Historical Research Library
Discover the people, events, and key documents that shaped the Founding Era.
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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
James Madison
Fourth President of the United States known as the “Father of the Constitution”
Person
Dolley Madison
The influential First Lady who saved the portrait of George Washington during the War of 1812
Person
Gouverneur Morris
Constitutional Convention delegate who advocated a strong central government, abolition, and freedom of religion
Person
Hercules Mulligan
Irish immigrant who befriended Hamilton and served as a spy for Washington in British-held New York City
Person
Samson Occom
Mohegan clergyman, writer, and orator who was a key figure in Native American rights and education
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
Margarita (Peggy) Schuyler Van Rensselaer
Youngest daughter of Philip Schuyler who married Stephen Van Rensselaer III, a wealthy and prominent New Yorker
Person