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
John Adams on a New Form of Government, 1775
More than a decade before the Constitutional Convention in 1787—and months before the United States declared independence—John Adams wrote a plan for a new form of government for the American colonies. The ideas presented in this letter had a profound influence on the state constitutions of Virginia, New York, Massachusetts, and ultimately, the federal Constitution.
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
The Stamp Act, 1765
A tax on printed materials imposed by Britain on American colonies—sparking widespread protest and contributing to revolutionary sentiments
Key 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