Classical Literature Having
Significant Influence Upon the American Colonists
Classic
Philosophers
and
Poets, Most of the
founding fathers in America
were thorougly familiar with these
Greco-Roman authors: e.g., Aristotle, Plato, Cicero, Virgil.
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, Latin writings; 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 Angliae, 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)
(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.
Writings of
Martin Luther
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.
Complete
Works
of
Menno Simons, Founder of Anabaptism
The
Act
of
Supremacy, Henry VIII (1534). By this act, the English
Reformation began, and the pope was stripped of his jurisdiction over
the EnglishChurch. 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
Complete Works of John Calvin
Coronado's
Report
to
Mendoza (1540)
Coronado
to
the
King of Spain (1541)
The
Journey
of
Alvar Nunez
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
Magdeburg
Bekenntnis or Magdeburg Confession (1550). A
document written by followers of Luther stating a theological
justification for resisting tyranny.
A
Vindication of the Doctrine that the Sacrifice of the Mass is Idolatry,
John
Knox
(1550)
Treatise
on Prayer, John Knox (1553)
A
Faithful Admonition to the Professors of God's Truth in England,
John Knox (1554)
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 the first work out of the Reformation to advocate active
resistance to tyrannical magistrates, after the Magdeburg Bekenntnis
(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.
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.
The
Appellation from the Sentence Pronounced by the Bishops and Clergy:,
John
Knox;
Addressed
to the Nobility and Estates of Scotland
(1558)
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.
Book
of
Common
Prayer (1559)
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.
Letter of
James VI to the Earl of Essex, 13 April 1594
Letter of
James VI to the Earl of Essex, 6 October 1595
Journey
of
Coronado (1596)
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. Goodman
indicated that he had
presented the thesis of this book to John Calvin, and Calvin endorsed
it.
Seventeenth
Century Sources
Relating to American History
Colonial
Documents,
Precursors
to the U.S. Constitution
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 CotgraveCoote
(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).
Colonial
Literature,
Peter Force, editor
Letter of
James VI to various Scottish Lords, 1600 (?)
Letter of
James VI to James Hamilton, 1600
Letter of
James VI to the Earl of Mar and Edward Bruce, early February 1601
Letter of
James VI to the Earl of Mar and Edward Bruce, mid-February 1601
Letter of
James VI to the Earl of Mar and Edward Bruce, 8 April 1601
Queen
Elizabeth's Farewell (1601)
The Works of King James
I
Politica,
Althusius (1603) This treatise of political
philosophy by a Dutch Reformed Protestant contains all the principles
that were later embraced by the founders of the United States.
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
Francis
Bacon (facsimile)
Works of Shakespeare
(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
A
Discourse
of
Virginia, Edward Maria Wingfield
(1608)
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.
King
James' Speech on Divine Right (1610)
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
Description
of New England (1616) John Smith
John Smith's Works: Volume 1 Includes
A Description of New England, New England's Trials
(1620 and 1622), and the first part of General History of
Virginia. Volume 2 Includes
the remainder of General History of Virginia, plus An
Accidence for Young Seamen, The True Travels and Adventures
of Captain Smith, and Advertisements for the Unexperienced
Planters of New England
Comprehensive Laws of Virginia
Pory
to
Carelton
from Jamestown (1619)
Jamestown
Laws
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
Last
Wills
and
Testaments of the Settlers at Plymouth We can tell a lot
about a culture by looking at their wills.
Pratt's
Memoir of the Wessagussett
Plantation (1622/23)
Letter
Home (1623)
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) 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.
The King
Dissolves Parliament (1628)
Experiencia,
John
Winthrop.
A Journal of Religious Experiences.
The Library
of John Winthrop's Father, A catalogue of the books available for
the Puritan Laywer who founded Boston.
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 17th century.
Savage's
Genealogical
Dictionary (facsimile of the original).
The
Salem
Covenant (1629)
Charter of
Massachusetts Bay (1629). This document sets forth the
Puritans' commission in New England.
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.
John
Winthrop's
Letters
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)
Dozens
of
Documents
Pertaining to the Colony of Maryland
Manuscripts,
Provincial
Records,
and Early Documents Pertaining to the Founders of
Maryland
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)
Anne
Hutchinson's
Trial (1636) Complete transcript
Records
of
the
Maryland General Assembly (1637-1683)
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
Writings of Thomas
Shepard
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.
Records
of
New
Haven
(1638-1649)
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)
Records of the
English Civil War
Tracts of
the English Civil War, including many other political writings the
17th century Englishmen.
Records of the
Short Parliament (1640)
Records of the
Long Parliament (1640-1642)
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.
Act for the
Attainder of the Earl of Strafford (1641)
Act Against
Dissolving Parliament Without its Own Consent (1641)
Act Abolishing
the Star Chamber (1641)
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.
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.
Letter
of
Oliver
Cromwell (1644)
Records of
Parliament (1644-1645)
Lex
Rex 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).
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 slighlty
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)
A
Moderate
and
Safe Expedient to Remove Jealousies and Fears, of Any
Danger, or Prejudice to This State, by the Roman Catholicks
of this Kingdome
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,
concluding
the Thirty Years War..
Blue
Laws, New Haven
The Original
Indian Deed for East-Hampton (1648)
The
Cambridge Platform (1649)
The
Maryland Toleration Act (1649)
A
Law
of
Maryland Concerning Religion (1649)
King
Charles
I's
Speech at His Trial
(1649); Including Judge Bradshaw's response appealing to social
contract theory.
The Charges
against King Charles I (1649)
The Death
Warrant for Charles
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.
Act Abolishing
the Kingship (1649)
History
of
New
England, John Winthrop (1649)
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
occurance. 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.
Works
of
John
Milton
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)
Navigation Act
(1651)
The
Lord
Baltimore's
Case, Concerning the Province of Avalon in
Newfoundland, an Island in America (1651)
Act to Settle
Protestants in Ireland (1652), A major watershed that led to the
Catholic-Protestant conflict which has ensued in Northern Ireland for
hundreds of years.
Works of John
Owen, Teacher of John Locke
Letters
and
Speeches
of Oliver Cromwell
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.
The
Laws
of
Harvard College (1655)
Healing
Question, Sir Henry Vane (1656) 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
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)
On
The Law of Nature and Nations, Samuel Pufendorf
(1672) Based law and right on natural law.
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."
Quaker
Documents I A tremendous library of 17th and 18th century Quaker
writings.
Quaker
Documents II
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
(1640; Repubished 1680). 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.
The
Pueblo
Revolt (1680)
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)
A
letter
from
the Chancellor of Maryland (1682)
Condemnation
of
the
Massachussetts Bay Company,
Edward Randolph, 12 June 1683
The Original
Constitution of New York (1683)
Algernon
Sydney's
Speech
before his Execution (1683)
Records
of
the
Maryland General Assembly (1684-1692)
Causes
of
King
Phillip's War, Edward Randolph (1685)
Rules
and
Statutes
at Harvard College (1686)
Instructions to
Sir Edmund Andros (1686)
Charter of East
Hampton (1686)
Scottish
Declaration of Toleration (1686)
Commercial
Orders to Governor Andros
(1686-1687)
Principia,
Isaac Newton (1687) One of the three most significant influences upon
Jefferson.
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.
Works of John
Locke
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
Address
of
the Representatives of Their Majestyes
Protestant Subjects (August 26,
1689)
The
Re-Establishment
of
the Presbyterian Church
in Scotland (1690)
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.
Wonders
of
the
Invisible World (excerpts), Cotton Mather
(1693)
Wonders
of
the
Invisible World Cotton Mather
Cases of
Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits, Increase Mather
(1693)
The
Character
of
a Good Ruler, Samuel Willard (1694)
The
Case
of
the Lord Baltimore (1696)
Penn's
Plan for a Union (1697)
Judge
Samuel
Sewall
Repents His Participation in
the Salem Witch Trials (1697)
Memorable
Providences,
Relating
to Witchcrafts and Possessions, Cotton Mather
(1698)
Discourses
Concerning Government, 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."
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)
Fairfax
Family
Correspondence
(1646)
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.
His
Excellency's
Speech
to the Honourable
General Assembly (April
26, 1700)
The
General
Assembly's
Answer to His Excellency's Speech (April 27,
1700)
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)
Lewis
Morris
letter
to John Chamberlayne
(1704)
Robert Beverley
on Bacon's Rebellion
(1704)
Laws
of
Her
Majesty's Plantations
(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.
His
Excellency's
Speech
to the General Assembly
(Nov. 29, 1708)
The
Assembly's
Answer
to His Excellency's Speech
(Dec. 2, 1708)
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.
Works
of
Joseph
Addison
Diary
of
Cotton
Mather
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
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
Maryland
Gazette
(1728-1800)
The
Adopting
Act
of the Presbyterian Church
The
Story of Venture Smith
(1729-1809)
Lord
Baltimore's
Receipt
Book
(1729-1750)
Plain
Reasons for Presbyterians Dissenting, Andrew Clarkson (1731);
arguing against unconditional submission to the National Church and
magistrates.
History
of
the
Puritans, Daniel
Neal (1731)
Dissertation
Upon
Parties, Henry St.
John Bolingbroke (1733). A
heavy influence upon Jefferson.
Documents
Connected
With
the Early History of Georgia
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)
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
Letters
and
Papers
Relating to the Provincial History of Pennsylvania
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.
Works
of John Gill, 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
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
The
Complete 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.
Wesley visited America.
The Works of
John Wesley, founder of
Methodism.
The
Essential
Rights
and Liberties of Protestants,
Elisha Williams
(1744) 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
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
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. lauded the Iroquois for their ability to
confederate. 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. carrying natural law into constitutional law.
Memoir on
the French Colonies in North America, December 1750
The Founding Era
Adams,
Franklin,
and
Madison: Accounts of Their Original Plans to be Christian
Clergymen
THE INDEPENDENT REFLECTOR:
William Livingston
Of
Party Divisions, William Livingston (1753)
Patriotism
A
Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, Jean
Jacques Rousseau (1754) Discussion on political inequality, its origins
and implication
Advertisements
of
the
Beginning of Tuition at King's College (1754) Samuel Johnson
Complete
Correspondence
of
Samuel Johnson
Objections
to
the
Formation of King's College (1754)
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.
Jonathan
Edwards
to
the Trustees of the College of New Jersey
Military
Documents
of
the French and Indian War
Primary
Sources Pertaining to the French and Indian War
Robertson's
History
of
Scotland
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
Statutes
of
King's College (1763)
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)
Works,
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
Rights
of
the British Colonies Asserted and Proved,
James Otis (1764)
John
Jay
vs.
President Myles Cooper (1764)
Laws
of
Maryland (1765)
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.
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.
On
Husband
And
Wife, William Blackstone (1765)
Considerations,
Daniel
Dulany,
October 1765
The
Objections to the Taxation Consider'd, Soame Jenyns (1765)
Massachusetts
Assembly to Governor Bernard (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.
The
Presbyterians Are at the Head of the Stamp Act
Riots (1766), a letter from a Stamp Collector to London.
William
Pitt's
Speech
on the Stamp Act, January 14, 1766
Letters
of
Horace
Walpole
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
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)
Manuscripts
of
the
Earl of Darmouth, British Secretary of American Affairs
Oration
Deliverd
at
Boston, Joseph Warren (1772)
Journal of John
Woolman
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)
Sons
of Liberty: the Presbyterian Junto, a
letter from New York (1774)
Facsimile
of
the
Above Letter
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 the Resolves
of the
Continental Congress
First
Prayer
Given
in the Continental Congress,
Rev. Jacob Duche (1774)
The
Journal
of
Nicholas Cresswell (loyalist) 1774-1777
Diary
and
Letters
of Governor Thomas Hutchinson
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
Facsimilies
of
Newspapers published during the era of the American Revolution
Authors
Most
Frequently
Cited by the Founders
John
Adams
Discusses
the Historic Sources Which
Provided the Intellectual Foundations of American Political Theory
Documents of the
Founding Fathers, This is
the most comprehensive site online featuring the writings of the
founding fathers.
Sermons Preached during the Founding Era
This Library is maintained by Dr. Richard Gardiner.
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. When in doubt about republication rights, please consult the webmaster of the page you are interested in republishing.(most will probably consent).
