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U.S. History: Beginnings to 1877 - HIST201 - Primary Sources

Primary sources available in the library or on the Internet relevant to U.S. History before 1877.

Resources in Library Catalog

eBooks on this list are only available to RVCC students, faculty, and staff and require a login with your G# and password.

War and politics

The American Revolution

Eyewitness reports arranged to tell the story from Lexington to Yorktown.

The Battle of Camden : a documentary history

This book contains American commanders' accounts, British commanders' accounts, American soldiers' accounts, British soldiers' accounts, Contemporary American observations and reports, Contemporary British observations and reports.

Confederation and constitution, 1781-1789

This volume presents historical documents from the period of time between the U.S. Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution, providing readers with a higher level of understanding and appreciation of the evolving nature of the U.S. Constitution and its relevance to contemporary societal issues. This work begins with a history of that period and of the documents that were generated.

The Federalist papers

Three early American statesmen defend the political principles and ideologies set forth in the Constitution of the United States, in a new edition of the classic, which is accompanied by a selected bibliography, historical glossary, new introduction, and other resource material.

Lieutenant James Moody's narrative of his exertions and sufferings

Accounts of the Battles of Princeton and Trenton by James Moody, a loyalist who was arrested or captured and escaped several times during the course of the war.

Memoirs of Aaron Burr : With miscellaneous selections from his correspondence

Aaron Burr, 3rd president of the United States and infamous killer of Alexander Hamilton, recorded memoirs on topics including the Revolutionary War and politics in New York State.

Memoirs of the American revolution

Major General of the United States William Moultrie recounts the American Revolution as it relates to North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

Milestone documents in American history : exploring the primary sources that shaped America

Contains thirty-two full-text primary source documents that helped to shape American society from 1763 to 1823 including the Proclamation of 1763, Treaty of Fort Pitt, the Bill of Rights, the Missouri Compromise, and the Monroe Doctrine (eBook) .

A narrative of a Revolutionary soldier : some of the adventures, dangers, and sufferings of Joseph Plumb Martin

Originally published anonymously in 1830 under the title: A narrative of some of the adventures, dangers and sufferings of a revolutionary soldier.

New Jersey in the American Revolution, 1763-1783 : a documentary history

Edited by Larry R. Gerlach and published by the New Jersey Historical Commission, this is a compilation of primary sources relating to the American Revolution in New Jersey.

A Relic of the Revolution

"A relic of the revolution containing a full and particular account of the sufferings and privations of all the American prisoners captured on the high seas..."

Remarks concerning the government and the laws of the United States of America; in four letters, addressed to Mr. Adams, from the French, of the Abbé de Mably

Originally written in 1785, this book provides a critique of the U.S. government and Constitution, and was taken into account by by John Adams.

Revolutionary War journals of Henry Dearborn, 1775-1783

Henry Dearborn (February 23, 1751 – June 6, 1829) was an American soldier and statesman. In the Revolutionary War, he served under Benedict Arnold in the expedition to Quebec, of which his journal provides an important record.

Sketches of debate in the first Senate of the United States in 1789-91

The abridge journal of Senator William Maclay of Pennsylvania, covering the proceedings of the first Senate organized under the Constitution, from 1789-1791.

Sources and documents illustrating the American Revolution, 1764-1788, and the formation of the Federal Constitution

The sources and documents presented in this book reflect the ideological revolution in America, encompassing the growth of independent sentiment in the colonies, the break with the mother country, and the establishment of a federal government by the states. All the essential documents are included as well as some important acts, resolves, letters, pamphlets, and instructions not readily available elsewhere.

The spirit of 'seventy-six : the story of the American Revolution as told by participants

In letters, journals, diaries, official documents, and personal recollections, the timeless figures of the Revolution emerge in all their human splendor and folly to stand beside the nameless soldiers. Profusely illustrated and enhanced by cogent commentary, this book examines every aspect of the war, including the Loyalist and British views; treason and prison escapes; songs and ballads; the home front and diplomacy abroad.

Voices of 1776

A collection of first-person descriptions of the American War of Independence, well-cemented with brief commentary and identification to make a coherent narrative well-proportioned between the strictly military and the more broadly social.

With Burgoyne from Quebec : an account of the life at Quebec and of the famous battle at Saratoga

From 1776-1781, Thomas Anburey, a young lieutenant in the British Army, carefully recorded his experiences and observations serving under General John Burgoyne in a series of letters that were published in two volumes in 1789.

Letters and diaries; social commentary

Diary and autobiography of John Adams

These four volumes contain information such as the rise of Revolutionary resistance in New England, the debates in the early Continental Congresses, and the diplomacy and financing of the American Revolution.

The diary of the American revolution, 1775-1781

Excerpts from letters, newspaper articles, broadsides, poems, ballads, and songs of the time collected together to form a narrative of events during the American Revolution.

Letters of members of the Continental Congress

These 8 volumes cover the years 1774-1784, and include excerpts from letters written by members of the Continental Congress such as John Hancock, John Adams, William Whipple to others like Philip Schuyler and George Washington.

Life in Laredo : a documentary history from the Laredo Archives

Based on documents from the Laredo Archives, this work shows the evolution and development of daily life in a town under the flags of Spain, Mexico, and the United States. Robert D. Wood, S.M., presents the first one hundred years of history and culture in Laredo up to the mid-nineteenth century. (eBook).

Not your usual founding father : selected readings from Benjamin Franklin

Presents a comprehensive collection of lesser-known writings of founding father Benjamin Franklin including journal entries and letters that express his personal views, habits, discoveries, and political thoughts (eBook).

A people's history of the American Revolution : how common people shaped the fight for independence

Presents a history of the American Revolution from the perspective of farmers, soldiers, laborers, and other common folk by using personal letters, diaries, and other primary source material.

Philip Vickers Fithian : Journal and letters

Philip Vickers Fithian was born December 29th, 1747; was a student at Princeton College, 1770-'72, at the same time with Henry Lee, Aaron Burr, and James Madison; studied theology 1772-'73; and was sent as a missionary among the pioneer settlers of Western Virginia and Pennsylvania, 1775-'76. Returning, he enlisted as chaplain in Heard's brigade of New Jersey militia, July 12th, 1776, served under Washington during the battles of Long Island and Harlem Heights, sickened of a camp epidemic, and died near Fort Washington, October 8th, 1776.

The price of loyalty : Tory writings from the Revolutionary era

The revealing, often quaintly written Tory diaries, letters, and journals which animate this fascinating book provide what is probably the most comprehensive picture of Tory acts and attitudes to date.

The Revolutionary era : primary documents on events from 1776 to 1800

Beginning with an extensive overview essay of the period, this book focuses on 26 pressing issues of the war and the early republic. Each issue is presented with an introductory essay and multiple primary documents from the newspapers of the day, which illustrate both sides of the debate (eBook).

Resources in Library Databases

Off campus, these resources are available only to RVCC students, staff, and faculty and require a login with your G# and password.

Perform a keyword search, then select Primary Sources from the tabbed results.

Primary sources

To browse, select Primary Sources and then The American Revolution: 1775–1783

Primary Sources       The American Revolution

Perform a keyword search, then select Primary Sources from the tabbed results.

Primary sources

To browse, select Primary Sources and then Exploration, Trade, and Growing Conflict: 1776–1829

Primary Sources       Exploration, Trade, and Growing Conflict

Resources on the Internet