American History Following The Revolution

      The Constitutional Convention and The Constitution

      The Founding Fathers
      Delegates to the Constitutional Convention. On February 21, 1787, the Continental Congress resolved that:... it is expedient that on the second Monday in May next a Convention of delegates who shall have been appointed by the several States be held at Philadelphia for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation...
      The Miracle At Philadelphia
      Description of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 as a news reporter would write it.
      About the Constitution of the United States
      Article from the Library of Congress: "The Constitution defines the fundamental law of the United States federal government, setting forth the three principal branches of the federal government, outlining their jurisdictions, and propounding the basic rights of U.S. citizens."
      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. Items include extracts of the journals of Congress, resolutions, proclamations, committee reports, and treaties. Broadsides range in length from 1 to 28 pages. Most are one page in length.
      Search Historic Documents
      A single search engine will search through these important historic "constitutional" documents: The U.S. Constitution, The Bill of Rights, and the Amendments to the Constitution.

      Before the Civil War, and General Resources

      Eighteenth Century Studies
      This collection archives works of the eighteenth century from the perspectives of literary and cultural studies. Novels, plays, memoirs, treatises and poems of the period are kept here (in some cases, influential texts from before 1700 or after 1800 as well), along with modern criticism.
      Nineteenth Century Resources
      A Gopher site with a large number of links to full-text documents related to people and events of the Nineteenth Century.
      The Making of America
      Making of America (MOA) is a digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction. The collection is particularly strong in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology. It contains approximately 1,600 books and 50,000 journal articles from the 19th century, a major endeavor in preservation and electronic access to historical texts.
      From Revolution to Reconstruction
      Online texts in American History, with links to many primary sources.
      Jefferson Quotes on Politics & Government
      A large collection of Thomas Jefferson's quotes on Politics & Government, with links to other Web Pages of interest to the basic ideas of democracy and government. Has over 1,500 excerpts from Jefferson's writings.
      U.S. Historic Documents
      Historic Documents from the United States, at the University of Kansas Electronic Library.
      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.
      1790-1860: Historical, Social, Economic, and Demographic Data
      "The data here describe the people and economy of the United States between 1790 and 1860. Data are available for any county in most states during this time period." You may search this database for information on the U.S. Census results for each decade. Requires completion of various forms.
      A History of American Agriculture: 1776-1990
      Chart following eleven major themes of agricultural history in the U.S., decade by decade. Click on the theme/decade to see what major events and developments happened. Provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
      Documenting the American South
      Most information about nineteenth-century America comes from Northerners. This database presents primary source materials documenting the cultural history of the American South from the viewpoint of Southerners. It offers diaries, autobiographies, travel accounts, titles on slavery and regional literature drawn from the splendid Southern holdings of the UNC--CH Academic Affairs Library.
      Antebellum Richmond
      Links that describe life in Richmond, Virginia, during the time just prior to the Civil War. Includes descriptions of various areas of life during slavery in this city of the Old South.
      The 1831-32 Virginia General Assembly Debate: Abolition of Slavery
      "The debate on abolition that occurred in the 1831-32 session of the Virginia General Assembly is pointed to by most historians as a turning point in the history of slavery, abolitionism, the South, and the United States as a whole." By Corey McLellan , University of Virginia.

      The Alamo

      The Alamo: Hours That Changed History
      A major site for studying and finding out about The Alamo. Information on the people and events, both Mexican, Texan, and American.
      Texas, Texans, and the Alamo: An Online Exhibit
      This exhibit is from The University of Texas at Austin, Center for American History, to promote The Center's Barker Texas History collection. Includes pictures and other images related to The Alamo.
      Remember the Alamo
      Although a bit of history about the Alamo is included, most of this page is devoted to modern changes in and around the historic site. Includes some helpful historic images of The Alamo.

      Civil War and Related Resources

      The U. S. Civil War Center
      A clearinghouse of Web Pages related to the U.S. Civil War.
      Rare Map Collection - American Civil War
      The University of Georgia offers an excellent collection of over 30 historic maps related to the U.S. Civil War battlefields and locations.
      Maps and Exhibits: The American Civil War
      Includes a big collection of battle maps listed by state and date. Also has a yearly timeline of major events and battles. Lots of other information too. Explore!
      Slavery Abolition Resources
      A comprehensive set of links related to the study of the Abolitionist movement, and the surrounding historical period.
      Civil War Information
      Civil War Information, Documents, and Archive. Lots of useful and interesting information, including images of photos.
      Selected Civil War Photographs,1861-1865
      The famed Brady photos from the Library of Congress, contains 1,118 photographs. Most of the images were made under the supervision of Mathew B. Brady, and include scenes of military personnel, preparations for battle, and battle after-effects. The collection also includes portraits of both Confederate and Union officers, and a selection of enlisted men.
      Civil War in Pennsylvania and Virginia
      The Valley of the Shadow: Living the Civil War in Pennsylvania and Virginia. A hypertext portrayal of communities on two sides of the Civil War.
      Lincoln's First Inaugural Address
      The national upheaval of secession was a grim reality at Abraham Lincoln's inauguration. Jefferson Davis had been inaugurated as the President of the Confederacy two weeks earlier. The former Illinois Congressman had arrived in Washington by a secret route to avoid danger, and his movements were guarded by General Winfield Scott's soldiers.
      Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address
      Thousands of spectators stood in thick mud at the Capitol grounds to hear the President. As he stood on the East Portico to take the executive oath, the completed Capitol dome over the President's head was a physical reminder of the resolve of his Administration throughout the years of civil war. Chief Justice Salmon Chase administered the oath of office. In little more than a month, the President would be assassinated.
      Making of America
      A digital library documenting American social history between 1850 - 1877 will be selected, scanned, and made available. When this project is completed approximately 5,000 volumes with imprints will be available. Many are now offered as scanned images (not searchable test).
      The History Net
      Commercial organization with several online magazines devoted to history, and in particular, past wars (WWI, WWI, Vietnam, etc.). Features eyewitness accounts!

      General Post-War Resources

      WPA Life Histories Project
      Note: This is a searchable database. For ex-slave narratives, or those touched by the war, enter "civil war", "slave", or "objector" or other term in the Query box, and press "Run Query".
      Panoramic Maps, 1847-1921
      From the Library of Congress: "The panoramic map was a popular cartographic form used to depict U.S. and Canadian cities and towns during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Known also as bird's-eye views, perspective maps, and aero views, panoramic maps are nonphotographic representations of cities portrayed as if viewed from above at an oblique angle."
      Taking the Long View: Panoramic Photographs, ca. 1851-1991.
      From the Library of Congress: About 4,000 panoramic views of American main streets, landscapes, bathing beauties, disasters, and other events. Broad topics: cities and towns, scenic views, group portraits, schools, fairs and expositions, agriculture, industry, engineering work, military activities, transportation, and sports.
      The Gallery of the Open Frontier
      The Gallery of the Open Frontier is a digital image library of photos, paintings, and drawings that pertain to the history of the American West. This online resource, drawn initially from the primary collections of the National Archives, is being designed by the University of Nebraska Press. This database includes the name of the photographer, painter, or engraver, et alia; the date of its creation; the subject; the locale; etc.
      Images from the Philippine-United States War.
      A collection of photos taken during the Philippine-United States War. Includes cartoons from magazines, and pictures of the key persons of the conflict.
       
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