United States History Resources: From the Discovery
Through the 1790s
From the Chico High School Library
You may click on these links to go directly to the following sections of this page:
Discovery
& Pre-Colonial Period | Colonial
Period | Rise of Democratic Ideas
Independence
& The Constitution | Philosophy
and Philosophers
American History of the Discovery and Pre-Colonial Period
The
Columbus Landfall Home Page
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
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
Exhibit
The story of Columbus and his voyages to the New World, made available
from the Library of Congress.
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American History of the Colonial Period
The
17th and 18th Centuries
"Designed to help high school teachers of American history bring
their students to a greater understanding of the role religion has played
in the development of the United States." Nice collection of links to information
resources.
Religion
and the Founding of the American Republic
Over 200 early American books, manuscripts, letters, prints, paintings,
artifacts, and music from the Library of Congress' collections and loans
from other institutions. Inlcides a section on The
Great Awakening (scroll down the page to get to that
secion.)
From
Revolution to Reconstruction
Online texts in American History, with links to many primary sources.
Very useful to see what was actually written or stated.
William
Penn
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).
On
the Great Awakening (Jonathan Edwards)
Between 1730 and 1745 there swept over the American colonies from
Maine to Georgia a religious revival known as the Great Awakening. Unlike
the earlier doctrine of the Puritans, it promised the grace of God to all
who could experience a desire for it. An account of the second wave of
the Great Awakening in Northampton, Massachusetts, is given in the following
letter of December 12, 1743 by Jonathan Edwards.
Great
Awakening (A Brief Description)
Very simple and brief description of the Great Awakening.
What
is a Puritan?
An English puritan is defined by a writer in originally published
in 1646.
Puritanism
in New England
Brief overview of Puritanism as it existed in the Colonies.
The
Plymouth Colony Archive Project
Extensice documentation of this early colond in what is now the
U.S.
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here to go back to the top of the page
The Rise of American Democratic Ideas
English
Bill of Rights
Complete text of the 1689 English law: An Act Declaring the Rights
and Liberties of the Subject and Settling the Succession of the Crown.
Internet
Modern History Sourcebook: Enlightenment
A major collection of links to the most famous people, documents,
ideas and events of the Enlightenment.
Liberty
Library of Constitutional Classics
The site is an extensive list, many with links to the actual full
text, of classic books and other works on constitutional government.
The
Age of Enlightenment: Paintings
The Enlightenment produced its own style of painting, and you can
see some examples at this web site.
Rousseau,
Jean-Jacques: The Social Contract
One of the major writings of the Enlightenment, which affected
the American system of government.
Voltaire:
A Treatise on Toleration
Another of the major writings of the Enlightenment, which affected
the American system of government.
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.
Historical
Documents of Great Britain
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.
Plato's
Apology
This online edition of Plato's Apology is an excellent resource
in the development of the concept of Democracy in Ancient Greece.
Plato
(Perseus Encyclopedia)
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.
Aristotle
(Perseus Encyclopedia)
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.
The Glorious
Revolution Definition
From the Columbia Encyclopedia: Sixth Edition, a brief description
of this important occurrence in the history of democratic rights.
The Glorious Revolution
of 1688
From the University of Georgia of comes this special site devoted
to Great Britain's "Glorious Revolution of 1688." A very thorough and well-organized
resource, including an encyclopedia, chronology, quotations and other helpful
information.
Glorious Revolution
Basic explanation of the "Glorious Revolution" in England of the
seventeenth century, with links to additional information.
The
"Glorious Revolution"
Helpful, brief overview of the "Glorious Revolution" in England,
with links to related information and people who were part of it.
The Glorious
Revolution Era (1675-1692)
Outlines the events and people in the U.S. during the Glorious
Revolution that was occurring in England.
St. Thomas
More
Biographical and philosophical information on St. Thomas More,
of England. This information is taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia on
the Web.
John
Locke: Essays
Essays by British philosopher, John Locke: Concerning Civil Government,
and An Essay Concerning The True Original Extent and End of Civil Government.
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here to go back to the top of the page
Declaring Independence, and The Constitution
Declaring
Independence
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.
The
Constitution
Exhibition with information about the many parts of the Constitution,
including its history and the people involved. The complete text of the
Constitution and its amendments are available there as well. There is a
nice section with biographies
of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention.
Exploring
The Constitution of the United States
From the U.S. House of Representatives comes this site dedicated
to helping students understand the basic ideas and features of the U.S.
Constitution. The section How
the Constitution Overcame Weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation
is especially helpful, with many concise examples.
The
Founders' Constitution
"An an invaluable aid to all those seeking a deeper understanding
of one of our nation's most important legal documents. This is an anthology
of reasons and of the political arguments that thoughtful men and women
drew from, and used to support, those reasons. The documents included range
from the early seventeenth century to the 1830s, from the reflections of
philosophers to popular pamphlets, from public debates in ratifying conventions
to the private correspondence of the leading political actors of the day."
About
the Constitution of the United States
A nice collection of 18th Century links to the important documents
that were used by those who wrote the U.S. Constitution. Includes the constitutions
and charters of other colonies, as well as the Federalist Papers.
Search
The Constitution
Allows searching of The U.S. Constitution by keyword, or browse
by article and amendment.
Documents
from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention
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.
Intelligence
in the War of Independence
The Central Intelligence Agency has made a special presentation
available on how spying (military intelligence) played a part in the U.S.
Revolutionary War.
De
Tocqueville: The Federal Constitution
A chapter from the great commentary, Democracy In America, by Alexis
de Tocqueville, the French writer who visited America shortly after its
founding.
U.S.
Historic Documents 1750-1800
Historic Documents from the United States from 1750-1800, at the
University of Kansas Electronic Library.
The
Constitution: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates 1774-1875
Beginning with the Continental Congress in 1774, America's national
legislative bodies have kept records of their proceedings. The records
of the Continental Congress, the Constitutional Convention, and the United
States Congress make up a rich documentary history of the construction
of the nation and the development of the federal government and its role
in the national life. These documents record American history in the words
of those who built our government.
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The
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
An online set of resources related to the entire subject of philosophy,
including biographies of the famous philosophers.
Stanford
Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Another place to find out about philosophy.
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Updated by the C.H.S. Library Webmaster: 2-7-2005