Exploration and Pre-Colonial Period

The Columbus Landfall Home Page -- http://www1.minn.net/~keithp/cclandfl.htm

Illustrates the possible places that Columbus visited on his first journey to the Americas. Includes articles which examine the various theories as to where he actually landed.

Columbus and the Age of Discovery -- http://muweb.millersville.edu/~columbus/

Over 1,100 full-text articles and reports related to Columbus and the explorations from Europe to the "New World". A bit difficult to use due to its arrangement. Try starting with the Hypertext Index of Articles, then go into "For public use. (Reprint Permission Granted.)" Then explore the entries, arranged alphabetically. Has many articles in the Spanish language.

1492: An Ongiong Voyage -- http://sunsite.unc.edu/expo/1492.exhibit/Intro.html

This online exhibit from the Library of Congress "addresses ... questions [about the voyages of Christopher Columbus] by examining the rich mixture of societies coexisting in five areas of this hemisphere before European arrival. It then surveys the polyglot Mediterranean world at a dynamic turning point in its development."

Colonial Period

 

Religion and the Founding of the American Republic -- http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/religion.html

Over 200 early American books, manuscripts, letters, prints, paintings, artifacts, and music from the Library of Congress collections and loans from other institutions.

William Penn - http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CAP/PENN/pnhome.html

An examination of the person who founded as a "Holy Experiment", the state of Pennsylvania, and concluded the "Great treaty" with the Delaware (American Indians).

Early American Literature to 1700 -- http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CAP/PENN/pnhome.html

Resources for a literature course include several important documents of the Great Awakening. (PAL: Perspectives in American Literature)

Jonathan Edwards, The First Great Awakening -- http://www.forerunner.com/forerunner/X0527_Bios-_Jonathan_Edwar.html

"Jonathan Edwards, sometimes known as the postmillennialist's postmillennialist, is best known for his role in the Great Awakening, which began as a revival in several churches along the Connecticut River Valley." This page is on a Christian website called The Forerunner.

Plimouth Plantation -- http://www.plimoth.org/

Official website of the reconstucted village which was the site of the original Pilgrim settlement.

Puritanism in New England -- http://www.victorianweb.org/religion/puritan2.html

Brief overview of Puritanism as it existed in the Colonies.

Plymouth: It's History and People -- http://pilgrims.net/plymouth/history/

Information related to the original settlers of Plymouth, Mass.

Virtual Tour of Plimoth Plantation -- http://pilgrims.net/plimothplantation/vtour/

See what life was like in a Pilgrim village.

What is a Puritan? -- http://www.reformedreader.org/character_of_an_old_english_puri.htm

This short essay, originally published in 1646, discusses the characteristics of "an old English Puritan."

Colonial America - http://www.n-polk.k12.ia.us/pages/departments/media/colonial.html

From a high school media center in Iowa. This page provides links to many Web sites about the colonial period of U.S. history. (North Polk 7-12 Media Center)

Revolutionary War

Yahoo! Revolutionary War -- http://tinyurl.com/loocf

Yahoo's links to U.S. Revolutionary War sites including: battles, Continental Congress, Independence Day, organizations, people, state histories, and armed forces units.

Michael Meals Presents: www.revwar.com -- http://www.revwar.com/

This commercial site "provides information and links to sites about the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) era as well as services."

American Revolution -- http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/revolution/index.html

This site includes links to a chronological history of the eras leading up to, including and following the War for Independence. One page has the entire text of the Declaration of Independence as well as an audio version of the document.

American Revolution -- http://www.n-polk.k12.ia.us/pages/departments/media/amerev.html

From a high school media center in Iowa. This page provides links to many Web sites about the revolutionary period of U.S. history. (North Polk 7-12 Media Center)

The Rise of Democratic Ideas

The English Bill of Rights -- http://www.sgc.peachnet.edu/users/rreiman/www/time/england.htm

Excerpts from the 1689 English law: An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and Settling the Succession of the Crown.

English Bill of Rights -- http://www.constitution.org/eng/eng_bor.htm

Complete text of the 1689 English law: An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and Settling the Succession of the Crown.

Eighteenth-Century Studies - http://english-www.hss.cmu.edu/18th/

A major collection of links to the most famous people and documents of the Enlightenment.

Eighteenth-Century Resources -- History - http://www.english.upenn.edu/~jlynch/18th/history.html

Another major collection of links to the most famous people of the Enlightenment.

Liberty Library of Constitutional Classics - http://www.constitution.org/liberlib.htm

"The following is a list, many with links to the actual full text, of classic books and other works on constitutional government."

Readings: The Enlightenment -- http://www.constitution.org/liberlib.htm

Links to some of the major books and documents by the greats of the Enlightenment.

The Age of Enlightenment: Paintings - http://mistral.culture.fr/lumiere/documents/files/imaginary_exhibition.html

The Enlightenment produced its own style of painting, and you can see some examples at this website.

The Social Contract -- http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_2/rousseau.html

This essay by French author, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, is one of the major writings of the Enlightenment, which affected the American system of government.

A Treatise on Toleration -- http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_2/voltaire.html

Voltaire's essay is another of the major writings of the Enlightenment.

Magna Carta and Its American Legacy

The National Archives and Records Administration offers this excellent explanation of the Magna Carta as it relates to U.S. laws and democratic ideas. Also as a link to the text of the Magna Carta.

The Magna Carta -- http://www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/magnacarta/magintrp.html

"The source of it all...." This is the words of the Magna Carta, the historic British document, the contract that had a such a big influence on the concept of American democracy, and the U.S. Constitution.

Historical Documents of Great Britain -- http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/eurodocs/uk.html

Collection of primary source historical documents from the British Isles, from the earliest times through the present: Magna Carta, parliamentary addresses, political statements by thinkers and leaders, philosophical writings, and more.

Jefferson Quotes on Politics & Government -- http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/eurodocs/uk.html

A large collection of Thomas Jefferson's quotes on Politics & Government, with links to other Web Pages of interest to the basic ideas of democracy and government. Has over 1,500 excerpts from Jefferson's writings.

Plato's Apology -- http://WWW.Clarke.Edu/departments/philosophy/apology/aplg0008.htm

This hypertext edition of Plato's Apology was written for students taking their first philosophy course at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa. Excellent resource in the development of the concept of Democracy in Ancient Greece.

Plato: Works -- http://WWW.Clarke.Edu/departments/philosophy/apology/aplg0008.htm

A collection of works with commentary by Plato. The Republic in particular has many ideas which eventually influenced Enlightenment thinkers, and the rise of democratic ideas. The famous "Allegory of the Cave" is found here, in The Republic.

Plato -- http://hydra.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=encyclopedia+Plato&vers=english

Biography and philosophical background on the Greek philosopher, Plato. Includes links to his writings. A very informative essay, with many links to primary sources, related ideas and people. (Perseus Encyclopedia)

Aristotle -- http://hydra.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=encyclopedia+Aristotle&vers=english

Biography and philosophical background on the Greek philosopher, Aristotle. Includes links to his writings. A very informative essay, with many links to primary sources, related ideas and people. (Perseus Encyclopedia)

The "Glorious Revolution" -- http://www.stg.brown.edu/projects/hypertext/landow/victorian/history/Glorious_Revolution.html

Helpful, brief overview of the "Glorious Revolution", with links to related information and people who were part of it.

St. Thomas More - http://www.knight.org/advent/cathen/14689c.htm

Biographical and philosophical information on St. Thomas More, of England who wrote Utopia. (Catholic Encyclopedia on the Web)

John Locke: Essays - http://english-www.hss.cmu.edu/18th/locke-civil.txt

Essays by British philosopher, John Locke: "Concerning Civil Government," and "An Essay Concerning The True Original Extent and End of Civil Government."

Declaration of Independence and The Constitution

Declaring Independence -- http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/declara/declara1.html

The time-line and background on the American Declaration of Independence from Great Britain are presented here, with images and explanation of the key people and their contributions to this historic document.

Declaration of Independence: Interactive Worksheet -- http://www.fred.net/nhhs/lessons/decindws.htm

A series of questions regarding the meaning of the Declaration of Independence is available here.

Mighty Words: American Perspectives -- http://www1.mightywords.com/freedom/

The online publisher, Mighty Words, has provided this site to enable ten contemporary authors to take a look at the Bill of Rights (the original ten amendments to the Constitution). Read Jonathan Kellerman on the freedom of speech; Pete Hamill on the right to keep and bear arms; Peggy Noonan on the quartering of troops; Caroline Kennedy & Ellen Alderman on unreasonable search and seizure; Doris Kearns & Richard Goodwin on double jeopardy; Whoopi Goldberg on the right to a speedy and public trial; Newt Gingrich on trial by jury; Coretta Scott King on cruel and unusual punishment; Sally Ride on the rights which shall not be denied; and, Peter Jennings & Todd Brewster on powers reserved to the states.

Charters of Freedom -- http://www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/charters.html

Exhibition (including background information) on the documents that are the foundation of U.S. laws and rights: The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and The Bill of Rights. (Amendments 1-10)

The Constitution Page -- http://dolley.nara.gov/exhall/charters/constitution/conmain.html

A useful collection of information about the U.S. Constitution, its writers and the processes used to create it.

About the Constitution of the United States -- http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/abt_const.html

Article from the Library of Congress: "The Constitution defines the fundamental law of the United States federal government, setting forth the three principal branches of the federal government, outlining their jurisdictions, and propounding the basic rights of U.S. citizens."

Search The Constitution and Other Historical Documents -- http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/constquery.html

Allows searching of The U.S. Constitution, Federalist Papers, Declaration of Independence, and other early U.S. historical documents.

Documents from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention -- http://lcweb2.loc.gov:8081/ammem/bdsds/bdsdhome.html

The Continental Congress Broadside Collection (253 titles) and the Constitutional Convention Broadside Collection (21 titles) contain 274 documents relating to the work of Congress and the drafting and ratification of the Constitution, plus similar primary sources.

The Miracle at Philadelphia -- http://www.usnews.com./usnews/wash/miracle.htm

Description of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 as a news reporter would write it. (U.S. News & World Report)

The Federal Constitution -- http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/DETOC/1_ch08.htm

A chapter from the great commentary, Democracy In America, by Alexis de Tocqueville, the French writer who visited the U.S. in the 1830s.

U.S. Historic Documents -- http://kuhttp.cc.ukans.edu/carrie/docs/docs_us.html

Historic documents at the University of Kansas Electronic Library.

American Historical Documents -- http://vweb.sau.edu/bestinfo/Reading/Document/docindex.htm

Links to historic documents, images and maps from St. Ambrose University Library in Davenport, Iowa.

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Created by the Webspinner: March 2000; updated March 2006
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