America and the Six Nations: Native Americans after the Revolution

Through his 1790 speech, how does Seneca Chief Cornplanter reflect the shifting political landscape Native Americans faced following the American Revolution?

America, the Creeks, and Other Southeastern Tribes

America, the Creeks, and Other Southeastern Tribes

What challenges faced the United States in 1789 as it sought to negotiate with the Creeks and other Native American nations of the Southeast?

James Madison Debates a Bill of Rights

What doubts, concerns, and misgivings arose during the development of the Bill of Rights?

After Shays’ Rebellion

How did the aftermath of Shays’ Rebellion reflect the republican nature of the American government, especially the right to vote?

Citizen Leadership in the Young Republic

What qualities of citizen leadership did John Adams consider essential to sustain and nurture the new republic?

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, 1776

How did Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense convince reluctant Americans to abandon the goal of reconciliation with Britain and accept that separation from Britain — independence — was the only option for preserving their liberty?

Abigail Adams and “Remember the Ladies”

How does Abigail Adams’s famous appeal to “Remember the Ladies” reflect the status of women in eighteenth-century America?

Lexington and Concord: Tipping Point of the Revolution

How did the Battles of Lexington and Concord change the character of American resistance to British rule?

Patrick Henry and “Give Me Liberty!”

What arguments, appeals, and rhetorical strategies did Patrick Henry use in 1775 to persuade reluctant members of the Second Virginia Convention to develop a military response to British aggression?

The American Revolution as Civil War

How did the American Revolution manifest itself as a civil war, turning neighbors into enemies?

Benjamin Franklin’s Satire of Witch Hunting

How does Benjamin Franklin’s satire of a witch trial argue that human affairs should be guided by reason?