Early U.S. History. Colonial era U.S. Explorers North America. colonial era, period of the American Revolution and Constitution. Articles.
‘Rogue Island’: The last state to ratify the Constitution
In 1781, Rhode Island began acquiring nicknames. American newspapers called it ‘the perverse sister.’ ‘An evil genius.’ The ‘Quintessence of Villainy.’ The name ‘Rogue Island’ stuck all the way to 1787, when the Constitutional Convention began and the small state refused to send delegates.
jessiekratz, Pieces of History, National Archives blog 2015
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8 things you (probably) didn’t know about the Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is one of the most celebrated and significant documents in history. But how much do you know about it? Here, we bring you eight facts…
History Extra 2014
Library Research Guide (LibGuide) – Internet Sites with Primary Sources for U.S. History
This research guide from the librarians at Bowling Green State University has links to websites with substantial collections of online primary sources for U.S. history.
A Brief Guide to the British Government
King George relied on elected politicians, appointed advisors and military officers to help rule the kingdom. These served in a few key positions: the Privy Council, the Cabinet, the Admiralty Board, and the Board of Trade, in addition to the House of Commons and House of Lords. Each of these groups gave a legal foundation to what the king and his government wanted to do.
Will Monk, Journal of the American Revolution 2015
George Washington’s Journey
After becoming President, George Washington undertook an extraordinary journey through all thirteen colonies to unite – and learn from – a diverse population of citizens. His quest to unite our nation and discover the “temper and disposition” of its people are an inspiration to us today.
T. H. Breen, American Heritage 2017
A Brief History of Pierre L’Enfant and Washington, D.C.
Today’s Washington, D.C. owes much of its unique design to Pierre Charles L’Enfant, who rose from obscurity to become a trusted city planner for George Washington. L’Enfant designed the city from scratch, envisioning a grand capital of wide avenues, public squares and inspiring buildings in what was then a district of hills, forests, marshes and plantations.
Kenneth R. Fletcher, Smithsonian.com 2008
A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials
The Salem witch trials occurred in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft – the Devil’s magic – and 20 were executed.
By Jess Blumberg, Smithsonian.com 2007
A Little House that Survived a Major Battle, 1777
This past weekend, I braved the cold to traipse across the Brandywine Battlefield, located in Chadds Ford, PA. The house of farmer Gideon Gilpin (shown here) still stands, and it is open to visitors as part of the Brandywine Battlefield historic site.
Susan Holloway, Two Nerdy History Girls 2017
Adams Appoints Marshall
Critical decisions by the Chief Justice saved the Supreme Court’s independence – and made possible its wide-ranging role today.
Gordon S. Wood, American Heritage 2010
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American Politics at Ten Paces
Strict codes of conduct marked the relationships of early American Politicians, often leading to duels, brawls, and other – sometimes fatal – violence.
Thomas Fleming, American Heritage 2011
American Revolution Bibliography
Two lists of top books on the American Revolution, compiled by Benjamin L. Carp and Michael McDonnell.
Benjamin L. Carp and Michael McDonnell, Age of Revolutions
American Revolution Reading List
Five recommended books each from Benjamin L. Carp and Michael McDonnell, with notes on each.
Benjamin L. Carp and Michael McDonnell Age of Revolutions
American Revolutions: A Continental History
It’s often portrayed as an orderly conflict between Patriots, Tories, and British, but the American Revolution caused much suffering, dislocation, and economic decline, and had major effects on Native Americans and Spanish, French, Dutch, and other colonists worldwide.
Alan Taylor, American Heritage 2017
Anarchy and the American Revolution
If the opening stages of the American Revolution were about the overthrow of tyranny, then its denouement was defined by the struggle against anarchy – at least, that is, from the perspective of the new nation’s elite.
Tom Cutterham, Age of Revolutions 2017
Atlantic Adventurers of the Middle Ages: Do the Vikings Belong in Early American History?
Vikings’ Scandinavian adventurers who expanded, as far east as the Ukraine and as far west as Greenland and coastal Newfoundland, between the eighth and eleventh centuries C.E.- deserve a more prominent place in early American history than they have yet garnered.
Darcy R. Fryer, Common-Place 2016
Blackbeard’s Terror
Artifacts pulled from the wreck of Blackbeard’s flagship Queen Anne’s Revenge offer a glimpse into the bloody decades of the early 18th century, when pirates ruled the Carolina coast.
Lindley S. Butler, American Heritage 2011
British Spy Map of Lexington and Concord: A Detective Story
In school, we all learned about Paul Revere and his famous April 18, 1775 ride through the Massachusetts countryside. But, of course, there is much more to the story, including the British commander of all troops in North America, British spies, patriotic tavern keepers, an unsigned manuscript map, and a Boston publisher.
Carlyn Osborn, World’s Revealed, a Library of Congress Blog 2016
Conditions of Life in Plymouth 1621
1621 account by the Plymouth colony’s governor, Edward Winslow, of the many hardships of the Pilgrims’ first year in Massachusetts.
Edward Winslow, American History Told by Contemporaries
Discovery Could Rewrite History of Vikings in New World
Guided by ancient Norse sagas and modern satellite images, searchers discover what may be North America’s second Viking site.
Mark Strauss, National Geographic 2016
See our post about Historical Novels in the U.S. Southern States
Discovery of America – Columbus’s Journal Entry
Journal entries for Oct 10-14, 1492 by Christopher Columbus, describing the first days of discovery.
Christopher Columbus, American History as told by Contemporaries
Extracts from the Sagas describing the Voyages to Vinland
These collected extracts were, according to the 1892 editors, the only written primary sources about Viking exploration in North America.
American History Leaflets 1892
For Independence Day, a Look at Thomas Jefferson’s Egregious Hypocrisy – Scientific American Blog Network
I once admired Jefferson, seeing him as an essentially good, no, great man with one tragic flaw: The writer of the inspiring words ‘all men are created equal’ owned slaves. Now, I see Jefferson as an egregious hypocrite, who willfully betrayed the ideals he espoused.
John Horgan, Scientific American 2016
Illinois as a French Colony
If there is a single word that best describes Illinois during the French Colonial period, it is strategic. The colony of New France, hereinafter called Canada, was centered upon the eastern end of the Great Lakes waterways, one of two major east-west axes of North America.
Duane Esarey, Illinois Periodicals Online
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Pontiac’s siege of Detroit (book)
The story of the 1763 effort by Michigan Indians to conquer Fort Detroit, British Canada’s primary Great Lakes military outpost.
Howard Peckham 1951
Poseidon’s Curse: British Naval Impressment and Atlantic Origins of the American Revolution
Review of Poseidon’s Curse: British Naval Impressment and Atlantic Origins of the American Revolution by Christopher Magra. Christopher Magra believes that impressment played a vital role in the origins of the American Revolution.
Professor Paul Gilje, Reviews in History 2018
Renovating the American Revolution: The Most Important Stories Aren’t on Broadway
Discusses the contributions and points of view of a number of relatively recent books on American at the time of the Revolution.
Eric Herschthal, Journal of the History of Ideas Blog
Revisited Myth #113: A deerskin was worth a dollar, hence the origin of the word ‘buck’.
An account of the author’s research in tracking down the origin of the term “buck” for a dollar.
History Myths Debunked
The Founding of Virginia in 1607
1st person account by Captain John Smith of the earliest days of the Jamestown Colony.
Captain John Smith, American History told by Contemporaries
The Letter of Columbus to Luis De Sant Angel Announcing His Discovery
A long letter by Columbus describing the discoveries of his first visit to the Americas, written in February 1493 during the return trip.
Christopher Columbus 1493
The Mississippi Voyage of Joliet and Marquette 1673
Journal account by Father Jacques Marquette of the expedition on which he accompanied explorer Louis Joliet into Illinois country and ‘discovered’ the Mississippi River. Also an introduction by editor Louise Phelps Kellogg, providing background context of the trip.
Father Jacques Marquette 1673, Early narratives of the Northwest, 1634-1699
The Surprising Raucous Home Life of the Madisons
When it comes to the Madisons’ temperament, history conceals far more than it reveals. With family and close friends, they were as fun-loving a couple – even rowdy – as ever occupied the White House.
David O. Stewart, Smithsonian.com 2015
The Wretchedness of White Servants (arriving in America) 1770
Eddis was the surveyor of Customs at Annapolis, MD. Here he explains the various types of servitude awaiting many poor immigrants, and how their status would impact their lives in America.
William Eddis, American History told by Contemporaries
View From Space Hints at a New Viking Site in North America
The new Canadian site, with telltale signs of iron-working, was discovered last summer after infrared images from 400 miles in space showed possible man-made shapes. The site is on the southwest coast of Newfoundland, about 300 miles south of the first and so far only confirmed Viking settlement in North America, discovered in 1960.
Ralph Blumenthal, NY Times 2016
18th-Century Fashion & Material Culture – Podcast
We know that John Hancock was a wealthy merchant and prominent politician, but did you know that his suit reveals even more about his life and personality than the documents and portraits he left behind? Museum professional and textiles expert Kimberly Alexander joins us to explore the world of 18th-century fashion and material culture and what objects like John Hancock’s suit communicate about the past.
Kimberly Alexander, Ben Franklin’s World Episode 24
A History of Mail Order Brides in Early America – Podcast
Marcia Zug, a Professor of Law at the University of South Carolina Law School and author of Buying a Bride: An Engaging History of Mail Order Matches, joins us to explore one of the solutions that England and France used to build their North American colonies.
Marcia Zug, Ben Franklin’s World, Episode 120
18th-Century Fashion & Material Culture – Podcast
We know that John Hancock was a wealthy merchant and prominent politician, but did you know that his suit reveals even more about his life and personality than the documents and portraits he left behind? Museum professional and textiles expert Kimberly Alexander joins us to explore the world of 18th-century fashion and material culture and what objects like John Hancock’s suit communicate about the past.
Kimberly Alexander, Ben Franklin’s World Episode 24
American Loyalists in Canada – Podcast
Not only did the war pit Briton against Briton, it also pit American against American. But what happened to the Americans who lost? Bonnie Huskins, coordinator of Loyalist Studies at the University of New Brunswick, joins us to explore the experiences of the American Loyalists.
Bonnie Huskins, Ben Franklin’s World Episode 85
Citizen Sailors: Becoming American in the Age of Revolution – Podcast
What did it mean to be a citizen during the late-18th and early-19th centuries? Why and how did early American sailors seem intent on proving their citizenship to the United States?
Nathan Perl-Rosenthal, Ben Franklin’s World Episode 76
Competing Visions of Empire – Podcast
An exploration of how colonists and British imperial officers viewed the colonies and their place within the British Empire during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
Abigail Swingen, Ben Franklin’s World Episode 36
Constitutional audio podcast from The Washington Post
As a follow-up to the popular Washington Post podcast ‘Presidential’ reporter Lillian Cunningham returns with this series exploring the Constitution and the people who framed and reframed it – revolutionaries, abolitionists, suffragists, teetotalers, protesters, justices, presidents.
Lillian Cunningham, Washington Post
How the English Became American – Podcast
Why did England want to establish colonies in North America and how did Englishmen go about establishing them? Malcolm Gaskill, Professor and author of Between Two Worlds: How the English Became Americans.
Malcolm Gaskill, Ben Franklin Episode 49
Law, Order and Sexual Misconduct in Colonial New England – Podcast
Law and order stood as a sign of civilization for many 17th-century Europeans, which is why some of the first European settlers in North America created systems of law and order in their new homeland.
Abby Chandler, Ben Franklin’s World Episode 69
Saratoga and Hubbardton, 1777 – Podcast
We explore the Saratoga Campaign of 1777 in depth with Bruce M. Venter, author of The Battle of Hubbardton: The Rear Guard Action that Saved America.
Bruce M. Venter, Ben Franklin’s World Episode 71
Slavery & Freedom in Early Maryland – Podcast
We explore the life of Charity Folks, an enslaved woman from Maryland who gained her freedom in the late-18th century. Our guide is the author of Finding Charity’s Folk: Enslaved and Free Black Women in Maryland.
Jessica Millward, Ben Franklin’s World Episode 89
Smuggling in Colonial America & Living History – Podcast
Eugene Tesdahl discusses the business of smuggling in colonial North America and his involvement with living history as a French and Indian War-era re-enactor.
Eugene Tesdahl, Ben Franklin’s World Episode 21
The Bill of Rights – Podcast
They discuss the Bill of Rights, including its antecedents in British history and the colonial context, the politics that brought it about, and its legacy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Ken Owen, Michael Hattem, and Roy Rogers, The Junto Episode 21
Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Network – Podcast
We explore espionage during the American Revolution and the origins and operations of the Culper Spy Ring with Alexander Rose, author and a historian, writer, and producer for AMC’s television drama TURN.
Alexander Rose, Ben Franklin’s World Episode 65
What Happened To British Loyalists After The Revolutionary War? – Podcast
It’s estimated that between 15 and 20 percent of the population still remained loyal to the British Crown at the end of the Revolution. So what became of these loyalists who suddenly found themselves on the wrong side of history?
Maya Jasanoff, NPR 2015
The Book of Negroes (1783)
African Americans, mostly escaped slaves, made up about 15% of the American Loyalists who were evacuated to Canada after the Revolutionary War. The “Book of Negroes” provided details about many of them.
C. Cole, Blackpast.org 2014
Most Shocking Moment? (of the American Revolution)
A number of historians of the Revolution give brief responses to the title question, posed by the Journal editors.
Editors, Journal of the American Revolution 2016
Trading Places: Smuggling and the American Revolution
“American history has always been decided by its people, as England learned when it attempted to impose harsh trade restrictions on its new colony in the 17th century.”
Rebecca Simon, History Today 2017
The American Revolution History You Didn’t Learn in High School
“If you think the American Revolution was an isolated conflict between Great Britain and the American colonies, you know only part of the story. A new exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History reveals the war that earned America its independence for what it was: a world war involving multiple nations fighting battles on land and sea around the globe.”
John Barrat, Smithsonian Insider 2018
The War in the West: The American Revolution in the Pays d’en Haut
“Most Americans think of their revolution as a contest between Britain and its colonists. If Native Americans feature at all, it is only as puppets of the King, in the role inscribed for them in the Declaration of Independence: as “merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.””
Michael A. McDonnell, Age of Revolutions 2017
Now We’ll Finally Get to See the American Revolution Through the Eyes of King George
“A treasure trove of nearly 350,000 documents, about to be released to the public, reveals new insights about how George III lost the colonies.”
Sara Georgini, Smithsonian Magazine 2016
The American Revolution, Race, and the Failed Beginning of a Nation
“Understanding the distinction between slavery and race and the historical linkages between power, self-interest, and racial dominance go far in explaining the persistence of racial inequality and oppression. To this end, a review of ideas about slavery and freedom during the American Revolution also reminds us how race has changed while remaining rooted in American society.”
Chernoh Sesay Jr., Black Perspectives 2016
The American Revolution: A History of Violence
Review article of “Scars of Independence: America’s Violent Birth”, by Holger Hoock.
Jane Kamensky, New York Times 2017
The Unexpected Answer to the Biggest Mystery of the American Revolution
Two economists, using game theory, theorize why the British and the colonists, in the years leading to the Revolution, were unable to compromise on the issue of taxes.
Jeff Guo, Washington Post 2016
Blame Canada: The Quebec Act & the American Revolution
Not only was the Quebec Act of 1774 among the list of causes of America’s war for independence, it was perhaps the major demarcation point for the thirteen colonies’ ultimate divorce from Great Britain.
Geoff Smock, Journal of the American Revolution 2017
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