Primary sources: United States History to 1865

Contains primary documents from American exploration from 1000 to 1844. Click on "Find a Document" to see the extensive list

"Comprises 253 published narratives by Americans and foreign visitors recounting their travels in the colonies and the United States and their observations and opinions about American peoples, places, and society from about 1750 to 1920"

To find primary source documents, click on the desired era or topic, then click "Documents". Evaluate the document to determine if it is a primary source.

Click on "Archive" to see a listing of primary source documents about America 1492-1840

"The Printed Ephemera collection at the Library of Congress is a rich repository of Americana. In total, the collection comprises 28,000 primary-source items dating from the seventeenth century to the present and encompasses key events and eras in American history."

Transcribed primary source documents from Jamestown 1570-1720

Digital versions of primary source documents pertaining to the American Revolution

Select newspaper articles about the American Revolution

Contains important documents related to the founding of America, including the Constitution, Washington's Farewell Address and the Articles of Confederation

IMPORTANT: Click "List of supporting documents" (on the right side of most pages) to see primary source documents from 1774-1776 pertaining to the American Revolution. It is up to you to determine if you are reading a primary source document

Contains links to some of this country's most important documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Louisiana Purchase

Links to major documents and treaties