Primary Source Spotlight: Three-Fifths Compromise & the Northwest Ordinance

Primary Source Spotlight: Three-Fifths Compromise & the Northwest Ordinance

Three-Fifths Compromise U.S. Constitution Article I Section 2 Clause 3 Fragment of an original letter on the slavery of the negroes; written in the year 1776, by Thomas Day, Esq James Madison correspondence related to slavery Madison Debates, Avalon Project June 11, 1787 July 11, 1787 July 12, 1787 August 8, 1787 August 25, 1787…

Timely Connections: James Madison & Slavery

Timely Connections: James Madison & Slavery

In an opinion piece for the New York Times, Noah Feldman, a Harvard law professor and the author of the book The Three Lives of James Madison: Genius, Partisan, President, discusses the dichotomies between Madison’s moral views of slavery and his actions. Delving into the past, he contends, can provide us with lessons in racism for…

Primary Source Spotlight: Alexander Hamilton

Primary Source Spotlight: Alexander Hamilton

Today in History: Alexander Hamilton background information & select primary sources Alexander Hamilton Papers collection Alexander Hamilton primary source set & teacher’s guide Alexander Hamilton image set Alexander Hamilton items in the Creating the United States online exhibition Report of the Committee of Detail with annotations by Alexander Hamilton Report of the Committee of Style…

Today in History: War of 1812

Today in History: War of 1812

Today in History–June 18–the Library of Congress features the War of 1812. On this date in 1812 President James Madison signed a declaration of war against Great Britain. Reasons for the war included frustration with Britain’s maritime practices and their support of Native American resistance to western expansion as well as a desire to conquer Canada. The war lingered on…

Primary Source Spotlight: Slavery (U.S.)

Primary Source Spotlight: Slavery (U.S.)

Library slavery collections Slave narratives Frederick Douglass primary source set Frances Ann Kemble primary source set Books Correspondence & early texts Other texts Legislation Slavery newspapers Slavery maps Slave song recordings Slavery sheet music Slavery image set Slavery political cartoons PSN curated primary source collections related to slavery Library blog posts related to slavery Primary Source…

Today in History: Nullification Crisis

Today in History: Nullification Crisis

Today in History–January 13–the Library of Congress features the Nullification Crisis. On this date in 1833, President Andrew Jackson wrote his new president Vice President Martin Van Buren affirming his commitment to preventing South Carolina’s defiance of federal authority by nullifying national tariff laws. The Nullification Crisis began in November, 1832 when South Carolina nullified a federal tariff. On December 10, 1832…

Today in History: The Bill of Rights

Today in History: The Bill of Rights

Today in History–December 15–the Library of Congress features the Bill of Rights, ratified on this day in 1791. Did you know that, originally, 12 amendments were proposed? The original first amendment dealt with the number of people each congressional district should have and the second with congressional pay; neither was ratified but the latter did become…