Historical Research Library
Discover the people, events, and key documents that shaped the Founding Era.
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George Washington on Military Strategy near Boston, 1775
A letter seeking advice on strategies to defeat the British
Supporting Document
George Washington on Taking Command of the Army, 1775
A letter expressing concern about his own worthiness and his wife’s situation at home
Supporting Document
John Laurens to His Father on His Desire to be Part of the Revolution, 1775
A law students in London on his desire to come home as revolution nears
Supporting Document
Abigail Adams to John Adams: Boston under Siege, 1775
A letter expressing support for the colonial forces, analyzing the military situation, and showcasing her revolutionary fervor
Supporting Document
An Account of the Clashes at Lexington and Concord, 1775
A colonel in the militia calls on local militia groups to arm and go to the aid of Massachusetts patriots
Supporting Document
Bloody Butchery by the British Troops, 1775
A chronicle of the significance and casualties of the Battles of Lexington and Concord
Supporting Document
Report to the Continental Congress on the Battle of Long Island, 1776
An account of British victory, American losses, and retreat during the Battle of Long Island
Supporting Document
Thomas Paine’s The American Crisis, 1776
A series that bolstered revolutionary spirits—urging perseverance during challenging times in the American Revolutionary War
Supporting Document
“Free Thoughts on the Illegality of Slave-Keeping,” 1776
A manuscript connecting the American fight for independence with the immorality of slavery that was not published until the twentieth century
Supporting Document
Common Sense, 1776
Influential pamphlet by Thomas Paine advocating American independence from British rule and inspiring revolutionary sentiment
Key Document
General Schuyler on the Loss of Forts Washington and Lee, 1776
A letter reacting to American losses and military strategy
Supporting Document
George Washington to Congress on the Battle of Harlem Heights, 1776
A report on the American retreat from New York after the Battle of Harlem Heights
Supporting Document