Documents

Documents in Early American History

These documents were selected, edited, and placed on the internet to be historical primary sources for use by the public, teachers, and, in particular, the students in my courses

Mayflower Compact
Roger Williams, A Plea for Religious Liberty
Roger Williams, Wall of Separation   
Trial of Anne Hutchinson
Pennsylvania Charter of Liberty, 1682
English Bill of Rights
The Salem Witchcraft Papers
John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon, Cato's Letters  (excerpts)
John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon, Cato's Letters

No. 38
No. 45
No. 60
No. 61
No. 62
No. 68

A Brief Narrative of the Case and Trial of John Peter Zenger
Jonathan Edwards, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
David Hume, That Politics May Be Reduced to a Science
David Hume, On the Original Contract
Iroquois-Delaware Grand Council, 1742
Proclamation of 1763

Proclamation of 1763

Neolin, the Delaware Prophet, and Pontiac, the Master of Life Speaks to the Wolf
Sugar Act
Stamp Act
Dulany, "Considerations"
Henry, Virginia Resolutions, 1765
Stamp Act Congress Resolutions
Declaratory Act
Townshend Duties

(Dickinson, "Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania")
Dickinson, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania

Case of James Sommersett
Benjamin Franklin, A Conversation on Slavery

Coercive Acts
Jefferson, "Summary View"
1st Continental Congress, Declaration and Resolutions
Seabury, "Letters of a Westchester Farmer"
Oliver, "Origin and Progress of the American Rebellion"
Wm Franklin, "Your Duty is to Guard and Preserve the Constitution and the Rights of Your Constituents" 

William Franklin, "Your Duty is to Guard and Preserve the Constitution and the Rights of Your Constituents" (Speech to legislature and report to London)

Letter of Patrick Henry on Slavery
Henry, "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death"

Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking Up Arms
Declaration of Rebellion
Paine, Common Sense, "On Monarchy"
Mason, 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights
R. H. Lee, Resolutions for Independence, June 1776
Dickinson, "Arguments Against Independence"
Independence, Letter of J. Adams
Declaration of Independence
Articles of Confederation
Treaty of 1783
A Bill Establishing a Provision for Teachers of the Christian Religion
James Madison, Memorial and Remonstrance, 1785
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (1786)
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
James Madison, Vices of the Political System of the United States
Virginia Plan
U. S. Constitution
George Mason, Objections to the Proposed Constitution
Madison, Essays in The Federalist
Oliver Ellsworth, Connecticut Ratifying Convention
Patrick Henry, Speeches in the Virginia Ratifying Convention
George Clinton, Speech in the New York Ratifying Convention
Judiciary Act of 1789
Jay Court, On Advisory Opinions
Madison’s Proposed Amendments
U. S. Constitution, Bill of Rights
Alexander Hamilton, opinion on the constitutionality of the BUS
Thomas Jefferson, opinion on the constitutionality of the BUS
Madison, Essays in the National Gazette
Justice James Iredell’s Dissenting Opinion, Chisholm v. Georgia
U. S. Constitution, 11th Amendment
Sedition Act
Ruling of Samuel Chase, Callender Trial
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
Madison Report
Hamilton's argument, Croswell Trial
Jefferson's Indian Policy
Marshall Court, Marbury v. Madison