Historical Research Library
Discover the people, events, and key documents that shaped the Founding Era.
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Boston Massacre, 1770
A “massacre” of civilians in Boston by British troops fueled colonial resentment of British rule
Event
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
Battles of Lexington and Concord, 1775
The first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War in 1775—marked by confrontations between colonial militia and British troops
Event
New York and New Jersey Campaigns, 1776
A series of Revolutionary War military actions in which British forces gained control over New York and New Jersey
Event
Winter at Valley Forge, 1777–1778
The Continental Army faced extreme hardships at Valley Forge during the harsh winter of 1777–1778—strengthening their resilience and unity
Event
Battle of Yorktown, 1781
A decisive victory of American and French forces that led to British surrender and American independence
Event
Founding the New-York Manumission Society, 1785
Establishing an organization to advocate gradual abolition of slavery, educate free Black people, and prevent them from being sold into slavery
Event
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
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, 1789
Autobiography detailing Olaudah Equiano’s enslavement, his journey to freedom, and fight against the slave trade
Key Document
The Petition of the People of Colour of the State [of South Carolina],” April 30, 1794
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries a very small percentage of the Black population in South Carolina was not enslaved. They could not vote, did not have access to the same legal rights as White people, and were subject to special taxes, among other abuses. This petition sought to address and have rescinded one of those abuses, a poll tax aimed at free Black people.
Supporting Document
Hamilton-Burr Duel, 1804
A fatal confrontation between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr that stemmed from political and personal animosities and shaped American political history
Event
