This letter written by Guaman Poma is the most famous manuscript from South America dated to this time period in part because it is so comprehensive and long, but also because of its many illustrations. View pictures of the illustrations...

Two opposing philosophies concerning the relationship between government and its citizens were expressed by Thomas Hobbes and John Locke in the 17th century. Compare these two philosophies and see how they were related to the colonists'...

The Anthropology Division's African collection is extensive in terms of geographic coverage. It includes North Africa, West Africa, and Madagascar, although its greatest concentration of material is from central and southern Africa. The...

These journals from the Continental Congress of the United States will provide students with a greater understanding of the foundations of American government as established in the late 18th century. Includes handwritten documents by...

Independence Hall Association provides a listing of important colonial dates. Also listed are the historical events which the Bell commemorates throughout American History.

During the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress became America's de facto government. Over a period of 15 years, from 1774 to 1789, the Continental Congress underwent a profound evolution. Starting out as a temporary group that...

A one-page summary of the life and philosophy of influential eighteenth-century Anglo-Irish Parliamentarian Edmund Burke, whose theories of government led him to sympathize with the American colonists against the British crown, to...

A review of the Age of Revolution, particularly as it was perceived in the American colonies. See how the various actions taken by the British government to control the colonists resulted in uniting the colonists and set the stage for...

Using primary texts and prior study of Colonial America and the Revolution, students examine "what type of government would best represent the ideals of the American Revolution." Worksheets, discussions, and role-playing within this...

Written before the Declaration of Independence, this lengthy essay by Thomas Jefferson argued that the British Government was treating America unfairly. This site contains full text and footnotes within text hyperlinked to panel at...

Begins with a description of the British system of mercantilism that was imposed on the American colonies along with the taxes levied through the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act. The Americans complained that it was taxation without...

The American Revolution was close to 200 years in the making. Read about the philosophies and attitudes toward government, as well as the diverse populations who came to the British colonies, that eventually fomented rebellion.

A terrific look at the twenty-seven specific reasons Thomas Jefferson cited in the Declaration of Independence and the support for those reasons of why the colonists felt justified in breaking the bonds with Great Britain.

Samuel Adams was born on September 22, 1722, in Quincy, Massachusetts. He entered Harvard College at the age of 14. During the 1760s, Adams became a leader of the Patriot resistance to the British government's attempt to tax the American...

[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the British Acts that lead to the Boston Tea Party and to the writing of the Declaration of Independence. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in...

Read the actual words of these earliest Americans and their attempt at self-government with the writing of the Mayflower Compact. Link directly to other colonial charter pages.

The 1734 American edition of the freemasons' constitution in electronic form, a reprint of the 1723 version from London, England. An abstract is provided here, and a link for downloading the complete document. The abstract states that...

Learn all about the Albany Plan of Union from this article from the U.S. Department of State. Find out why it was proposed, what the plan would provide for, and the results.

Short, overweight, and quick-tongued, John Adams hardly fits the model of the typical Founder. But Adams's contributions to American independence and the formation of the United States government were great. Adams penned defenses of...

Develops the concept of "constitutionalism" as related to the U.S. Constitution and Connecticut's role in the Constitutional Congress and Convention. An overview of Connecticut's colonial history, and judicial origins and organization,...

This resource presents a biographical essay about William Penn that highlights his role in the establishment of Pennsylvania.