Historical Research Library
Discover the people, events, and key documents that shaped the Founding Era.
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Whiskey Rebellion, 1794
Pennsylvania farmers violently resisted a federal whiskey tax—illustrating the tensions between frontiersmen and the new government’s authority
Event
Presidential Election of 1800
A fierce contest between John Adams, Charles Pinckney, Thomas Jefferson, and Aaron Burr that was marked by party polarization and scandal—testing the peaceful transfer of power
Event
John Adams
A leading proponent of independence, a congressman, a diplomat, and the second President of the United States
Person
Richard Allen
Prominent Philadelphia advocate for abolition and civil rights and founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
Person
Aaron Burr
Complex and controversial early American politician known for his fatal duel with Alexander Hamilton
Person
Paul Cuffe
Black and Wampanoag businessman and shipbuilder who advocated for abolition, civil rights, and African colonization
Person
Benjamin Franklin
A polymath and statesman who was a leading figure in science, literature, diplomacy, and governance
Person
Prince Hall
Founder of the first African American Masonic lodge, in Boston, and advocate for abolition and civil rights
Person
Alexander Hamilton
A poor immigrant from the Caribbean who became a key figure in the Revolution and in establishing the US government
Person
George III
King of Great Britain viewed as a tyrant by colonists and a symbol of imperial rule
Person
Lemuel Haynes
African American clergyman and Revolutionary War veteran known for his writings on racial equality
Person
Sally Hemings
Enslaved woman in the household of Thomas Jefferson, who was likely the father of her six children
Person