Historical Research Library
Discover the people, events, and key documents that shaped the Founding Era.
Explore our Resources
Filter by person, event, document, and theme.
George III
King of Great Britain viewed as a tyrant by colonists and a symbol of imperial rule
Person
Sally Hemings
Enslaved woman in the household of Thomas Jefferson, who was likely the father of her six children
Person
Patrick Henry
A leading figure in the Revolutionary era in Virginia, known for his “Give me liberty or give me death” speech
Person
David Humphreys
Revolutionary War veteran, poet, and abolitionist who advocated a new, uniquely American literature
Person
Belinda, Patty Gipson, Jemima Hunt
Little-known figures in the fight for the abolition of slavery
Person
Absalom Jones
Abolitionist, religious leader, and founder of the first Black Episcopal church in the United States
Person
Henry Knox
A poor bookseller in Boston who became a close confidant of George Washington, a general, and first Secretary of War
Person
Lucy Knox
A daughter of eminent loyalists and wife of the Revolutionary War general Henry Knox
Person
Dolley Madison
The influential First Lady who saved the portrait of George Washington during the War of 1812
Person
Paul Revere
Boston patriot, famed for his “midnight ride,” whose art turned a local skirmish into a “Massacre”
Person
Margarita (Peggy) Schuyler Van Rensselaer
Youngest daughter of Philip Schuyler who married Stephen Van Rensselaer III, a wealthy and prominent New Yorker
Person
Mercy Otis Warren
Patriot, playwright, and poet who chronicled the American Revolution and corresponded with Revolutionary War leaders
Person