Historical Research Library
Discover the people, events, and key documents that shaped the Founding Era.
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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
Key Document
Declaration of the Causes and Necessity for Taking Up Arms, 1775
An address listing the colonists’ grievances and asserting the right to self-defense
Key Document
Olive Branch Petition, 1775
The Continental Congress’s last major attempt to avoid war with Great Britain
Key Document
Patrick Henry’s Speech to Second Virginia Convention, 1775
An impassioned call to arms, advocating for colonial resistance against British oppression, and famously declaring, "Give me liberty or give me death!"
Key Document
The Farmer Refuted, 1775
A defense of American colonial rights against British tyranny secretly written by Alexander Hamilton—fueling revolutionary sentiment
Key Document
James Madison’s Memorial and Remonstrance against Religious Assessments, 1785
An argument against state-sponsored religion, defending religious freedom and the separation of church and state
Key Document
Thomas Jefferson on Manumitting Slaves, 1789
Letter sent from Paris reflecting on freeing slaves—revealing his conflicting beliefs on liberty and equality amid the revolution
Supporting Document
Bill of Rights, 1791
The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution—hard-fought additions that protect some individual liberties and limit government power
Key Document