challenge Luther and Calvin on the
predestination issue. His writings led to a
major controversy in Holland while the
"Pilgrims" were residing there.
Arminius's views were adopted by Archbishop Laud
of England, which greatly contributed to the
English Calvinists' desire to leave England in
1630.
Canons
of Dort (1619). The Synod at Dort in the
Netherlands was called to respond to the views
of the Arminians. Participating in this Synod
moderated by Gomarus was the leader of the
Pilgrims, as well as William Ames (the leading
Puritan theologian of the day). As a result of
this synod, the "five points of
Calvinism" were developed. The "five
points," also called TULIP, became a
centerpiece of Puritanism and were ardently
defended by American Calvinists such as Jonathan
Edwards. The conflict between Calvinists and
Arminians was perhaps the most explosive debate
in America in the early 18th century. On the
Calvinist side, Americans such as Benjamin
Franklin and Jonathan Edwards wrote
philosophical defenses; on the Arminian side,
John Wesley was the premiere mouthpiece. While
Madison wrote in defense of Calvinism, Thomas
Jefferson utterly repudiated it.
Charter
of New England (1620)
Mayflower
Compact (1620). The first political covenant
of the New England migration.
Of
State and General Assembly, 24 July 1621.
Of
Plymouth Plantation (Written 1630-1654,
first published 1854). This is Governor William
Bradford's history of Plymouth, the most
comprehensive primary source available on early
Plymouth.
Of
Plymouth Plantation, William Bradford. An
eyewitness history of the first English settlers
of New England.
Mourt's
Relation: A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth.
(London, 1622). This journal, written by several
Pilgrims--namely William Bradford and Edward
Winslow--records events at Plymouth from the
Mayflower's arrival in November 1620 through the
First Thanksgiving in October 1621, and
everything in between.
The
Sin and Danger of Self-Love (1621) There
were no clergymen among the pilgrims at Plymouth
when they first settled. This sermon was written
and given by a layman, Robert Cushman, to the
Plymouth congregation in December 1621. Robert
Cushman was a member of the Pilgrims church in
Leyden, Holland, and came on (and returned in)
the ship Fortune.
Letters
of the Plymouth Settlers
Letter
of an Indentured Servant (1623)
Last
Wills and Testaments of the Settlers at Plymouth
We can tell a lot about a culture by looking at
their wills.
Good
Newes from New England (London, 1624). This
book, authored by Edward Winslow, continues the
journal in Mourt's Relation, covering the years
1622 and 1623 at Plymouth.
An
Appeal for War Against Spain (1624)
Of
the Law of War and Peace, Hugo Grotius
(1625, Latin) One of the first works on
international law.
Account
of the Purchase of Manhattan (1626) The
source of the $24 dollar legend.
The
First Part of the Institutes of the Laws of
England, Sir Edward Coke (1628) Written by a
Puritan leader of Parliament, this document was
almost the only textbook for lawyers (e.g.,
Jefferson) during the American Colonial Period.
Coke's influence over the minds of American
politicians is inestimable. Clear traces between
Coke and the U.S. Constitution are apparent in
this work.
The
Petition of Right, Sir Edward Coke (1628).
This document set forth complaints of the
members of Parliament to King Charles I
regarding rights of due process. Charles did not
receive this complaint warmly. As a result,
Charles I shut down Parliament, which ultimately
culminated in the English Civil War, and
contributed to the exodus of 20,000 Puritans to
New England.
Protests
of the House of Commons, Documents showing
the growth of Parliament's hatred for King
Charles I, first complaining against his closet
Catholicism, his Arminianism, and his
presumptuousness in levying taxes without the
consent of Parliament.
Experiencia,
John Winthrop. A Journal of Religious
Experiences.
The
Salem Covenant (1629)
Charter
of Massachusetts Bay (1629). This document
sets forth the Puritans' commission in New
England.
The
Library of John Winthrop's Father, A
catalogue of the books available for the Puritan
Laywer who founded Boston.
Pratt's
Memoir of the Wessagussett Plantation,
(1622/23)
Reasons
for the Plantation in New England (circa 1628).
This document states clearly and forcefully that
the motivations of the Puritans who came to New
England @ 1630 were fundamentally religious.
Adventurers
who founded the Massachusetts Bay Commonwealth
(1628-1630)
Savage's
Genealogical Dictionary of New England This
comprehensive source lists the entire families
who lived in New England in the early 17the
century.
A
Short and True Description of New England,
by the Rev. Francis Higginson (1629)
The
Cambridge Agreement among the leaders of the
settlement (1629)
History
of the First Settlements as told by Capt.
John Smith, Admiral of New England (1629)
The
Constitution of the Governor and Company of
the Massachusetts Bay (1629)
Medulla
Theologica (The Marrow of Theology), William
Ames (1629). The Medulla was the principal
required textbook in the Ivy League in the
American Colonial Period. One cannot adequately
grasp the intellectual climate of New England
without understanding the concepts in this book.
The following two sections on the Decrees of God
and Predestination highlight the central
peculiarities of Puritan theology. Ames was
unequivocal in stating that God controls the
universe and that humans do not
"change" or "determine"
God's behavior in any way.
The
Marrow of Theology, William Ames (1629),
Excerpts.
A
Model of Christian Charity by John Winthrop
(1630). A sermon preached aboard one of the
ships carrying the Puritans to New England.
The
Boston Covenant (1630)
The
Watertown Covenant (1630)
The
Humble Request of the Puritan emigrants
(1630)
The
Oath of a Freeman, including a list of men
who took this oath (1630-36)
Advertisements
to Planters of New England, by Capt. John
Smith (1631)
Advertisements,
continued, by Capt. John Smith (1631)
Letter
to William Pond (1631)
The
Indictment of Galileo (1633) The height of
the conflict between religion and science.
The
Glorious Work in Maryland, Andrew White, S.J.
(1633)
Account
of A Maryland Jesuit (1634)
Excerpts
From Lion Gardiner's Journal (1635)
The
Constitution of Plymouth Colony (1636)
The
Salem Covenant (1636)
The
Dedham Covenant (1636)
Winthrop's
Testimony (1636), the Boston Governor's
account of his Christian experience.
John
Cotton Condemns Democracy (1636)
Transcript
of The Trial of Anne Hutchinson (1636)
Revels
in New Canaan, Thomas Morton (1637)
Description
of Indians, Thomas Morton (1637)
Essay
Against the Power of the Church To Sit in
Judgement on the Civil Magistracy, John
Winthrop, Esq. (1637) A treatise indicating an
early desire among the Puritans to keep church
and state separate.
Officers
of the Commonwealth from 1630 to 1686.
Freemen
of the Commonwealth: the complete rolls from
1630 to 1636.
Sermons
of Thomas Shephard
Letter
of Thomas Shephard to his son at Harvard College
Residents
of New Towne, (later called Cambridge) from
the original town Court records, 1632-1635,
alphabetized.
The
Memoir of Capt. Roger Clapp (1609 -1691)
Events in Massachusetts Bay Colony to about the
year 1640.
The
National Covenant (1639) Scotland's
declaration of resistance to Charles I.
Fundamental
Orders of Connecticut (1639) Acknowledged by
scholars to be a prototype of the U.S.
constitution.
The
New Hampshire Compact (1639)
The
Exeter Covenant (1639)
Description
of New England Indians, William Wood (1639)
John
Winthrop's Journal, John Winthrop
(excerpts), Tremendous and valuable insights
into the mind of the Puritan leader.
The
Wicked Capitalism of Robert Keayne, John
Winthrop (1639) A merchant named Robert Keayne
was practicing capitalistic economics in Boston
and was squarely rebuked for it by John Cotton
and Governor Winthrop.
Laws
Regulating the Price of Tobacco in Virginia
(1639-40)
A
Brief Discourse Concerning the Power of Peers,
John Selden (1640)
The
First Constitution of Rhode Island (1640) A
document guaranteeing liberty of conscience.
The
Bay Psalm Book (1640) With an Introduction
written by Richard Mather.
New
England's First Fruits, The first written
history regarding the founding of Harvard
College (@1640)
Court
Records of Springfield, Massachusetts,
Including information about crimes and
punishments.
Massachusetts
Body of Liberties (1641) Early written
expression of the liberties asserted by the
colonists in reaction to the oppressions of
European governments.
The
Citizen, Thomas Hobbes (1641-47) Discussion
of the natural law foundations of government.
Protestation
(1641) An oath taken by British citizens loyal
to the Puritan interests in Parliament.
Declaration
to Justify Their Proceedings and Resolutions to
Take Up Arms (1642) Thomas Jefferson, in his
Autobiography,said that this Puritan
"precedent" was an inspiration to the
American cause.
The
True Constitution of a Particular Visible Church,
by John Cotton (1642)
Massachusetts
Bay School Laws (1642) Requiring that every
father teach his children the Catechism; if not,
the children shall be taken from the home.
Harvard
College Admission and Graduation Requirements
(1642-1700)
Jesuit
Encounters With the Indians (1642-43)
The
Establishment of the United Colonies of New
England (1643) The first attempt at a union
of colonies, foreshadowing the United States.
This document combines several colonies together
for the primary purpose of national defense.
This is the first document resembling a federal
constitution in America.
Religio
Medici, Thomas Browne (1643) The Religion of
a Physician; showing the link between religion
and Enlightenment science in the 17th century.
The
Bloody Tenet of Persecution for the Cause of
Conscience, Roger Williams
A
Plea for Religious Liberty, Roger Williams
(1644) Early expression of the principle of
religious tolerance by the founder of the colony
of Rhode Island.
The
Solemn League and Covenant (1643-44) The
document which allied the Scotch Presbyterians
and the Puritans in their struggle against
Charles I.
First-Hand
Military Accounts of the English Civil War
Lex
Rex, Samuel Rutherford (1644). This treatise
systematized the Calvinistic political theories
which had developed over the previous century.
Rutherford was a colleague of John Locke's
parents. Most of John Locke's Second Treatise
on Government is reflective of Lex Rex.
From Rutherford and other Commonwealthmen such
as George Lawson, through Locke, these theorists
provided the roots of the Declaration of
Independence. This page provides the list of
questions Lex Rexaddresses.
Lex,
Rex, Samuel Rutherford (1644). This excerpt
shows Rutherford's social contract theory and
includes the Puritan theory of resistance to a
tyrant.
Areopagitica,
John Milton (1644). A treatise arguing that true
Christianity can win its own arguments, and does
not need to worry about challenges from other
points of view, and therefore, the Government
should not prevent the publication of any ideas.
This idea was later articulated by Locke in his
Letters Concerning Toleration, and picked up by
Madison and Jefferson in their establishment of
religious liberty in the U.S.
A
Description of New Amsterdam by Isaac Joques
(1644)
Description
of the Iroquois, Rev. John Megapolensis
(1644)
Massachusetts
Government Vindicated, John Winthrop (1644)
On
Liberty, John Winthrop (1645) Discusses
liberties demanded by the colonists.
Hypocricie
Unmasked (London, 1646). This is a religious
treatise written by Edward Winslow.
The
Character of A Puritan, John Geree (1646)
The
Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) In
addition to being the decree of Parliament as
the standard for Christian doctrine in the
British Kingdom, it was adopted as the official
statement of belief for the colonies of
Massachusetts and Connecticut. Although slightly
altered and called by different names, it was
the creed of Congregationalist, Baptist, and
Presbyterian Churches throughout the English
speaking world. Assent to the Westminster
Confession was officially required at Harvard,
Yale, and Princeton. Princeton scholar, Benjamin
Warfield wrote: "It was impossible for any
body of Christians in the [English] Kingdoms to
avoid attending to it."
The
Westminster Catechism (1646) Second only to
the Bible, the "Shorter Catechism" of
the Westminster Confession was the most widely
published piece of literature in the
pre-revolutionary era in America. It is
estimated that some five million copies were
available in the colonies. With a total
population of only four million people in
America at the time of the Revolution, the
number is staggering. The Westminster Catechism
was not only a central part of the colonial
educational curriculum, learning it was required
by law. Each town employed an officer whose duty
was to visit homes to hear the children recite
the Catechism. The primary schoolbook for
children, the New England Primer, included the
Catechism. Daily recitations of it were required
at these schools. Their curriculum included
memorization of the Westminster Confession and
the Westminster Larger Catechism. There was not
a person at Independence Hall in 1776 who had
not been exposed to it, and most of them had it
spoon fed to them before they could walk.
A
Petition to Establish the Laws of England in
America (1646)
New
England's Salamander Discovered (London,
1647). This is another religious treatise
written by Edward Winslow.
The
Old Deluder Act (1647)
The
Simple Cobbler of Aggawamm in America,
Nathaniel Ward (1647).
An
Agreement of the People (1647) A proposal
for a republican government in England.
The
Laws of Massachusetts (1648)
The
Treaty of Westphalia (1648) An attempt at
religious peace in Europe.
Blue
Laws, New Haven
The
Original Indian Deed for East-Hampton (1648)
The
Cambridge Platform (1649)
The
Maryland Toleration Act (1649)
King
Charles I's Speech at His Trial (1649);
Including Judge Bradshaw's response appealing to
social contract theory.
The
Execution of Charles I Stuart (1649)
King
Charles I's Speech Just Before His Execution
(1649)
Of
the Non-Compelling of Heathens, Samuel
Rutherford (1649) Exploring the extent to which
a government can coerce religious conformity.
An
Agreement of the Free People of England
(1649) The manifesto of the Levellers, the
leaders of the 1649 English Civil War that
deposed Charles I and brought a period of
parliamentary rule. It expresses many of the
ideals that later inspired the American
Revolution.
The
Tenure of Kings and Magistrates (1650) by
John Milton in defense of the execution of
Charles I by the British Parliament a few days
after its occurence. It includes an excellent
evaluation and summation of the political
literature produced on the Continent in the 16th
Century. Charles I was the first monarch
executed in Europe by his subjects, setting the
stage for a religious struggle which would grip
Britain for several decades to come. The
language and spelling of this edition has been
done directly from the 1650 edition.
Leviathan,
Thomas Hobbes (1651) Laid basis for social
contract theory, providing branching point for
the theories of constitutionalism and fascism.
Salem
Residents,
to the year 1651
The
Gospel Covenant, Rev. Peter Bulkely (1651)
Sumptuary
Laws in New England (1651) Laws regarding
what one may and may not wear.
The
Deed Assignment to the Inhabitants of
East-Hampton (1651)
The
Instrument of Government, 1653; The
Constitution of the English Commonwealth under
Oliver Cromwell. Many of the founders, such as
Samuel Adams, considered Oliver Cromwell their
hero, and considered the Commonwealth as the
glory years of England.
Healing
Question, Sir Henry Vane, 1656, published
the following tract, expounding the principles
of civil and religious liberty, and proposed
that method of forming a constitution, through a
convention called for the purpose, which was
actually followed in America after the
Revolution.
The
Commonwealth of Oceana, James Harrington
(1656) Outline of a plan for republican
government.
The
Flushing Remonstrance (1657) Proclamation
granting liberty to "Jews, Muslims, and
Quakers" on Long Island, New York, on the
grounds of New Testament graciousness. Extremely
progressive for the American colonies.
Goody
Garlick Testimony in Witchcraft Trial (1657)
Forward
to the Revision of the New Plymouth Laws
(1658)
A
Treatise of Civil Power in Ecclesiastical
Causes; Showing That it Is Not Lawful For Any
Power on Earth to Compel in Matters of Religion,
John Milton (1659). A formative influence upon
the ideals of religious toleration adopted by
John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison.
The
Declaration of Breda, King Charles II Stuart
(1660), As the Stuart King was to be restored to
the throne after the end of the reign of the
Puritan Protectorates, one of his first
decisions was to attempt to avoid another
religious war, by granting religious liberty to
"tender consciences," so long as they
did not disturb the peace.
The
Restoration of Charles II to the Throne of
England (1660); A Declaration of Both Houses
of Parliament.
Excerpts
from the Navigation Acts, 1660-1696, The
first Parliamentary legislation toward the
colonies which would lead to the colonial
rebellion of the eighteenth century.
Institutes
of Elenctic Theology, [excerpt on
predestination] Francis Turretin (1660) The
principle textbook used by students in American
colleges in the 18th century (used at Princeton
into the late 19th century).
Institutes
of Elenctic Theology, Francis Turretin
(1660). Excerpts.
Narrative
of the Pequot War, Lion Gardiner (1660)
Narrative
of the Pequot War, John Mason
The
Status of Religion in Virginia (1661)
Court
Records Dealing with Runaway Slaves in Virginia
Virginia
Fornication Laws
The
Book of Common Prayer (1662) As the
Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell came to an end
and Charles II was restored to the throne of
England, the Church of England once again
introduced a new Book of Common Prayer. This was
the guiding document for many throughout the
American colonies, particularly in Virginia
The
Anglican Catechism (1662) The document which
provided the religious training for many of the
founding fathers of the U.S. (e.g., Washington,
Madison, Henry, Wythe, Mason).
Connecticut
Colony Charter (1662)
Deposition
of Phineas Pratt (1662) Recounting the
settlement at Plymouth
The
Day of Doom and other Poems, Michael
Wigglesworth (1662)
Death
Penalties in Maryland (1664)
Fines
and Punishments in Massachusetts (1664-1682)
Witchcraft
Trials in New York (1665)
Excerpts
From The Duke of York's Laws (1665-75)
A
Description of Carolina, Robert Horne (1666)
The
Nicolls Patent (1666)
Paradise
Lost, John Milton (1667)
Fundamental
Constitutions of Carolina, John Locke (1669)
Theologico-Political
Treatise, Baruch de Spinoza (1670) Discussed
the ultimate source of legitimate political
power.
Groton
in Witchcraft Times, Samuel Green, ed.
(c.1671)
De
Jure Naturae, Samuel Puffendorf (1672, tr.
Basil Kennett 1703)
De
Officio Hominis Et Civis Juxta Legem Naturalem
Libri Duo, Samuel Pufendorf (1673). The
political theorist of choice among American
Puritans in the early 18th century.
Works
of John Bunyan, According to Ben Franklin's
Autobiography, Bunyan was his "favorite
author."
Barclay's
Apology, Robert Barclay (1675). A Quaker
treatise later used in favor of American
Independence.
First
Thanksgiving Proclamation (1676)
A
Compleat Body of Divinity, Samuel Willard.
The primary textbook used at Harvard College.
The
New England Primer, The best-selling
textbook used by children in the colonial
period. Millions of copies were in print. Filled
with Calvinist principles, the influence of this
little document is inestimable.
Memoir...
Dangers That Threaten Canada and the Means to
Remedy Them, January 1687
Bacon's
Declaration in the Name of the People, 30
July 1676
On
Bacon's Rebellion, Governor William Berkely,
19 May 1676
The
Captivity of Mary Rowlandson (1676)
Political
Treatise, Baruch de Spinoza (1677)
Constitutional considerations of various forms
of government, including ideas that later
influenced the Founders.
Anne
Bradstreet's Poetry (1678)
Poems
for Her Husband, Anne Bradstreet (1678)
Edward
Taylor's Poems
Habeas
Corpus Act (1679) English Parliament
established key right which was embraced in
America.
Findings
of the New England Synod (1679), a
"Jeremiad."
Patriarcha,
Robert Filmer. A treatise defending the
"divine right of Kings." This was the
document which Locke and Sydney both had in mind
as they wrote their political tracts which
formed the American founders' political theory.
Although this was written around 1640 in defense
of Charles I's divine right, it was not
published until 1680.
Bill
to Exclude the Duke of York (1680), Attempts
by the Whig Party to keep James II off the
throne.
Proposals
for the Carrying on the Negro's Christianity,
Morgan Goodwyn (1681).
Plato
Redivivus, Henry Neville (1681)
Frame
of Government of Pennsylvania, William Penn
(1682) Early model for written constitutions.
Some
Fruits of Solitude In Reflections And Maxims,
William Penn (1682)
William
Penn to His Family (1682)
Petition
for a Democratic Government (1682)
Condemnation
of the Massachussetts Bay Company, Edward
Randolph, 12 June 1683
The
Original Constitution of New York (1683)
Causes
of King Phillip's War, Edward Randolph
(1685)
Instructions
to Sir Edmund Andros (1686)
Charter
of East Hampton (1686)
Commercial
Orders to Governor Andros (1686-1687)
Principia,
Isaac Newton (1687) One of the three most
significant influences upon Jefferson.
On
the Duty of Man and Citizen According to Natural
Law, Samuel Pufendorf (1688) Based law and
right on natural law.
James
II Creates the Dominion of New England,
April 7, 1688
Parliament
Invites William of Orange to England (1688)
Declaration
of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal (1688)
Parliament pledges its loyalty to William and
Mary.
The
Full Text of Huntington's Declaration of Rights
Orders
For Sending Sir Edmund Andros To England
(1689)
The
King's Oath (1689) Established the
requirement that the monarch uphold "the
Protestant reformed religion"
English
Bill of Rights (1689) Early model for
recognizing natural rights in writing. Much of
its language appeared later in the Declaration
of Independence and U.S. Constitution.
Second
Treatise on Government John Locke (1689)
Principal proponent of the social contract
theory which forms the basis for modern
constitutional republican government.
A
Letter Concerning Toleration, John Locke
(1689) Classic statement of the case for
toleration of those holding different views.
The
Reasonableness of Christianity, John Locke.
Toleration
Act of William and Mary (1689)
The
Boston Uprising, Samuel Prince (1689)
The
London Confession of Faith (1689) Drawn from
the Westminster Confession, this document set
for the beliefs of English Baptists during this
era.
The
Re-Establishment of the Presbyterian Church in
Scotland (1690)
Memorable
Providences, Relating to Witchcrafts and
Possessions, Cotton Mather (1698)
Discourses
Concerning Government, Table of Contents.
Algernon Sidney (1698) Built principles of
popular government from foundation of natural
law and the social contract. This book has been
considered by scholars the "textbook of the
American Revolution."
Discourses
Concerning Government, Algernon Sidney,
excerpts.
Journal
of George Fox, Founder of the Quakers.
Transcripts
of the Salem Witch Trials (1692) This is one
of the web's best and most complete primary
source documents, containing all of the court
records of the Salem Witch trials. An invaluable
resource.
Salem
Witch Trials: Other Primary Sources
The
Confession of Anne Foster at Salem (1692)
Wonders
of the Invisible World (excerpts), Cotton
Mather (1693)
Cases
of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits,
Increase Mather (1693)
The
Character of a Good Ruler, Samuel Willard
(1694)
Penn's
Plan for a Union (1697)
Judge
Samuel Sewall Repents His Participation in the
Salem Witch Trials (1697)
The
Story of Squanto, Cotton Mather (1698)
The
Execution of Hugh Stone, Cotton Mather
(1698)
An
Account of West Jersey and Pennsylvania,
Gabriel Thomas (1698)
Eighteenth
Century Sources Which Profoundly Impacted
American History
One
Hundred Documents Pertaining to Africans and
Slavery in America Massive collection of
primary sources regarding slavery in America.
The
Selling of Joseph, Samuel Sewall (1700) An
argument against the slave trade.
A
Memorial Representing the Present State of
Religion on the Continent of North America,
Thomas Bray, D.D. (1700) Documenting the
Anglican view of the colonists and appended with
a proposition to found the SPG (Society for
Progating the Gospel).
King
William Addresses Parliament on the French
Question, 31 December 1701
A
Christian At His Calling, Cotton Mather
(1701)
Magnalia
Christi Americana, Cotton Mather (1702)
Robert
Beverley on Bacon's Rebellion (1704)
Money
and Trade Considered With a Proposal for
Supplying the Nation with Money, by John Law
(1705)
Slave
Laws in Virginia (1642-1705)
The
Repentance of a Salem Witchcraft Accuser,
Ann Putnam (1706)
Act
of Union (1707) The document creating
"Great Britain"
Philosophical
Commentary, Pierre Bayle (1708) A writer
recommended by Thomas Jefferson, Bayle
criticised French Catholic persecution of
Protestants; and argued for toleration as a
matter of Biblical principle.
William
Byrd's Diary [excerpt] (1709)
William
Byrd's Diary [excerpts regarding slave
punishments] (1709)
Theopolis
Americana ("God's City: America"),
Cotton Mather (1709) This excerpt from Mather's
sermon shows how Mather, with other Puritans,
believed that America was truly the
"Promised Land." This thinking led
ultimately to the doctrine of Manifest Destiny,
whereby Anglo-Americans believed that it was
their divine commission to spread their culture
from Atlantic to Pacific.
Awakening
Truths Tending to Conversion, Increase
Mather (1710). A sermon wrestling with the
paradox between predestination and man's effort
toward salvation. Mather appears nearly
contradictory throughout.
About
the Duties of Husbands and Wives, Benjamin
Wadsworth (1712)
Curriculum
of the Boston Latin Grammar School (1712)
The
History of the Common Law of England,
Matthew Hale (1713)
Documents
Concerning the Jacobite Rebellion
The
North Carolina Biennal Act (1715)
Vindication
of the Government of New England Churches,
John Wise (1717) A Puritan political sermon
which included most of the principles of
government embraced by the founders of the U.S.
The
Angel of Bethesda, Cotton Mather. Here, as a
watershed in the history of medical science in
America, Mather takes a position in favor of
inoculation.
Selections
from Cato's Letters, John Trenchard and
Thomas Gordon (1720-23) English newspaper
articles advocating Whig principles, which much
influenced the American colonists.
Constitution
of the Iroquois Confederacy A model for a
federal system of government for several Native
American nations, Franklin lauded the Iroquois
for their ability to confederate.
Statutes
of the College of William and Mary (1727)
The rules governing the college where Thomas
Jefferson received his training.
Massachusetts
House of Representatives on the Governor's
Salary, 11 September 1728
Governor
Burnet of Massachusetts on the Governor's Salary,
17 September 1728
The
Story of Venture Smith (1729-1809)
Plain
Reasons for Presbyterians Dissenting, Andrew
Clarkson (1731); arguing against unconditional
submission to the National Church and
magistrates.
Dissertation
Upon Parties, Henry St. John Bolingbroke
(1733). A heavy influence upon Jefferson.
Founding
Vision for Georgia, General James Oglethorpe
(1733)
Negotiations
Regarding the Settlement of the Georgia Colony,
Count Zinzendorf (1733)
Transcript
of the Trial of Peter Zenger (1735)
Defense
of Peter Zenger, Andrew Hamilton (1735)
Letters
on the Study and Use of History, Henry St.
John Bolingbroke (1735)
On
Patriotism, Bolingbroke (1736)
Governor
Gabriel Johnston's request to repeal the Biennal
act, 18 October 1736
Disposition
of the North Carolina Biennal Act (1737)
The
Idea of a Patriot King, Bolingbroke (1738)
Discourse
on the Five Points [Of Calvinism], Daniel
Whitby. The text which incited Jonathan Edwards
to write his most important book, The Freedom
of the Will.
On
Efficacious Grace, John Gill (1738) Defense
of Calvinism by a celebrated English Calvinist.
Intentions
of the SPG (Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel) (1740) The desire of this group to
land an Anglican Bishop in the American colonies
ignited the American Revolution.
The
True Scripture-Doctrine Concerning Some
Important Points of the Christian Faith,
Jonathan Dickinson (1741) Jonathan Dickinson was
the first President of the College at Princeton,
New Jersey. In this excerpt, Dickinson states
that atheism is pure "stupidity" and
"madness." Dickinson's opinion in this
regard represented the consensus in America.
Subsequently all of the founders of the United
States were certain of the existence of a Deity.
On the other hand, Dickinson here emphasizes the
doctrine of Predestination, which was the
central controversy of the eighteenth century in
the Colonies. Colonists' opinions were divided
in this regard. Earlier in the century
predestination was the majority view, but by the
end of the century a belief in
"free-will" had become prevalent among
many such as Methodists.
The
Works Of Jonathan Edwards, Enlightenment
Philosopher, Theologian, Orator, Scientist;
Edwards was the most important American-born
Great Awakening preacher and defender of
orthodox Calvinism.
Sermons
of George Whitefield, Known for his supreme
oratory skills, Whitefield was the most famous
inter-colonial celebrity during the Great
Awakening. The inter-colonial nature of
Whitefield's ministry was an important step in
the development of the intercolonial union which
commenced in the 1760's and 70's. A strong
advocate of predestination, Whitefield entered
into a bitter dispute with his Methodist
colleague, John Wesley over the issue, and the
movement was split.
The
Works of John Wesley, An English preacher,
Wesley developed the practice of itinerant
preaching: out of doors, traveling long
distances on horseback. Wesley was a strong
opponent of the Calvinism which was prevalent in
America.
Letters
of John Wesley
The
Essential Rights and Liberties of Protestants,
Elisha Williams (1744) An excerpt explaining
what makes something a person's property, from a
Boston minister who vigorously promoted liberty
of conscience.
Regulations
at Yale College (1745) Showing the
centrality of Calvinism and the Westminster
Confession in colonial higher education.
The
Presence of Great God in the Assembly of
Political Rulers, John Barnard (1746) A
early warning against tyranny from one of
Boston's ministers.
Narrative
of the Deliverance of Briton Hammond, An
account of an African-American taken captive by
Native Americans (1747)
The
Principles of Natural Law, J. Burlamaqui,
tr. Thomas Nugent (1748, tr. Thomas Nugent 1752)
This was the textbook on political theory used
at Harvard. It was this book that gave James
Otis, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Joseph Warren,
and John Adams their understanding of political
science.
The
Principles of Politic Law, J. Burlamaqui,
tr. Thomas Nugent (1748, tr. Thomas Nugent 1752)
Sequel to The Principles of Natural Law
carrying natural law into constitutional law.
Commentary on the ideas of Grotius, Hobbes,
Puffendorf, Barbeyrac, Locke, Clarke, and
Hutchinson.
The
Spirit of Laws, Charles de Montesquieu,
(1748, tr. Thomas Nugent 1752) Laid the
foundations for the theory of republican
government, particularly the concepts of the
separation of powers into legislative,
executive, and judicial, a federal republic,
representatives elected from political
subdivisions, a bicameral legislature, and a
system of checks and balances. Montesquieu was
the most frequently cited political theorist
during the founding of the U.S.
An
Inquiry into the Principles of Political Economy,
James Steuart. Recommended by Jefferson as one
of the best books on political science.
History
of Massachusetts Bay, Thomas Hutchinson,
excerpt regarding coinage.
Remarks
on the Fable of the Bees, Frances Hutcheson
(1750)
Indian
Captivity Narrative, Mary Jemison (1750)
A
Discourse Concerning Unlimited Submission and
Non-Resistance to the Higher Powers,
Jonathan Mayhew (1750) About this document, John
Adams wrote, "It was read by everybody;
celebrated by friends, and abused by enemies...
It spread an universal alarm against the
authority of Parliament. It excited a general
and just apprehension, that bishops, and
dioceses, and churches, and priests, and tithes,
were to be imposed on us by Parliament."
This sermon has been called the spark which
ignited the American Revolution. This
illustrates that the Revolution was not only
about stamps and taxes but also about religious
liberty.
Petition
to Parliament: Reasons for Making Bar, as well
as Pig or Sow-iron (ca. 1750)
Petition
to Parliament: Reason Against a General
Prohibition of the Iron Manufacture in
Plantations
Memoir
on the English Aggression, October 1750
Memoir
on the French Colonies in North America,
December 1750
Adams,
Franklin, and Madison: Accounts of Their
Original Plans to be Christian Clergymen
Of
Party Divisions, William Livingston (1753)
A
Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, Jean
Jacques Rousseau (1754) Discussion on political
inequality, its origins and implications.
A
Discourse on Political Economy, Jean Jacques
Rousseau (1755) Discussion on the economic
principles affecting the politics of a society.
Dictionary,
Samuel Johnson (1755) This was the standard
dictionary of the late 18th century.
The
Value and Purpose of Princeton College,
Samuel Davies and Gilbert Tennent (1754); an
appeal to British citizens to support the
seminary which became Princeton University.
Religion
and Patriotism the Constituents of a Good
Soldier, Samuel Davies (1755). Davies, a
Presbyterian preacher and president of the
College at Princeton, here interprets the French
and Indian war as a religious war. In this
excerpt from a sermon preached in Virginia,
Davies rouses the anti-Catholic sentiment of his
hearers to rally them to arms against the French
in the Ohio country.
Military
Documents of the French and Indian War
Primary
Sources Pertaining to the French and Indian War
A
Complete Poem by Jupiter Hammon (1760)
The
Social Contract, Jean Jacques Rousseau
(1762) Discussed legitimate government as the
expression of the general will.
The
Curse of Cowardice, Samuel Davies (1758)
Against
the Writs of Assistance, James Otis (1761)
The
Role of the Indians in the Rivalry Between
France, Spain, and England, Governor Glen
(1761)
Elements
of Criticism, Lord Kaims [Henry Homes]
(1762), Highly recommended by Jefferson, in this
excerpt Kaims discusses the problems with
fiction.
Treaty
of Paris (1763) Ended the French and Indian
War and gave the English control of all the land
east of the Mississippi River.
Acts of
Parliament concerning the American Colonies
- The
Royal Proclamation of 1763 Forbid
colonists from crossing the Appalachians.
- The
Currency Act, 1764
- The
Sugar Act, 1764
- The
Quartering Act, 1765
- The
Stamp Act, 1765 Precipitated the
"Stamp Act Crisis" which fomented
rebellion throughout the colonies
- The
Declaratory Act, 1766 The English
Parliament repealed the Stamp Act, but
couldn't leave well enough alone, and
adopted this statement of parliamentary
supremacy over the British colonies.
- The
Townshend Act, 1767
- The
Tea Act, 1773
- The
Administration of Justice Act, 1774
- The
Boston Port Act, 1774
- The
Massachusetts Government Act, 1774
- The
Quebec Act, 1774
- The
Quartering Act, 1774
The
Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and
Proved, James Otis (1764)
Blackstone's
Commentaries (1765) Considered the book that
"lost the colonies" for England. This
text delineates the legal principles of common
law which ensure the fundamental rights of
Englishmen. Blackstone was quoted by the
colonists twice as often as they quoted Locke.
Blackstone's
Contents (1765)
"Offenses
Against God and Religion," William
Blackstone (1765). Showing the common
understanding that the integrity of the judicial
system depends upon the participants' belief in
God.
"Offenses
Against the Public Peace" William
Blackstone (1765)
"On
Husband And Wife", William Blackstone
(1765)
Considerations,
Daniel Dulany, October 1765
The
Objections to the Taxation Consider'd, Soame
Jenyns (1765)
The
Resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress,
October 19, 1765
The
Declaration of Rights of the Stamp Act Congress
(1765) Developed the concept that people could
not legitimately be taxed except by their
elected representatives.
William
Pitt's Speech on the Stamp Act, January 14,
1766
Examination
of Benjamin Franklin in the House of Commons
(1766)
On
Crimes and Punishments, Cesare Beccaria
(1766) Set out rights of the accused in criminal
proceedings. Argues for crime prevention over
punishment, and against the death penalty and
torture.
On
the History of Civil Society, Adam Ferguson
John
Dickinson's Letter 2, from Letters from a Farmer,
1767-1768
John
Dickinson's Letter 4, from Letters from a Farmer,
1767-1768
On
the Misfortune of Indentured Servants,
Gottlieb Mittelberger
An
Election Sermon, Daniel Shute; Delivered in
Boston, Massachusetts-Bay, 26 May 1768.
Charter
of Dartmouth College (1769)
Virginia
Nonimportation Resolutions (1769)
Excerpts
From Mary Cooper's Diary (1769)
Daniel
Boone's Journal
Anna
Bergen Rapelje's Full Manuscript (1770-1797)
The
Boston Massacre, The Boston Gazette, 12
March 1770
Anonymous
Account of the Boston Massacre, 5 March,
1770
Captain
Thomas Preston's account of the Boston Massacre,
13 March 1770
The
Hymnbook of Isaac Watts, After the Bible and
the Catechism, this was the third most commonly
used book in colonial New England.
The
Rights of the Colonists, Samuel Adams (1772)
John Adams indicated that all the concepts which
Jefferson later set forth in the Declaration of
Independence were first introduced here.
An
Oration on the Beauties of Liberty, Reverend
John Allen (1772)
Oration
Deliverd at Boston, Joseph Warren (1772)
Second
Oration Delivered at Boston, Joseph Warren
(1772)
An
Election Sermon, Simeon Howard (1773)
Demonstrating that an armed war against a tyrant
was a Christian's duty.
The
Sovereign Decrees of God, Isaac Backus
(1773)
Eyewitness
Account of the Boston Tea Party, George
Hewes (1773)
Resolution
of the Virginia House of Burgesses for
Establishing an Intercolonial Committee of
Correspondence (1773)
Early
Virginia Religious Petitions (1774-1802)
Thomas Jefferson, a member of the Virginia
Committee on Religion, was greatly impacted by
these petitions in developing his thoughts about
religious liberty.
Boston
Massacre Oration, John Hancock (1774)
A
Plea Before the Massachusetts Legislature,
Isaac Backus (1774)
Considerations
on the Nature and Extent of the Legislative
Authority of the British Parliament, James
Wilson (1774)
- To
the Inhabitants of the Several
Anglo-American Colonies, William
Livingston (1774)
- Declaration
of Colonial Rights of the Continental
Congress (1774) John Adams said that the
Declaration of Independence was not much
more than a recapitulation of this document.
- First
Prayer Given in the Continental Congress,
Rev. Jacob Duche (1774)
Journals
of the Continental Congress, 34 Volumes.
This invaluable collection of documents
tells what took place in Philadelphia as the
United States was being birthed.
Resolution
of the House of Burgesses in Virginia
(1774) This resolution was inspired by
similar resolutions made in the Puritan
Revolution of 1641; the Burgesses resolved
to commit their crisis to prayer and
fasting.
Sermon
on Civil Liberty, Nathaniel Niles (1774)
An example of how clergymen stoked the
revolutionary spirit.
The
Olive Branch Petition (1774). This
document is a last-ditch attempt to mend the
tears between Britain and America. But
George III never read this petition.
A
Plan for the Union of Great Britain and the
Colonies, Joseph Galloway (1774)
The
Suffolk Resolves, Joseph Warren (1774)
Phyllis
Wheatley to Samson Occam (1774)
Works
of Henry Laurens, President of the
Continental Congress
Authors
Most Frequently Cited by the Founders
John
Adams Discusses the Historic Sources Which
Provided the Intellectual Foundations of
American Political Theory
Works of
Benjamin Franklin
- A
Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity
(1725), A little known theological work in
which Franklin made a metaphysical
argument for predestination and against
free-will. Franklin concluded that all
things are ultimately good, because God is
in total control and God is good.
- Franklin's
Advice Concerning His Friend's Sexual
Affairs (1745), Illustrating a side of
Franklin's character which is seldom
exposed.
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1733)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1734)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1735)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1736)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1737)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1738)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1739)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1740)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1741)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1742)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1743)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1744)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1745)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1746)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard (1747)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard Improved (1748)
- Franklin,
Benjamin: Poor Richard Improved (1752)
- Observations
and Suppositions Towards Forming a New
Hypothesis for Explaining the Several
Phenomena of Thunder Gusts, (1749) The
insights which led to Franklin's famous
Kite experimentation, which, in turn, gave
Franklin his international reputation
which mattered greatly as the U.S. was
being birthed.
- Observations
on the Increase of Mankind (1751)
- Autobiography
of Benjamin Franklin
- Albany
Plan for a Union (1754) Ben Franklin's
first attempt to Unite the States.
- In
Defense of a Plan for Colonial Union,
Benjamin Franklin (1754) Arguments in
favor of the Albany Plan of Union, which
was rejected as too democratic.
- Benjamin
Franklin, How I Became a Printer in
Philadelphia
- Franklin's
Motion for Prayer at the Constitutional
Convention
- Franklin's
Advice to Thomas Paine Regarding the Age
of Reason, In this letter, Franklin
advises Paine to burn his manuscript of
the Age of Reason, because it
undermines religious ideals.
- Franklin's
Tentative Approval of the Constitution
- Franklin's
last Letter to Ezra Stiles, Detailing
Franklin's religious opinions
- Ben
Franklin's Will
Works of
Sam Adams
- Writings
of Samuel Adams One of the most
thorough internet sites of its kind
including numerous letters and newspaper
articles.
Works of
George Washington
- Prayer
Journal
- Rules
for Civility (1744)
- Journal
(1754)
- Braddock's
Defeat (1755)
- Letter
to Presbyterians
- Letter
to State Governments
- General
Orders, July 2, 1776
- Letter
to John Hancock, September 24, 1776
- The
Battle of Trenton (1776)
- Address
to the Members of the Volunteer
Association and Other Inhabitants...,
December 2, 1783
- Letter
to George Chapman, December 15, 1784
(On importance of education)
- Letter
to Robert Morris, April 12, 1786 (On
the abolition of slavery)
- Letter
to the President of the Continental
Congress, September 17, 1787
- First
Inaugural Address, April 30, 1789
- Letter
to the United Baptist Churches in Virginia,
May 10, 1789
- Excerpts
from Drafts of the First Inaugural Address
(1789)
- Thanksgiving
Proclamation (1789)
- First
Annual Message, January 8, 1790 (Order
of business for a young Union)
- Excerpts
of Washington's Diaries (1790)
- Letter
to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport,
August, 1790 (On what is a just and good
government)
- Proclamation
of Neutrality, 1793
- The
Diary of George Washington 30
September-19 October 1794
- Letter
to the Vice President, November 15,
1794
- Letter
to the Commissioners of the District of
Columbia, January 28, 1795 (On
education and establishment of a
university)
- Farewell
Address, September 19, 1796 (Public
opinion should be enlightened)
- Papers
of George Washington (Yale Library)
- Papers
of George Washington (Library of
Congress)
- Last
Will And Testament of George Washington
excerpt about slaves (1799)
- Several
Obituaries of George Washington
- George
Washington's Adopted Daughter Discusses
Washington's Religious Character Nelly
Custis lived with the Washingtons at Mt.
Vernon for twenty years (1779 until 1799).
As a daily observer of his life, she was
qualified perhaps more than any other to
assess George Washington's religion (even
perhaps more than George himself, who was
reluctant to speak about his own religious
affections).
Works of
John Adams
- Diary
of John Adams, excerpts illustrating
Adams' sentiments regarding religion.
- Liberty
of Conscience Traced to Back Calvin's
Geneva (1776)
- Letter
to James Sullivan, May 26, 1776 (On
women and voting rights)
- Letter
to Zabdiel Adams, June 21, 1776 (On
reason, honor, and love of liberty)
- Correspondence
between John and Abigail Adams,
March-April 1776 (On nature and liberty)
- Abigail
Adams' Correspondence
- "Discourse
on Davila--XV," 1776 (Contrast of
natural equality and inequalities)
- "Thoughts
on Government", 1776 (On
republican government)
- Novanglus
- A
Dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Law
- Defense
of the American Constitutions, An
important excerpt in which Adams
recommends various writings of Protestant
political theorists
- Appendix
to the Defence of the Constitutions,
1787 (On the good effects of local
institutions)
- John
Adams Inaugural Address (1797)
- Message
to the Senate on the Death of George
Washington, December 23, 1799
- Letters
to Benjamin Rush and Samuel Miller,
illustrating Adams' hatred for Thomas
Paine and his admiration for Calvinists.
- American
Independence Achieved Upon the Principles
of Christianity (1813)
- Letter
to Evans, June 8, 1819 (The founding's
opposition to slavery)
- Letter
to H. Niles, February 13, 1818 (On the
Revolution as a religious revolution of
ideas and principles)
- Letter
to Timothy Pickering, August 6, 1822.
Detailing Adams' recollection of the
production of the Declaration of
Independence. Adams states here that there
is not an idea in the Declaration which
had not been hackneyed in Congress for two
years before. According to Adams, the
substance of the Declaration is contained
in the in the Declaration
of Colonial Rights of the Continental
Congress, and the essence of it is
contained in The
Rights of the Colonists, written
before the first Congress met, by Samuel
Adams.
Works of
Thomas Jefferson
Famous
Works
Annual and
Special messages to Congress
Inaugural
Addresses
Messages to
Congress
Indian
Addresses
Miscellaneous
Papers
Letters
Works of
James Madison
- Debates
in the Federal Convention of 1787,
James Madison. These are the proceedings
of the Constitutional Convention held in
Philadelphia, an essential guide to
interpreting the intent of the Framers.
- James
Madison, First Inaugural (1809)
- James
Madison, Second Inaugural (1813)
- The
Federalist Papers, James Madison,
Alexander Hamilton, John Jay (1787-88)
Arguments for ratification of the proposed
Constitution.
- Memorial
and Remonstrance (Virginia, 1785)
- James
Madison, speech proposing the Bill of
Rights, June 8, 1789
- Detached
Memoranda (>1817), detailing
Madison's views of the importance of no
religious establishments
- Letter
to F.L. Schaeffer (1821) in which
Madison credits Luther with leading the
way for the appropriate distinction
between church and state.
The Works
of Thomas Paine
American
Revolution Military Documents
- First-hand
Account of the Midnight Ride, Paul
Revere (1775)
- The
Royal Proclamation of Rebellion (1775)
- First-Hand
Accounts of Revolutionary War Battles
- Military
Records of the American Revolution
- Military
Records of the American Revolution from
upstate New York
- Espionage
Documents of the American Revolution
- The
Battle of Bunker Hill, Major-General
Sir John Burgoyne to Lord Stanley, June
1775
- The
Battle of Bunker Hill, Lieutenant J.
Waller, First Royal Marine Battalion, to
His Brother, Camp of Charlestown Heights,
22 June 1775
- The
Battle of Trenton, George Washington
(1776)
- The
Recruiting Service, Captain Alexander
Graydon, 1776
- Army
Life, Captain Georg Pausch, 8
September 1776
- Christopher
Vail's Journal (1775-1782)
- Nathan
Hale's Capture (1776)
- The
Battle of Saratoga, Hessian Account
(1777)
- Saratoga,
Major-General Burgoyne to his nieces,
Albany, 20 October 1777
- Washington
at Brandywine, Captain Ferguson, 70th
Foot, September 1777
- From
the Diary of a Surgeon at Valley Forge,
Albigence Waldo (1777)
- Letters
from Valley Forge (1778)
- Alliance
with France (1778)
- Papers
of General Nathaniel Greene
- US-France:
Treaty of Amity and Commerce February 6,
1778
- Comments
on Hessian Troops, Lieutenant W. Hale,
Philadelphia, 23 March 1778
- Monmouth
Court House, Lieutenant Hale,
Neversunk, 4 July 1778
- Treaty
with the Delawares (1778)
- Benedict
Arnold's Treason and other Spy Documents
(1780)
- Washington's
Headquarters, Francois Jean, Marquis
de Chastellux, 1780
- The
Norfolk Chronicle, Saturday, February
17, 1781
- The
Surrender of Cornwalis (1781)
- From
the Diary of Ebenezer Denny (1781)
describing the surrender of Cornwallis at
Yorktown
- Contract
Between the King and the Thirteen United
States of North America, signed at
Versailles July 16, 1782
- Preliminary
Articles of Peace, U.S. and Great Britain,
30 November 1782
- Declarations
for Suspension of Arms and Cessation of
Hostilities, Signed at Versailles January
20, 1783
- Journal,
John Paul Jones; Naval Hero
- Treaty
of Paris (1783)
- George
III Laments the Loss of the Colonies
Works
of Ethan Allen, Revolutionary War hero and
Deist.
The
Farmer Refuted, Alexander Hamilton (1775).
In this defense of the American cause in
response to an Anglican minister's criticism
of the revolution, Hamilton states that laws,
rights, and political principles are all based
in the existence and law of God.
John
Newton Criticizing Arminians (1775) A
letter from the author of "Amazing
Grace" claiming that repentance is the
not key to atonement.
Daniel
Leonard's Letter of January 9, 1775
Defensive
War in a Just Cause Sinless, David Jones
(1775). Sermon justifying the revolution.
Speech
on Conciliation with America, Edmund
Burke, March 22, 1775; Burke describes the
character of the American colonists and links
their commitment to liberty to their
Protestantism.
Government
Corrupted by Vice, and Recovered by
Righteousness, Samuel Langdon, May 31,
1775; This sermon preached a year before
Jefferson wrote his declaration, included this
phrase: "By the law of nature, any body
of people, destitute of order and government,
may form themselves into a civil society,
according to their best prudence, and so
provide for their common safety and
advantage."
On
Civil Liberty, Passive Obedience, and
Nonresistance, Jonathan Boucher (1775)
A
Calm Address To Our American Colonies,
John Wesley (1775)
The
American Vine, Jacob Duche (1775)
The
Charlotte Town Resolves (1775) Resolutions
of Presbyterians of Mecklenberg, North
Carolina.
Give
Me Liberty or Give Me Death, Patrick Henry
(1775). Famous oration which motivated
Southerners to join in the battle already
taking place in New England.
Declaration
of the Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms,
Jefferson and Dickinson, July 6, 1775. This
document was inspired by the Puritan
Declaration of August, 1642, "Declaration
of the Lords and Commons to Justify Their
Taking Up Arms," available in John
Rushworth, ed., Historical Collections of
Private Passages of State, Weighty Matters in
Law, Remarkable Proceedings in Five
Parliaments (1680-1722),vol. 4, pp.
761-768.
Yankee
Doodle The anthem of the Continental
Army
The
Church's Flight into the Wilderness,
Samuel Sherwood, January 17, 1776; A sermon
which labels British tyranny Satanic.
The
Virginia Declaration of Rights, George
Mason (1776) Unquestionably a document which
Jefferson had in mind when writing the
Declaration of Independence.
Sources
of the Declaration of Independence (1776)
Documents which prove that Jefferson modeled
the Declaration largely upon the 1689
Declaration of Rights.
The
Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of
Men, John Witherspoon, May 1776. This
sermon was preached by a member of the Second
Continental Congress during the period in
which the members were deciding upon American
Independence.
The
Declaration of Independence (1776)
According to recent scholarship,
this document was modeled after the Dutch
Calvinist Declaration of Independence. In
other words, this statement of basic
principles was simply a restatement of what
Protestant Political theorists and preachers
had been saying for centuries.
Reflections
on the Mood at the time of the Signing,
Benjamin Rush
State
Constitutions A collection of the
constitutions of each colony.
Religious
Clauses of State Constitutions
Demonstrating that most states had
establishments of religion.
On
the Right to Rebel against Governors,
Samuel West (1776)
The
True Interest of America Impartially Stated,
Charles Inglis (1776). A statement of an
American loyal to the King.
Wealth
of Nations, Adam Smith (1776). The manual
for capitalism, the economic backbone of the
United States. Jefferson said this was the
best book of its kind.
Resolves
of the Continental Congress
Divine
Judgements Upon Tyrants, Jacob Cushing,
April 20, 1778; a sermon on the three year
anniversary of the war.
Election
Sermon, Phillips Payson (1778)
Defensive
Arms Vindicated (1779) A sermon
vindicating the activity of General George
Washington.
A
Sermon on the Day of the Commencement of the
Constitution, Samuel Cooper (1780)
U.S.
Articles of Confederation The first
Constitution of the United States.
The
Origins and Progress of the American
Revolution Peter Oliver (1781). Oliver, a
tory, names the persons he feels are most
responsible for the rebellion. James Otis and
the Calvinist clergy ("black
regiment") were the chief culprits.
United
States Articles of Confederation (1781)
Letters
From an American Farmer, Crevecour (1782)
Essay
on Money, John Witherspoon, Presbyterian
theologian and president of Princeton
University.
The
Lord's Supper, Joseph Priestly (1783)
Another author who Jefferson and Franklin
commended.
Sketches
of American Policy, Noah Webster (1785)
Memorial
and Remonstrance, James Madison (1785).
Championing the principal of religious
liberty.
Land
Ordinance of 1785 (Jefferson). Detailing
the manner in which the Northwest Territory
shall be partitioned and sold.
Treaty
With the Cherokee (1785)
The
Annapolis Convention (1786), prelude to
the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
The
Federalist Papers 1-85, Madison, Jay, and
Hamilton's defense of Federalism
Debates
in the Federal Convention of 1787, James
Madison. These are the proceedings of the
Constitutional Convention held in
Philadelphia, an essential guide to
interpreting the intent of the Framers.
Denominational
Affiliations of the Framers of the
Constitution, contrary to the myth, this
chart shows that only 3 out of 55 of the
framers classified themselves as Deists.
Records
of the Constitutional Convention (Farrand's
Records)
United
States Constitution (1787)
Elliot's
Debates in the Several State Conventions on
the Adoption of the Federal Constitution
Northwest
Ordinance (1787) Detailing the manner in
which new states may be added to the United
States.
Northwest
Ordinance
Shay's
Rebellion (1787)
Letter
of Transmittal of U.S. Constitution
Debates
in the First Federal Congress Regarding A
Religious Amendment to the Constitution
(1789), edited by Jim Allison. An important
source for understanding the intention of the
framers concerning religious liberty. Mr.
Allison has collected together the debates in
the House and the Senate on this most
important subject.
Bill
of Rights and the Amendments to The
Constitution (1791) The concession to the
Anti-Federalists to win their acceptance of
the Constitution.
Federal
Statutes
Statutory
Laws and Judicial Precedents in Early America
Federal
Legislative Documents
Records
of the First Sixteen Federal Congresses
Slave
Trade and the Middle Passage, Alexander
Falconbridge (1788)
The
Life of Olaudah Equiano, A Slave's
Autobiography (1789)
The
Virginia Chronicle, John Leland (1790).
Champion of religious disestablishment. Friend
and influence upon James Madison.
On
Dissenting from the Episcopal Church, John
Leland (1790)
Of
the Natural Rights of Individuals, James
Wilson (1790-91)
On
the Equality of the Sexes, Judith Sargent
Murray (1790)
The
Funeral of Arminianism, William Huntington
(1791)
The
Rise and Progress of the Young Ladies' Academy
of Philadelphia, Molly Wallace (1794)
Fugitive
Slave Law of 1793
Greenville
Treaty with a number of Indian Tribes
(1795)
Enquiry
Concerning Political Justice, William
Godwin (1793) Part of Jefferson's library of
political works.
William
Godwin's Works
Treaty
of Tripoli (1795)
Washington's
Farewell Address
The
Sedition Act (1798)
On
the Mode of Education Proper in a Republic
(1798), Benjamin Rush, signer of the
Declaration of Independence, emphasizing the
religious foundation and goal of all
education.
Four
Discourses On The General First Principles of
Deism (1798), Samuel E. McCorkle, D. D.
The biggest intellectual controversy of the
1790's was called the "deist
controversy." On the one side were the
followers of Thomas Paine, on the other side
were the orthodox Christians as represented
here by the Rev. McCorkle.
The
Kentucky Resolutions (1799)
Obituaries
of George Washington
The
providers of the sources on this page encourage
the viewing and downloading of these documents
for personal use. Most of these texts are so old
that they are unquestionably public domain. In a
few cases, however, they may be copyrighted.
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