Historical Research Library
Discover the people, events, and key documents that shaped the Founding Era.
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Cuffee Wells, Romeo Smith, Peter Kiteredge
Black soldiers who fought for American independence as well as their rights as free men
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
Marquis de Lafayette
French nobleman and American general during the American Revolution who was a key figure in the Franco-American alliance
Person
John Laurens
South Carolina officer and close friend of Alexander Hamilton who advocated abolition and recruitment of Black troops
Person
Hercules Mulligan
Irish immigrant who befriended Hamilton and served as a spy for Washington in British-held New York City
Person
Thomas Paine
Author of “Common Sense” and “The Rights of Man” who was influential in the American and French Revolutions
Person
Paul Revere
Boston patriot, famed for his “midnight ride,” whose art turned a local skirmish into a “Massacre”
Person
Philip Schuyler
American general, influential New Yorker of Dutch descent, and father-in-law to Alexander Hamilton
Person
Mercy Otis Warren
Patriot, playwright, and poet who chronicled the American Revolution and corresponded with Revolutionary War leaders
Person
George Washington
The first President of the United States and a symbol of American independence and integrity
Person
Martha Washington
The nation’s first “First Lady,” who married George Washington in 1759 when she was a wealthy young widow
Person