University of Notre Dame
Department of Special Collections: The Coins of Colonial and Early America
This site provides links to a variety of coins used in the colonies and in the confederation. Extremely detailed.
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: Cambridge History of Eng and Am Lit: Chauncy and Wigglesworth
This is a detailed essay discussing Charles Chauncy and Edward Wigglesworth, two men who were religious leaders in early 18th century colonial America.
Other
Mission Us: Pennywhistle Hero
Interactive website teaches students about U.S. history in this game using instruments and songs of the colonial era. Levels of difficulty vary.
Digital History
Digital History: Before the American War
Before Vietnam became the stage for an American war against international communism, it was a war between France and Indochina. France, concerned about losing their colonial holdings in Indochina and therefore losing international...
Varsity Tutors
Varsity Tutors: Archiving Early America: Mercy Warren
This resource provides a brief biography of Mercy Warren (1728-1814 CE), a famous author who lived during colonial times.
Varsity Tutors
Varsity Tutors: Archiving Early America: Letters From a Pennsylvania Farmer
A voice of dissent prior to the American Revolution, John Dickenson, a Philadelphia lawyer, was active in protesting British policies. His writings, entitled Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer, were published in newspapers in 1767 and 1768.
PBS
Pbs: About All You Can Eat: A Feast at Plimouth Plantation
A lesson in the culinary delicacies of the Plymouth Plantation in 1627. For this integrated lesson, students examine the history of foods eaten during this colonial era and prepare an actual meal based on what they have learned. This...
Other
New Netherland Institute: Early Descriptions of New Netherland
Excerpts from Narratives of New Netherland, 1609-1664, published in 1909, and available for free from Google Books. The first excerpt is from a 1644 account of Henry Hudson's descriptions of the new land he saw on his 1609 voyage. The...
Other
Virtual Jamestown: Experiences of an Indentured Servant
This site from the Virtual Jamestown of Crandall Shifflett provides the letter of Richard Frethorne to his parents in 1623 begging for their support in a desperate situation.
Quia
Quia: The English Colonies
Test your knowledge of the thirteen colonies with these interactive games. You'll find matching, concentration, flashcards, and a word search, along with a list of terms to refresh your memory.
Library of Congress
Loc: Statesman Robert R. Livingston
Documents many of the important events in the life of Statesman Robert R. Livingston. Outlines his accomplishments, and provides two photographs and and an illustration of important pieces.
My Hero Project
My Hero: Science Hero: Benjamin Franklin
This brief article overviews some of Benjamin Franklin's accomplishments as a scientist and a political diplomat, whose efforts not only made him "one of the most famous scientists of his day," but also a hero to early American Colonists.
Library of Virginia
Virginia Memory: Blank Space: Mapping the Unknown
How did early maps show the mapmakers' perception of the known world? Early mapmakers used maps drawn from coastal explorations, land travels, and even information heard word of mouth from American Indians or from colonists or traders....
Other
Trail of Tears Assoc: The Story Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
Follow the early history of Native American and European contact in America. As more settlers moved west, a law was passed to relocate the Cherokee from Arkansas. The routes they followed and the cruelties they suffered came to be known...
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Square Dancing
Square dancing has been part of American culture since the colonial settlers blended their varied traditions together. Contains historic photos, and an audio track of "Gents Go Center." Requires RealPlayer.
Siteseen
Siteseen: Land of the Brave: Anne Hutchinson
Overview and biographical facts on the life of Anne Hutchinson, an early colonist of the Massachusetts Bay Colony who was banished from Boston in 1637 for her religious and feminist beliefs and fled to the Rhode Island Colony.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Church of Sao Francisco De Assis, Ouro Preto, Brazil
The church of Sao Francisco, with its curving geometries and lively ornamentation, stands in sharp contrast to traditional early modern Portuguese architecture which generally favored simple plans and exteriors. View pictures and read...
British Library
British Library: Teaching Resources: The Tempest: Slideshow Who Is Savage & Who Is Civilised?
These activities encourage students to explore the 'brave new world' of The Tempest in light of thought-provoking texts on early modern colonization. A link to a slideshow featuring images of Native Americans and Europeans which...
Yale University
Yale New Haven Teachers Institute: Connecticut Constitution, 1639 1789
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,...
Curated OER
Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: Colonial Georgia, 1732 1763
A map of Colonial Georgia, showing the proclamation line of the original United States established at the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1763, the boundary when Georgia was established from the Carolinas as a buffer between the...
Curated OER
Etc: Maps Etc: The American Indian Nations, 1776
An early map of the southeastern North America around 1776, showing the American Indian Nations of the region at the time. The map shows colonial boundaries extending from the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi River, towns, forts, and...
Internet History Sourcebooks Project
Fordham University: Modern History Sourcebook: Coffee Fazenda of Brazil 1911
The Modern History Sourcebook provides this great look at what life would be like on a coffee plantation during the early 20th century. It describes the houses, life on the plantation, colonists, and harvests.
Smithsonian Institution
Anacostia Community Museum: Still Cookin' by the Fireside
This online presentation documents the role of the African American in food service from early colonial days through the 1940s. Primary source documents and photographs are included.