It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results.
Primary Sources: American Revolution: General - Online
primary sources on the American Revolution (1775–1783)
This module consists of 26 collections from the holdings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, the first North American historical society and the first library to devote its primary attention to collecting Americana. The collections digitized by ProQuest from the holdings of the Massachusetts Historical Society focus on the Colonial Era, the Revolutionary War, and the Early National Period, with some collections extending into the Civil War era. Among the collections on the Colonial Era, one notable collection is the Pre-Revolutionary Diaries, 1635-1774. This collection consists of 276 diaries written by 112 people. Taken together, these diaries provide a rich portrait of life in America before the American Revolution. Highlights of the Revolutionary War and Early National Period are the Benjamin Lincoln Papers, Revere Family Papers, Elbridge Gerry Papers, and Artemas Ward Papers.
"This website, created by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation with support from a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, draws upon Colonial Williamsburg's eighteenth-century collections to provide visitors a unique opportunity to explore the rich interconnected nature of life in a revolutionary world. "
"The Online Library of Liberty is particularly strong in its collection of material covering the American Revolution, the creation of the Constitution, and the Early Republic. This reflects the interest the Liberty Fund has in the ideals of individual liberty and limited government and the belief that these ideals motivated the men and women who took part in the creation of the American Republic. Many of the books listed below are published in book form by Liberty Fund and we are very pleased to be able to make them, and other important titles, available online."
Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society contains a variety of letters, diaries and other papers relating to early America and the Revolution; mainly focused on New England colonies, but other colonies are also mentioned.
"By investigating the lives and events recorded in newspapers, official documents and personal correspondence from our collection, you will immerse yourself in the past and discover the fears, friction and turmoil that shaped these tumultuous times. "
The Massachusetts Historical Society
"In this unique anthology, Philip B. Kurland and Ralph Lerner draw on the writings of a wide array of people engaged in the problem of making popular government safe, steady, and accountable. 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."
"Correspondence and Other Writings of Seven Major Shapers of the United States:
George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams (and family), Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison. Over 184,000 searchable documents, fully annotated, from the authoritative Founding Fathers Papers projects."
"The digital collections of the Library of Congress contain a wide variety of material associated with the American Revolution, including manuscripts, broadsides, government documents, books, and maps. This guide compiles links to digital materials related to the American Revolution that are available throughout the Library of Congress Web site. In addition, it provides links to external Web sites focusing on the American Revolution and a bibliography containing selections for both general and younger readers."
"include the Archive of Early American Images, the Map Collection, and the Political Cartoon Collection. These image collections assist scholars in their quest for contemporary images to illustrate their research and to facilitate the study of historical images in their own right. They are also a unique resource for picture researchers, documentary filmmakers, and others looking for material for commercial use. Many of these American images have never been reproduced before."
"Many factors contributed to the eventual success of the American colonies as they revolted against British rule. American leadership, the timely support of international allies, and international respect and recognition played major roles in the struggle for independence. Several documents and engravings held by the National Archives help to illustrate these important factors that led to the founding of the United States. "
"MAKING THE REVOLUTION presents an expansive collection of primary sources to enhance classroom study of the American Revolutionary period from 1763 to 1791 (the end of the French and Indian War to the adoption of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights). Many of the resources have not been available before in an open collection for classroom use." America in Class® from the National Humanities Center
"TeachingAmericanHistory.org is a project of the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University. The Ashbrook Center is an independent, non-partisan non-profit, the mission of which is to restore and strengthen the capacities of the American people for constitutional self-government. To fulfill this mission, Ashbrook offers educational programs for students, teachers, and citizens."
"The Skipwith Revolutionary War Collection consists primarily of the papers of Nathanael Greene, Major-General of the Continental Army. During the latter years of the war, Greene commanded the Southern Army, which had suffered from weaker commanders."
"The digital images of historical documents in this archive preserve the words of hundreds of eyewitnesses to the American Revolution in and around New York City. The letters, newspapers, broadsides, legal records, and maps presented here record events from the early years of the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam through the British occupation of the city during the Revolution. Here you can explore the history of New York through the words of those who lived it… "
