Primary Sources (secondary)
1600-1791 :: 1791-1877 :: glossary :: bibliography :: test

Bacon, Nathaniel. “Bacon’s Declaration in the Name of the People.” Memo. 1676. From Revolution to Reconstruction ‑ an .HTML project. Department of Humanities Computing, Washington. 21 Jan. 2004 <http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/D/1651‑1700/bacon_rebel/bacon.htm>. Nathaniel Bacon’s “Declaration in the Name of the People” for his rebellion in 1676.

Boyer, Paul, and Stephen Nissenbaum, comps. Salem Witchcraft Papers. Vol. 1. Electronic Text Center. University of Virginia Lib., Charlottesville. 24 Jan. 2004 <http://wyllie.lib.virginia.edu:8086/perl/toccer‑new?id=BoySal1.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/oldsalem&tag=public&part=51&division=div2>. This primary document is a death warrant for Bridget Bishop, the first victim of the Salem Witch Trials.

Edwards, Jonathan. Sinners in the hands of an Angry God! 24 Jan. 2004 <http://www.piney.com/JonEdwSinHands.html>. This is the famous “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” Sermon by Rev. Jonathan Edwards, a Puritan minister.

Jefferson, Thomas. “Notes on the State of Virginia.” Political paper, 1784. The Founders’ Constitution. The University of Chicago. 21 Dec. 2003 <http://press‑pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch15s28.html>. Thomas Jefferson proposes in his Notes on the State of Virginia (1784), that Virginia free its slaves and send them to Africa because “the real distinctions which nature has made” precludes peaceful coexistence between African Americans and whites. This controversial paper represents the beginnings of the racist belief in the natural inferiority of African Americans.

Johnson, Samuel. “Taxation No Tryanny.” Political paper, 1775. The Samuel Johson Sound Bite Page. 21 Dec. 2003 <http://www.samueljohnson.com/tnt.html>. British observers such as Samuel Johnson wonder about the legitimacy of America’s claim to liberty for all people. In his paper, Taxation No Tyranny, he asks, “How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty among the drivers of negroes?”

Lincoln, Abraham. The Emancipation Proclamation. 1863. US National Archives & Records Administration. Washington D.C. 22 Jan. 2004 <http://www.archives.gov/exhibit_hall/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/print_friendly.html?page=transcript_content.html&title=>. A transcript of Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation

O’Sullivan, John L. “The Great Nation of Futurity.” United States Democratic Review 6.23 (1839): pp.426‑430. The Making of America Series. Cornell University. 24 Jan. 2004 <http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/osulliva.htm>. This source can be used to further extract the meaning of Manifest Destiny.

Paine, Thomas. Common Sense. N.p., 1776. Liberty Library of Constitutional Classics. 20 Dec. 2003 <http://www.constitution.org/tp/comsense.htm>. Thomas Paine argues that American freedom is not safe under the infinitely flawed British constitution. In his enormously influential pamphlet, Common Sense, Paine proposes that the only sensible solution is to throw off the tyrant and secure one’s rights.

Platform of the American Anti‑Slavery Society and its Auxiliaries. 1833. New York City, 1855. pp. 3‑4. The original constitution of the American Antislavery Society from 1833.

Scott v. Sanford. Surpreme Ct. of the US. 1857. Africans in America. 21 Jan. 2004 <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h2933t.html>. The text of Chief Justice Taney’s decision on the Dred Scott v. Sandford trial

United States. Amendment XIII. N.p., 1865. Legal Information Institute. Cornell Law School. 24 Jan. 2004 <http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.amendmentxiii.html>. This website provides the text of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

United States. Amendment XIV. N.p., 1868. Legal Information Institute. Cornell Law School. 24 Jan. 2004 <http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.amendmentxiv.html>. This website provides the text of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

United States. Cong. House. The Fugitive Slave Act. N.p., 1850. The Avalon Project. Yale Law School. 21 Jan. 2004 <http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/fugitive.htm>. The text of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850

Virginia, United States. Virginia Constitutional Convention. Virginia Declaration of Rights. N.p., 1776. The National Archives Experience. 21 Dec. 2003 <http://www.archives.gov/national_archives_experience/virginia_declaration_of_rights.html>. The Virginia Declaration of Rights proclaims that “all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion,” and thus ends exclusive state support of the Anglican Church. However, it does not banish laws compelling people to support a religion or laws punishing them for their religious beliefs.