Historical Research Library
Discover the people, events, and key documents that shaped the Founding Era.
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Preamble of the Free African Society, 1787
The goals of a mutual aid society founded by and for African Americans in Philadelphia
Supporting Document
Poor Richard’s Almanac
Benjamin Franklin’s annual publication offering wisdom, proverbs, and practical advice
Supporting Document
Benjamin Franklin on Founding Schools in Philadelphia, 1750
A proposal for practical, secular education
Supporting Document
George III’s Proclamation of 1763
Proclamation restricting colonial westward expansion to prevent conflict and control land speculation
Supporting Document
Instructions to Boston’s Representatives, 1768
Appeal to Boston’s representatives in the General Court of Massachusetts to investigate British actions
Supporting Document
Paul Revere’s “The Bloody Massacre,” 1770
An effective piece of propaganda that turned a skirmish into a massacre
Supporting Document
The Case of Capt. Thomas Preston of the 29th Regiment, 1770
The British military officer’s defense against charges of murder stemming from the Boston Massacre
Supporting Document
Deposition of Theodore Bliss, 1770
Eyewitness testimony shedding light on the Boston Massacre
Supporting Document
Phillis Wheatley’s Poem on Tyranny and Slavery, 1772
An eloquent condemnation of oppression and slavery, written for the British secretary of state for the colonies, showcasing Wheatley’s literary talent, and advocacy for freedom
Supporting Document
Samuel Adams on the Gaspee Incident, 1772
Newspaper article, secretly written by Adams, arguing for the right to local juries for colonists who burned a British ship
Supporting Document
A Sermon Preached at an Execution, 1772
A widely read sermon that was delivered at the execution of an American Indian sailor
Supporting Document
Report on the Boston Tea Party, 1773
Newspaper account of the dumping of tea into the Boston Harbor
Supporting Document