The large, bold woodcut image of a supplicant male slave in chains appears on the 1837 broadside publication of John Greenleaf Whittier's antislavery poem, "Our Countrymen in Chains." The design was originally adopted as the seal of the Society for the Abolition of Slavery in England in the 1780s, and appeared on several medallions for the society made by Josiah Wedgwood as early as 1787. Here, in addition to Whittier's poem, the appeal to conscience against slavery continues with two further quotes. The first is the scriptural warning, "He that stealeth a man and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. "Exod[us] XXI, 16." Next the claim, "England has 800,000 Slaves, and she has made them free. America has 2,250,000! and she holds them fast!!!!" The broadside is advertised at "Price Two Cents Single; or $1.00 per hundred.|N.Y. sold at the Anti-Slavery Office, 144 Nassau St. 1837.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Wedgwood Portraits and the American Revolution, p. 116-117.|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1837-16.

An allegorical illustration on the cover of a patriotic song, dedicated to the "National Guards of Philadelphia." A pronouncedly decollete Columbia or Liberty figure sits astride a bald eagle which flies over the globe. The eagle clutches lightning bolts and an olive branch in its talons, while Columbia holds a scroll (probably the Constitution) and an American flag.|Entered . . . 1859 by Lewis Dela . . . Pennsylvania.|Lewis N. Rosenthal Lith. Phila.|Philadelphia, Lee & Walker, 722 Chestnut Street.|The Library's copy of the music cover was deposited for copyright on September 15, 1859.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1859-2.

This site contains links to thousands of the most famous documentary photographs ever produced. The Farm Security Administrations's photographs cover the Great Depression, while the Office of War Administration's photographs look at the mobilization effort for World War II.

An advertisement announcing publication of the "American Citizen," a short-lived nativist newspaper. The broadside is illustrated with an elaborate and venomous anti-Catholic scene. At left a temple of Liberty stands on a mound labeled "Constitution and Laws." At the foot of the hill is a gathering of native Americans, including sailors, farmers, soldiers, and a Revolutionary War veteran. They hold banners emblazoned with such mottoes as "The Bible The Cornerstone of Liberty," "Beware of Foreign Influence," "None But Americans Shall Rule America," and "Education, Morality, and Religion." Other banners bear the names of sites of great revolutionary battles. In the background are a harbor with ships and the skyline of a city. In contrast, an unruly contingent of foreigners, mostly Irish, alight from a newly landed ship at right. The ship, "from Cork," bears the papal coat of arms. The foreigners carry banners reading, "We Are Bound to Carry Out the Pious Intentions of His Holiness the Pope," "Americans Shant Rule Us!!" and "Fradom of Spache and Action!" Among them are several clerics, a drunken mother with several children, and a few unkempt ruffians. One of the newcomers (lower right) beats a man with a club. In the distance, across the ocean, the basilica of St. Peter's in Rome is visible. From it issues a giant basilisk wearing the pope's crown, which is seized by a large hand from above. A commentary is provided in the lengthy continuation of the title: "Already the enemies of our dearest institutions, like the foreign spies in the Trojan horse of old, are within our gates. They are disgorging themselves upon us, at the rate of Hundreds of Thousands Every Year! They aim at nothing short of conquest and supremacy over us." Below the illustration the text states that the "American Patriot" favors "protection of American Mechanics Against Foreign Pauper Labor. Foreigners having a residence in the country of 21 years before voting, Our present Free School System, and Carrying out the laws of the State, as regards sending back Foreign Paupers and Criminals." The paper opposes "Papal Agression & Roman Catholicism, Foreigners holding office, Raising Foreign Military Companies in the United States, Nunneries and Jesuits, To being taxed for the support of Foreign paupers millions of dollars yearly To secret Foreign Orders in the U.S." |The Patriot is published by J.E. Farwell & Co., 32 Congress St., Boston, and for sale at the Periodical Depots in this place.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Purchase; Caroline and Erwin Swann Memorial Fund.|Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1852-3.

This class examines how and why twentieth-century Americans came to define the ‰ŰĎgood life‰Ű through consumption, leisure, and material abundance. We will explore how such things as department stores, nationally advertised brand-name goods, mass-produced cars, and suburbs transformed the American economy, society, and politics. The course is organized both thematically and chronologically. Each period deals with a new development in the history of consumer culture. Throughout we explore both celebrations and critiques of mass consumption and abundance.

This website is devoted to exploring American fascination with Egypt and its history. Primary Source documents can be found by browsing the Historical Sources page or by searching through the advanced search page. Secondary literature that addresses topics such as art & architecture, history, literature, religion, and science can be browsed through the scholarship page. The web resources page contains a list of helpful websites related to the topics of the site and the search page is an advanced search that allows users to search for specific items and articles.

A patriotic, Unionist sheet music illustration. Liberty stands on a pedestal, wearing a Phrygian cap, a white tunic over a long gown emblazoned with stars, and a red sash. She holds a sword in her right hand and a staff with American flag in her left.|Entered according to Act of Congress by Charles S. Stoddard.|Gilmour & Dean, Litho.|The Library's copy of the music sheet was deposited for copyright by Charles S. Stoddard on April 18, 1862.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1862-4.

This course provides a basic history of American social, economic, and political development from the colonial period through the Civil War. It examines the colonial heritages of Spanish and British America; the American Revolution and its impact; the establishment and growth of the new nation; and the Civil War, its background, character, and impact. Readings include writings of the period by J. Winthrop, T. Paine, T. Jefferson, J. Madison, W. H. Garrison, G. Fitzhugh, H. B. Stowe, and A. Lincoln.

This site consists of 59 sound recordings of speeches by American leaders at the turn of the century. Speakers include Warren G. Harding, James Cox, Calvin Coolidge, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Samuel Gompers, Henry Cabot Lodge, and John J. Pershing.

An illustrated sheet music cover for a patriotic song by Freeman Scott. The title appears on a striped shield with laurel and oak branches below and a flag, liberty pole and cap, spears, and bundled fasces (symbolic of unity) behind.|Entered . . . 1850 by M. Keller & J. Neff . . . Eastern District of Philadelphia.|Philadelphia Mathias Keller & J. Neff . . . Baltimore W. C. Peters.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1850-3.

This site presents 2,900 life histories from 300 writers from 24 states. These histories describe individuals' families, incomes, occupations, political views, religions, diets, and observations.

An illustrated sheet music cover for a Whig campaign song, "The American Marseillaise," composed by Benjamin Cahill to mark the July 4, 1844, Boston Clay rally. In keeping with the title and the occasion of the piece the artist evokes the memory of the Revolution, and draws a parallel between George Washington and Whig presidential candidate Henry Clay. Oval medallion portraits of Washington (left) and Clay (right) are suspended by ribbons decorated with wreaths or leaf clusters. From each oval hang the tendrils of a vine. The ribbons are held by an eagle (center) and are labeled "Pater et Fili" (i.e., father and son), referring to Washington and Clay respectively. Below the eagle is a view of Boston and its harbor with the Bunker Hill Monument obelisk (its size considerably exaggerated) surrounded by crowds of troops and people.|Entered . . . 1844 by B. Cahill.|The Library's copy of the cover was deposited for copyright on July 3, 1844.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1844-11.

This site helps teachers and students navigate the vast online collections of primary source materials at the Library of Congress. The links, arranged by chronological period, lead to sets of selected primary sources on a variety of topics in U.S. history.

American Memory provides free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience. It is a digital record of American history and creativity. These materials, from the collections of the Library of Congress and other institutions, chronicle historical events, people, places, and ideas that continue to shape America, serving the public as a resource for education and lifelong learning.

This site provides 253 narratives describing travels in the colonies and U.S. The collection includes works by authors not widely known as well as by Matthew Arnold, James Fenimore Cooper, Dickens, Washington Irving, Sir Charles Lyell, Robert Louis Stevenson, and other major figures. The collection is searchable and can be browsed by not only by author and title, but also by subject.

On the cover of a patriotic song dedicated to Lincoln's secretary of the navy Gideon Welles Uncle Sam rides a "ram," or ironclad steam vessel, down the Mississippi River. The Library's copy of the music cover was deposited for copyright on August 22, 1863, soon after two decisive Union victories on the Mississippi: Vicksburg (July 4) and Port Hudson (July 9). Welles was responsible for ushering the Union navy into the age of ironclad steamers. Several lines of verse on the cover praise the ironclad rams as "shaking the world with rampant dismay! Iron-harnessed, steam-driven, t sweeps o'er the sea, Our American Rampart, the shield of the free!" |Entered . . . 1863 by H. Tolman & Co. . . . Mass.|Published by Henry Tolman & Co. 291 Washington St.|Signed: Green, eng. (Probably Henry F. Green or Greene).|Title appeas as it is written on the item.|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1863-11.

presents a travel itinerary of 58 historic places across Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It includes forts built to protect mail routes and settlers, missions and churches, prehistoric cliff dwellings, trading posts, petroglyphs (from the petrified forest), pit house villages, and Indian villages home to the Anasazi, Sinagua, Zuni, and other Native American tribes.

A critical look at Irish Repeal movement leader Daniel O'Connell's condemnation of slavery in the United States. Clay portrays O'Connell's agitation against slavery as an affront to American friends of repeal, who contributed sizable amounts of money for "rent" to support the insurgent movement in Ireland. Conversely, Clay also portrays English-supported American abolitionists as inimical to repeal. In the cartoon is an effeminately dressed Robert Tyler, son and personal secretary to John Tyler, as well as a published poet and repeal advocate. Armed with his "Epitaph on Robert Emmet" (an earlier Irish patriot) and "Ahaseurus" (his religious poem, published in 1842) young Tyler presents O'Connell to his father. Robert Tyler proclaims, "Mr. O'Connell this is my Father, he is a great friend to repeal and when he is re elected he will give you his "mite." I am his Son and though I've got no money I've a great deal of Poetry in me--I have begun Robert Emmet's epitaph-from the sale of which I have no doubt I shall be able to send a large Army to Ireland." President Tyler, rising from his chair, says, "Welcome Mr. O'Connell! I'm just what Bobby says I am--I am all for repeal no halfway man but go the whole figure you jolly old Beggar." O'Connell wears knee-breeches and a hat decorated with a republican cockade and a clay pipe. He holds a club marked "Agitation" and a sack "Repale Rint" (i.e., "repeal rent"), and retorts, "Arrah! give up your Slaves I'd rather shake hands wid a pick-pocket than wid a Slave Holder, and if we ge our repale we'll set em all free before you can say Pathernoster--I dont want any of your blood-stained money!" An abolitionist resembling William Lloyd Garrison, with a document "Petition to Tyler to emancipate his slaves" under his arm, touches O'Connell's shoulder. He reassures the Irishman, "Friend Daniel, we will join you in all your views. your cause and ours is one only we dont want to meddle with Irish repeal for fear we may lose our English friends." On the left a black house slave standing beside Tyler's chair adds "By jolly I wish Massa Harry Clay [Kentucky senator Henry Clay] was here--Dis dam low Irishman not dare talk to him dat way!"|Entered . . . 1843 by H.R. Robinson.|H.R. Robinson 142 Nassau St. New York, Lithy in all its branches.|Signed with monogram: EWC (Edward Williams Clay).|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Weitenkampf, p. 71.|Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1843-2.

Dime novels written by women were once enormously popular with their readers, but the genre has been neglected for most of its history by scholars, collectors, and libraries. The genre suffers from the double burden of being both popular and written for working-class women. This project hopes to overcome the history of oversight to both the form and its readers by providing information about the novels themselves, the authors, the readers, and nineteenth century public reaction.
This site is a source of information about women’s dime novels and includes primary sources on dime novels, biographies for lesser-known authors, lists of relevant archival collections and cover art.

The American Yawp constructs a coherent and accessible narrative from all the best of recent historical scholarship. Without losing sight of politics and power, it incorporates transnational perspectives, integrates diverse voices, recovers narratives of resistance, and explores the complex process of cultural creation. It looks for America in crowded slave cabins, bustling markets, congested tenements, and marbled halls. It navigates between maternity wards, prisons, streets, bars, and boardrooms. Whitman’s America, like ours, cut across the narrow boundaries that strangle many narratives. Balancing academic rigor with popular readability, The American Yawp offers a multi-layered, democratic alternative to the American past.