Websites

American Colonist's Library: Primary Source Documents Pertaining to Early American History

"An invaluable collection of historical works which contributed to the formation of American politics, culture, and ideals." - Intro. This comprehensive site has texts ranging from classical philosophers and works of the Renaissance to letters of settlers, colonial documents, and the writings of prominent personalities such as Samuel Adams and Benjamin Franklin - a treasure house of primary sources.

Colonial Williamsburg History

Viewers can explore early American life virtually in this Colonial Williamsburg Foundation History site. Resources on clothing, gardens, fifes & drums, archaeology, colonial living, children, the African American experience, and biographies are featured.

First English Settlement in the New World [The Lost Colony]

"Truly heroic was the Roanoke Island colonial venture. Here, despite the hostility of Spain and Spanish Florida, the greatest naval and colonial power of that day, the agents of Sir Walter Raleigh and the subjects of Queen Elizabeth suffered, or died, in the first serious effort to begin the conquest of the larger part of the North American continent." - Intro. The North Carolina State Library produced this unadorned, straightforward story of the Lost Colony.

Plymouth Colony Archive Project: Archives and Analysis

"Presents a collection of searchable texts, including court records, Colony laws, 17th century texts, research and seminar analysis of various topics, biographical profiles of selected colonists, probate inventories, wills, maps, town and fort plans, architectural and material culture studies." - Intro. Hosted by the University of Illinois. 

Spanish Exploration and Conquest of Native America

Cabeza de Vaca, Hernando de Soto and Francisco Coronado explored deep into North America during the 1530s. This site follows their trails to villages which became our cities. You can type a place name in the Search Bar to find it within the texts. Numerous historic and modern visuals, such as maps and pictures, are interspersed throughout the commentary which draws heavily on the original writings.

The Avalon Project at Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy

This authoritive site has an extensive collection of digitized versions of significant primary source documents from pre-18th through 21st century documents. The list of documents is organized by centuries. Within the documents, many links have been added to take you from one document to another. Searches can be done by author, subject, title or event.

Virtual Jamestown

Virtual Jamestown is a product of Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia. It examines all aspects of Colonial Jamestown through maps, images, court records, labor contracts, letters, state papers, company records, artifacts, and newspapers. Interpretive essays, teaching resources, and bibliographies are included.

Maintained by the staff of the Social Science & History Department, State Library Resource Center, Enoch Pratt Free Library