Student Site

Chapter 5: The British Empire and the Colonial Crisis, 1754-1775

Links

    Britannia History Online: The Age of Empire
http://www.britannia.com/history/h80.html
"A collection of materials related to The Age of Empire in Britain from 1689 to 1901. Presented by Britannia Online, the site contains biographies of political leaders, a compact but thorough narrative of the period, and key documents on the American Revolution including Edmund Burke's 'Speech on Conciliation with America' (1775), the king's 'Proclamation of Rebellion' (1775), and the 'Contract Between the King and the Colonies' (1783)."*

    The Boston Massacre, 
"Two very different accounts of the Boston Massacre, narrated by Captain Thomas Preston and by an anonymous bystander. These two documents reveal the objectivity of historical "fact" and the importance of examining and comparing primary sources. Preston's account gives the British soldiers' perspective on the American mob, while the bystander decries the soldiers' conduct and defends the Americans' actions."*

    Thomas Paine (1737-1809), http://history.hanover.edu/18th/paine.htm
"A collection of Thomas Paine's works. Created by the History Department at Hanover College, the site includes the full text of 'Common Sense,' as well as of 'The Age of Reason,' 'The Existence of God,' and 'The Origins of Free-Masonry'."*

* sv. "Links",  http://bedfordstmartins.com/tap/

Primary Documents

    The Boston Massacre: Boston Gazette and Country Journal, March 12, 1770

    Anonymous Account of the Boston Massacre

    Captain Thomas Preston's account of the Boston Massacre, 13 March 1770

    Daniel Dulany,"Considerations on the Propriety of Imposing Taxes in the British Colonies, for the Purpose of rasing a Revenue, by Act of Parliament"

    Soame Jenyns, "The Objections to the Taxation of our American Colonies by the Legislature of Great Britain, briefly consider'd."

    The Albany Plan of Union, 1754

    The Administration of Justice Act 1774

    The Currency Act of 1764

    The Declaratory Act, 1766

    The Massachusetts Government Act, 1774

    Jonathan Mayhew: A Discourse Concerning Unlimited Submission and Non-Resistance to the Higher Powers

    The Quartering Act, 1765

    The Quebec Act, 1774

    Stamp Act, 1765

    Sugar Act, 1764

    Tea Act of 1773

    The Townshend Act, 1767

    Boston Port Act, 1774

    Considerations on the Nature and Extent of the Legislative Authority of the British Parliament, James Wilson, 1774

    Pitt's speech on the Stamp Act

    The Continental Congress’ Declaration of Rights and Grievances, Journal of the Stamp-Act Congress, October 19, 1765

    Stamp Act Congress, Resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress October 19, 1765

    FOR ADDITIONAL PRIMARY DOCUMENTS

Created by the History Dept. at East Tennessee State University 2002