Chapter I: Foreword

Early American history is especially suited for "source work" in secondary schools and undergraduate college classes. After the year 1800, there are too many documents and many of them are too long. The student can get no systematic survey nor any sense of continuity; and source work is therefore merely illustrative of particular incidents. But, for the early period, it is possible, by careful selection and exclusion, to lay a basis for a fairly connected study.

To do this, it is necessary to combine in one volume selections which are usually grouped separately, as "Documents" and as "Readings,"--such, for instance, as the Massachusetts charter, on the one hand, and Winthrop's letters to his wife, on the other. Rigid scholarship may object to the inclusion of such different sorts of sources between the same covers. But students cannot be expected to own or use more than one volume of sources in American history; and the practical educational advantages of the combination seem to me to outweigh all possible objections--besides which, something might be said for the arrangement in itself, for young students, on the side of interest and convenience.

A number of admirable collections of sources for schools are already in use. And yet, in preparing my _American History and Government_,[1] I found no single volume which contained the different kinds of source material desirable for illustration, while much of the most valuable material was still inaccessible in any collection. Some two-thirds of the selections in the present volume, I believe, have not previously appeared in Source Books; and, for many of the customary documents, I have found it desirable to print parts not usually given. Thus, for Gorges' Patent for Maine, instead of reproducing the territorial grant (which is all that is given in the only Source Book which touches on that document), I have chosen rather to give the portion authorizing a degree of popular self-government (the reference to the "parliament in New England").

In a few cases, documents which might have been expected are not given, because extracts from them are used freely in the _American History and Government_, to which this is a companion volume. The most important cases of this character are noted at appropriate points. In general, in the selection and arrangement of documents, special emphasis has been given to the following topics: (1) the idealistic motives back of American colonization in Virginia as well as in Puritan New England; (2) the evolution of political institutions in Virginia and in typical Northern colonies,--especially of representative government and of the town meeting, and of such details as the use of the ballot; (3) the very imperfect nature of democracy, political and social, in colonial America,--so that the student may better appreciate our later growth; (4) social conditions,--necessarily a rather fragmentary treatment; (5) the evolution of commonwealths out of colonies in the Revolution; and (6) the breakdown of the Confederation and the making of the Constitution.

Many typical documents are given entire. Other selections are excerpted carefully. In such cases, omissions are indicated, of course, and the substance of the omitted matter is usually indicated in brackets. In the case of a few selections, like those from Winthrop's _History_, the original document has already been published in standard editions with modernized spelling. Such editions have been followed. The text of all other documents has been reproduced faithfully, except for such departures as are authorized in the American Historical Association's _Suggestions for the Printing of Documents_; _i.e._, regarding the spelling out of abbreviations, and the modern usage for the consonantal _i_ and _u_, and the modernizing of punctuation when absolutely needful to prevent ambiguity. Some students may find a slight difficulty at first in the vagaries of seventeenth century orthography. But this difficulty is quickly surmounted; and, apart from the added flavor that comes from the quaintness of the original, and from the consciousness that the copy has been strictly adhered to, there is often a distinct historical advantage in the practice. The falling away in book-culture in the second generation of New England colonization can hardly be suggested so forcibly in any other way as by following the degeneration of spelling by town officials--as in the Watertown records in Number 83. The peculiarities of type in printed documents have been preserved so far as possible, but here I have taken a greater liberty than in any other matter of this kind. Italics and black-faced type have been introduced freely, to call attention to matter of special importance for instruction. Sometimes this practice has been noted in the respective introductions; and in other cases there will be little difficulty in deciding which passages owe their prominence of this sort to the editor.

I have tried also to add to the teaching value of the book by a free use of introductions to the various extracts, and by footnotes and addenda, with occasional "Hints for Study."

WILLIS MASON WEST.

WINDAGO FARM,
November, 1913.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NUMBER PAGE

I. England in the Century of Colonization

1. Classes of Englishmen; by William Harrison; from Holinshed's
_Chronicles_ (1577) 1

A. SOUTHERN COLONIES TO 1660

II. Motives for Early Colonization

2. Sir George Peckham's "True Report" (1582) of Gilbert's expedition;
from Richard Hakluyt's _Voyages and Discoveries
of the English Nation_ 4

3. Richard Hakluyt's _Discourse on Western Planting_ (1584);
from the _Maine Historical Society Collections_ 4

4. Michael Drayton's _Ode_ to the Virginian Voyage (1606) 7

5. "Goodspeed to Virginia" (1609); by Robert Gray; from
Brown's _Genesis of the United States_ 7

6. "Nova Britannia" (1609); anonymous; from Peter Force's
_Historical Tracts_ 10

7. The "True and Sincere Declaration" by the London Company
(1609), with a "Table of such [colonists] as are required";
from Brown's _Genesis of the United States_ 12

8. Marston's _Eastward Hoe!_ (1605) 15

9. Crashaw's "Daily Prayer" for use in Virginia (1609); from
Force's _Historical Tracts_ 15

10. Crashaw's "Sermon" before Lord Delaware's Expedition
(1610); from Brown's _Genesis of the United States_ 16

11. A letter by Sir Edwin Sandys (1612) to stockholders of the
London Company; from Neill's _Virginia and Virginiola_ 17

12. The glories of Virginia; from a letter from Sir Thomas Dale
(governor in Virginia) to Sir Thomas Smith (head of the
London Company), in 1613; from the _Records of the Virginia
Company of London_, edited by Susan Kingsbury 17

13. A defense of the London Company (declared not mercenary)
by Captain John Smith (1616); from Smith's _Generall
Historie of Virginia_ 18

14. A plea for colonization on patriotic and religious grounds
(1631), by Captain John Smith; _Works_ 18

III. Virginia (1606-1619), to the Introduction of Self-government

15. The charter of Sir Humphrey Gilbert (1578); from Hakluyt's
_Voyages and Discoveries_ 20

16. The Virginia charter of 1606; from the Appendix to Stith's
_History of Virginia_ 23

17. Instructions by King James to the London Company (November
20/30, 1606); from Hening's _Statutes at Large_ 29

18. Instructions from the Council of the Virginia Company to the
first Jamestown expedition (December, 1606); from Neill's
_Virginia Company_ 32

19. The early settlers and their sufferings:

_a._ A "Discourse" by Master George Percy (1607);
from "Purchas his Pilgrimes" (1625) 35

_b._ An account of "gentlemen" in Virginia, by Amos
Todkill (1608); from Smith's _Works_ 36

20. The Virginia charter of 1609 (with hints for study); from the
Appendix to Stith's _History of Virginia_ 37

21. The Virginia charter of 1612 (the portions relating to a more
democratic organization of the Company and its powers); _ib._ 44

22. The danger from Spanish attack: correspondence of Spanish
and English ambassadors with their respective governments;
from Brown's _Genesis of the United States_ 47

IV. Virginia under the Liberal Company, 1619-1624

23. Rules of the Virginia Company (1619); from Force's _Historical
Tracts_ 51

24. An "Order" of the Company authorizing temporary self-government
in its plantations (February 2/12, 1619/1620);
from Susan Kingsbury's _Records of the Virginia Company
of London_ 53

25. Records of the Assembly of 1619; from Wynne and Gilman's
_Colonial Records of Virginia_ 53

26. The "Declaration" by the Company (drawn by Sandys), June
22/July 2, 1620, justifying the liberal management; from
Susan Kingsbury's _Records of the Virginia Company of
London_ 63

27. The Ordinance of 1621,--a grant of limited self-government by
the Company to the settlers, with authorization of a representative
Assembly; from the Appendix to Stith's _History
of Virginia_ 70

28. Attempts by King James to control the elections in the Company
in favor of the "court party" in 1620 and 1622; from
Susan Kingsbury's _Records of the Virginia Company of
London_ 73

V. Virginia a Royal Province: Struggle to save the Assembly

29. Royal Commission to Governor Wyatt and his Council (1624),
ignoring the Assembly; from Hazard's _State Papers_ 80

30. Royal commission to Governor Yeardley (1625), to like purpose;
from Hazard's _State Papers_ 82

31. Protests in the Colony:

_a._ The Assembly's precautionary "bill of rights," with
statement of the principle, "No taxation without
representation" (three laws from the session of
March, 1624); from Hening's _Statutes at Large_ 83

_b._ Requests from the colony for aid, and, indirectly, for
an Assembly:

1. Letter from the Governor and Council to the
Special Commission in England (April,
1626); from the Aspinwall Papers, in _Massachusetts
Historical Society Collections_ 84

2. Letter from the same to the same (May,
1626); from the _Virginia Magazine of
History_ 85

32. Restoration of the Assembly by royal authority (1629):

_a._ Captain Harvey's "Propositions" (after appointment
as governor); _ib._ 86

_b._ The King's answer to the same; _ib._ 86

_c._ Royal instructions to Governor Berkeley (1641); _ib._ 87

33. Virginian legislation, financial and moral; from Hening's
_Statutes at Large_ 87

VI. Virginia under the Commonwealth

34. Terms of settlement between Parliamentary Commissioners and the
Assembly (1652); from Hening's _Statutes at Large_ 90

35. Legislation restricting the franchise, and restoring it to the
old basis; _ib._ 92

VII. Maryland to 1660

36. Lord Baltimore's letter to Charles I (1629), describing the
hardships of the Avalon colony and asking for a grant in "Virginia";
from Scharf's _History of Maryland_ 93

37. The Maryland charter of 1632; from Bacon's _Laws of Maryland_ 94

38. Extracts from the Avalon charter of 1623 (with comparison with
the Maryland grant); from Scharf's _History of Maryland_ 99

39. Excursus: Extracts from the Plowden grant of New Albion of
1634, and the Gorges grant of Maine of 1639 (for comparison with
the foregoing, in tracing the development of royal approval of
representative institutions in the colonies); the documents from
Hazard's _State Papers_ 100

40. The "Toleration Act" of 1649; from the _Maryland Archives_ 102

B. NEW ENGLAND TO 1660

VIII. An Early Exploration

41. Captain George Weymouth's "True Relation" of his voyage in 1605
to the coast of Maine; from the _Massachusetts Historical Society
Collections_ 106

IX. The First Source of New England Land Titles

42. The charter of 1620 for the Plymouth Council (sometimes called
the Council for New England); from Hazard's _State Papers_ 109

X. Plymouth Colony

43. Negotiations between the Pilgrims and the Virginia Company for
the Wincob charter: Cushman's letter explaining the delay; from
Bradford's _Plymouth Plantation_ 113

44. Articles of Partnership between Pilgrims and London merchants;
_ib._ 114

45. The "farewell letter" from Pastor Robinson: the Pilgrims a
"body politic" with power of self-government; _ib._ 116

46. The Mayflower Compact; _ib._; with addendum--The Exeter
Agreement; from Hazard's _State Papers_ 116

47. The Peirce charter of June, 1621, from the New England Council;
from the _Massachusetts Historical Society Collections_ 118

48. Early history and hardships:[2]

_a._ Edward Winslow's letter of December, 1621, to a
friend in England; from Arber's _Story of the Pilgrim
Fathers_ 120

_b._ Captain John Smith's account, in 1624; _Works_ 122

49. The final source of Plymouth land titles:

_a._ Bradford's Patent of 1630; from Hazard's _State
Papers_ 124

_b._ Bradford's surrender of the same to the colony; _ib._ 126

50. Extracts from the "Fundamental Laws" of 1636; _ib._ 127

XI. The Founding of Massachusetts Bay

51. The Gorges claim:

_a._ The charter from the New England Council to Robert
Gorges (1622); from Sir Ferdinando Gorges'
"Briefe Narration," in Hazard's _State Papers_ 129

_b._ The Gorges expedition of 1623; _ib._, in _Massachusetts
Historical Society Collections_ 131

52. The founding of Salem and Charlestown: White's "Relation"
(1630); from Young's _Massachusetts Chronicles_ 132

53. The Massachusetts Company's charter of 1629; from the _Records
of the Governor and Company of Massachusetts Bay_,
edited by Nathaniel Shurtleff (usually quoted here as the
_Massachusetts Colonial Records_) 137

54. The docket of the above charter, as it was presented for royal
approval (showing the King's expectation that the charter
was to remain in England); from the _Massachusetts Historical
Society Proceedings_ for 1869-1870 144

55. Excursus: discussion of the original intention of the grantees
in the Massachusetts charter as to removing to America,
with illuminating extracts from the "Charter of the Company
of Westminster for the Plantation of Providence
Isle"; (the document from the manuscript in British
Record Office) 146

56. Agreement between the Massachusetts Company in England
and the Rev. Francis Higginson, on his removal to America;
from Young's _Chronicles of Massachusetts_ 148

57. Establishment of a subordinate government in the colony
(April, 1629), by order of the Company in England; from
the _Massachusetts Colonial Records_ 150

XII. The Colony Becomes Puritan

58. The decision to transfer the government and charter to the
colony:

_a._ The first official proposal, by Governor Cradock, at a
meeting of the Company in London (July 28, 1629);
from the _Massachusetts Colonial Records_ 153

_b._ The Cambridge Agreement; from _Young's Chronicles
of Massachusetts_ 154

_c._ The final decision by the Company; from the _Colonial
Records_ 156

59. Decision of Puritan gentlemen to settle in the colony:

_a._ John Winthrop's argument for a Puritan colony;
from Winthrop's _Life and Letters of John Winthrop_ 157

_b._ Winthrop's reasons for himself coming to America; _ib._ 159

_c._ The decision of John Winthrop, Jr.; _ib._ 160

_d._ Higginson's "News from New England"; from
Young's _Chronicles of Massachusetts_ 161

60. The attitude of the early Puritan colonists toward the Church
of England:

_a._ Winthrop's farewell letter to the Church of England;
_Life and Letters_ 162

_b._ Captain John Smith's opinion of the Puritans in 1630
(not Separatists); from Smith's _Works_ 164

61. Political principles of the Puritan leaders (distrust of
democracy): illustrated by extracts from Calvin's _Institutes_ 164

62. Early hardships and religious tendencies:

_a._ From Winthrop's _History of New England_, 1630-1631 168

_b._ From Winthrop's letters to his wife; _Life and Letters_ 171

_c._ From Thomas Dudley's letter to the Countess of Lincoln
(1631); from Young's _Chronicles of Massachusetts_ 174

XIII. Development of Democracy

63. Oligarchic usurpations in 1630-1631; from the _Colonial
Records_ 178

64. The "Watertown Protest" against taxation without representation
(the first popular movement), in 1632, and the consequent
resumption by the democracy of some of their
rights; from Winthrop's _History of New England_ 180

65. Sample legislation under aristocratic rule, 1630-1633; from the
_Colonial Records_ 183

66. The beginning of town government, at Dorchester; from the
_Dorchester Records_ 188

67. The development of representative government:

_a._ Winthrop's account; from his _History of New England_ 189

_b._ The official records of the revolutionary General Court
of 1634; from the _Colonial Records_ 191

68. Political reaction: the magistrates demand a "negative voice";
from Winthrop's _History of New England_ 194

69. The Puritan government denies free speech in political matters;
_ib._ 195

70. The adoption of the ballot in elections in the General Court;
_ib._ 196

71. The first use of the ballot in local elections; _ib._ 197

72. A military commission with power of martial law; from the
_Colonial Records_ 198

73. Winthrop's account of various political actions: a "Life
Council"; extension of the ballot by the use of proxies;
restriction of "churches" to the organizations recognized by the
government; from Winthrop's _History of New England_ 199

74. The Wheelwright controversy, with special reference to
political phases; _ib._ 199

75. Political and social conditions in Massachusetts in 1636:

_a._ "Proposals" of Lords Say and Brooke, with the
answers of John Cotton; from the Appendix to
Hutchinson's _History of Massachusetts Bay_ 201

_b._ Legislation of 1651 regarding dress of different classes;
from the _Colonial Records_ 205

76. Attack upon the charter:

_a._ An order in Council in England for its surrender;
from Hutchinson's _Original Papers_ 206

_b._ The defiant refusal of the Colony; from Winthrop's
_History of New England_ 207

77. Democratic discontent with aristocratic privilege in 1639
(Winthrop's denial of the right of petition; the abolition of Life
Council; delay in conceding a written code); _ib._ 210

78. The "Body of Liberties"; from Whitmore's _Bibliographical
Sketch of the Laws of Massachusetts Colony_ 214

79. A Puritan view of the rules of fair trade (Cotton's sermon
upon the conviction of a shopkeeper for exacting exorbitant
profits); from Winthrop's _History of New England_ 225

80. The separation of the General Court into two Houses (the first
two-chambered legislature in America); the story from
Winthrop's _History of New England_, and the preamble of
the act of 1644 from the _Colonial Records_ 226

81. A town code of school laws (1645); from the _Dorchester
Records_ 230

82. Colonial school laws (1642 and 1647); from the _Colonial
Records_ 233

83. Representative town records (_Watertown Records_, 1634-1678) 236

XIV. Massachusetts and Religious Persecution

84. Puritan arguments for and against persecution:

_a._ From Nathaniel Ward's _Simple Cobbler of Aggawamm_
(1647) 246

_b._ From Captain Edward Johnson's _Wonder-working
Providence of Sions Saviour in New England_
(1654) 248

_c._ The discussion between Saltonstall and Cotton (about
1650); from Hutchinson's _Original Papers_ 249

85. Criticism of the Massachusetts way, by a moderate Episcopalian
and royalist (Lechford's _Plaine Dealing_; 1641) 252

86. A Presbyterian demand for the franchise in 1646 (the letter of
Dr. Robert Child and others to the Governor and
General Court); from Hutchinson's _Original Papers_ 255

87. Trial and punishment of nonconformists for not attending approved
churches; from the _Colonial Records_ 259

88. Quaker Persecutions:

_a._ Edward Burrough's appeal to King Charles (1660);
from Burrough's _Sad and Great Persecution and
Martyrdom of Quakers in New England_ 260

_b._ Trial of the Quaker, Wenlock Christison (1661);
from Besse's _Collection of the Sufferings of the
People called Quakers_ 263

XV. Rhode Island to 1660

89. The first covenant at Providence (1636): a compact in "_civil_
things only"; from the _Early Records of the Town of
Providence_ 267

90. Roger Williams' argument that religious freedom is consonant
with civil order (the ship illustration); from Arnold's _History
of Rhode Island_ 268

91. The Patent for Providence Plantation from the Council of the
Long Parliament (1644), restricting the government to _civil_
matters; from the _Rhode Island Colonial Records_ 269

92. Rhode Island's answer to the demand of Massachusetts (a refusal
to exclude Quakers); from the Appendix to Hutchinson's
_Massachusetts Bay_ 270

XVI. Connecticut before 1660

93. The Fundamental Orders of 1639; from the _Connecticut Colonial
Records_ 273

XVII. The New England Confederation

94. The constitution (Articles of Confederation); from the _New
Haven Colonial Records_ 280

95. The demand of Massachusetts for more weight in the union,
with the answer of the Congress of the Confederation;
from the _Plymouth Colony Records_ 285

96. Nullification by Massachusetts, with the protest of the
Congress of the Confederation; _ib._ 287

C. COLONIAL AMERICA

XVIII. Liberal Charters

97. The Connecticut charter of 1662; from the _Connecticut Colonial
Records_ 290

98. The Rhode Island charter of 1663 (parts referring especially
to religious liberty); from the _Rhode Island Colonial
Records_ 293

XIX. An English Colonial System

99. Royal instructions for the "Councill appointed for Forraigne
Plantations" (1660); from O'Callaghan's _Documents relative
to the Colonial History of New York_ 298

100. The English commercial policy:

_a._ The "first" Navigation Act (1660), regarding shipping
and "enumerated" colonial exports, with
note from the Act of 1662 explaining that "English"
ships include colonial; from _Statutes of the
Realm_ 300

_b._ The Navigation Act of 1663 (regarding colonial imports);
_ib._ 301

_c._ The Sugar Act of 1733; _ib._ 303

101. The Duke of York's charter for New York (1664); from
O'Callaghan's _Documents relative to Colonial History of
New York_ 305

102. Penn's grant of Pennsylvania (1680); from the _Charters and
Laws of Pennsylvania_ 307

103. Penn's grants to the Pennsylvanians:

_a._ "Laws agreed upon in England" (1683); from
Hazard's _Annals of Pennsylvania_ 311

_b._ The "Charter of Privileges" of 1701; from _Votes
and Proceedings of the House of Representatives
of Pennsylvania_ 314

104. Berkeley's Report on Virginia in 1671; from Hening's
_Statutes_ 319

105. The franchise in Virginia restricted (the Act of 1670); _ib._ 324

106. "Bacon's Laws" (the legislation of the revolutionary Assembly
of 1676); _ib._ 325

107. The proclamation of July, 1676, by Nathaniel Bacon, "Generall
by Consent of the People"; from the _Massachusetts
Historical Society Collections_ 328

108. Testimony by various county courts showing that democratic
political discontent was a chief cause of Bacon's Rebellion;
from the _Virginia Magazine of History_ 329

109. The abolition of Bacon's reforms:

_a._ The royal order; from Hening's _Statutes at Large_ 330

_b._ The repeal of "Bacon's Laws" by the Assembly of
1677; _ib._ 331

110. Self-government in Massachusetts restricted:

_a._ Randolph's report to the Lords of Trade; from
Hutchinson's _Original Papers_ 331

_b._ The Massachusetts charter of 1691; from _Acts and
Resolves of the Province of Massachusetts Bay_ 333

111. Attempts by England at closer control:

_a._ Recommendation of the Board of Trade (1701) that
all charter colonies be transformed into royal provinces
by act of parliament; from the _North Carolina
Colonial Records_ 339

_b._ The feeling of the colonists (extracts from a pamphlet
by John Wise, minister of Ipswich) 342

_c._ The action of a Boston town meeting relative to a
proposed permanent salary for the colonial Governor;
from the _Boston Town Records_ 343

_d._ Connecticut's refusal to obey a royal officer commissioned
to command her militia (a private letter of
Governor Fletcher, describing his repulse); from
the _New York Colonial Documents_ 347

112. The commission of a royal governor (from George III to Benning
Wentworth); from the _New Hampshire Provincial
Papers_ 349

113. Freedom of speech vindicated: the trial of John Peter Zenger
for criticising the governor of New York; from Zenger's
_Brief Narrative of the Case and Tryall_ 352

114. Franklin's "Albany Plan" for the union of the colonies under
the crown:

_a._ An account of the motives for the proposal; from
_Franklin's Works_ 358

_b._ The document; from _New York Colonial Documents_ 359

XX. Harsh Phases of Colonial Life

115. Legal punishments in Virginia: "pillory and ducking stoole"
in 1662-1748; from Hening's _Statutes at Large_ 364

116. White "servants" (indentured and others) in 1774; from
Eddes' _Letters from America_ 364

117. Advertisements for runaway servants; newspaper extracts for
the years 1770-1771, from the _New Jersey Archives_ 366

D. THE REVOLUTION

XXI. Preliminary Period--to 1774

118. The Sugar Act of 1764; from the _Statutes of the Realm_ 369

119. The Stamp Act of 1765; _ib._ 373

120. Reception of the Stamp Act in America:

_a._ Patrick Henry's Resolutions; from the _Journals of
the House of Burgesses of Virginia_ 374

_b._ A Virginia County Association against the Act; _ib._ 375

_c._ The stamp distributor for Virginia persuaded to resign
(the letter from Governor Fauquier to the
Lords of Trade); _ib._ 377

_d._ Threat of violence against any who should use
stamped paper; a notice in the _New York Gazette_
of February 27, 1766; reproduced in the _New Jersey
Archives_ 380

121. Origin of the Virginia non-importation agreement:

_a._ Protest of the Burgesses against the proposal of the
English government to send Americans to England
for trial (May 16, 1769); from the _Journals of the
House of Burgesses_ 380

b. The "association" of the ex-Burgesses (May 18,
1769); _ib._ 383

122. The origin of the Massachusetts town-committees of
correspondence; from the _Boston Town Records_ 387

123. The creation of Intercolonial Committees of Correspondence:

a. Jefferson's later account; from _Jefferson's Writings_ 390

b. The action of the Virginia House of Burgesses; from
the _Journals_ 391

c. Letters from other colonies received by the Virginia
Committee, approving the recommendation; _ib._ 392

124. Intimidation of the owners of tea ships (a Philadelphia
handbill by "The Committee for Tarring and Feathering");
from Scharf and Westcott's _History of Philadelphia_ 394

XXII. The Rise of Revolutionary Governments

125. The Virginia Burgesses suggest an annual Congress (1774):

_a._ Extract from a letter by a member of the Assembly;
from Force's _American Archives_ 396

_b._ Jefferson's account of the plan for declaring a day of
prayer and fasting, on receipt by the Burgesses of
the news of the Boston Port Bill; from _Jefferson's
Works_ 397

c. Resolution of the Burgesses appointing June 1, 1774,
a day of prayer and fasting; from the _Journals_ 398

_d._ The consequent dissolution of the Assembly by the
Governor; _ib._ 399

_e._ The ex-Burgesses suggest an annual Continental Congress;
_ib._ 399

_f._ Letters from the Virginia Committee of Correspondence
to the other colonies, conveying Virginia's
suggestion for an annual Congress; _ib._ 401

_g._ The answer of Rhode Island to Virginia, with the
appointment of delegates to the proposed Congress;
_ib._ 403

126. A "call" for the Continental Congress from the Massachusetts
Assembly (June 17) 405

127. A Virginia county (Frederick) suggests a Continental Congress
and a "General Association" of the colonies (June
8); from Force's _American Archives_ 406

128. Virginia issues the first call for a provincial convention (to
elect delegates to the Continental Congress); _ib._:

_a._ Suggestion from the ex-Burgesses, May 30, 1774 407

_b._ Sample notice of the call by an ex-Burgess to his
county (a letter from Thomas Mason of June 16) 408

_c._ Typical call (June 27) by a county committee for a
county meeting (Norfolk) to instruct delegates to
the coming provincial convention 409

129. Typical Instructions by Virginia county meetings:

_a._ Westmoreland County 410

_b._ George Washington's county (Fairfax) 412

_c._ Nansemond County 416

_d._ York County 417

_e._ Middlesex County (disapproval of the Boston Tea
Party) 417

130. The First Continental Congress:

_a._ The decision upon how the colonies should vote;
from John Adams' "Diary" in his _Works_ 418

_b._ Adams' impressions of the meeting at its close; _ib._ 420

_c._ The Declaration of Rights; from Ford's _Journals of
the Continental Congress_ 421

_d._ The Act of Association; _ib._ 427

131. Typical resolutions by a Virginia county (Prince William)
approving the Association of the Continental Congress;
from Force's _American Archives_ 432

132. Virginia county conventions become de facto governments
(typical action by Fairfax County, organizing a Revolutionary
militia January 17, 1775); _ib._ 433

133. The Virginia Provincial Convention becomes a government:

_a._ Cumberland County instructs delegates for preparation
for war; _ib._ 435

_b._ The Second Virginia Convention arms and taxes the
colony; _ib._ 436

_c._ The Third Convention (June, 1775) assumes the
forms of a government; from _Virginia Calendar
of State Papers_ 442

XXIII. Independence

134. Charlotte County, Virginia, instructs delegates (April 23,
1776) to the coming Fourth Virginia Convention to favor
independence and an independent State constitution;
Force's _American Archives_ 443

135. The Virginia Convention, May 15, instructs for independence
and adopts resolutions for a bill of rights and a constitution;
_ib._ 445

136. The Virginia Bill of Rights; from Poore's _Charters and
Constitutions_ 446

137. Virginia's Declaration of Independence, June 29, 1776; from
_Jefferson's Writings_ 450

138. Revolutionary State Governments:

_a._ The recommendation of Congress of May 15, 1776;
from Ford's _Journals of Congress_ 452

_b._ John Adams' comment; from _John Adams' Letters
to Abigail Adams_ 453

139. The Maryland Convention instructs its delegates in Congress
against independence; from _Proceedings of the Conventions
of Maryland_ 454

140. Lee's motion for Independence in Congress; from Ford's
_Journals_ 458

141. The Declaration of Independence of July 4, 1776; from Ford's
_Journals of Congress_ 459

142. Anti-social tendencies of pre-Revolutionary measures:

_a._ The effect of closing the courts (Adams' account of his
welcome by his horse-jockey client); from _John
Adams' Works_ 463

_b._ A Tory's protest against mob violence, in a parody
on Hamlet's soliloquy; from Moore's _Diary of the
American Revolution_ 464

_c._ Correspondence between a Tory and a Committee,
showing how the Tory was induced to sign
a recantation; from Niles' _Principles and Acts of
the Revolution_ 464

143. An oath of allegiance to a new State (Pennsylvania): a
facsimile, from Scharf and Westcott's _History of Philadelphia_ 466

144. A Loyalist's pretended "diary" of the year 1789 (written
in 1778), to show the danger of French conquest; from
Tyler's _Literary History of the American Revolution_ 467

145. A statement of how the Revolution set free social forces; from
David Ramsey's _History of the American Revolution_ 468

E. CONFEDERATION AND CONSTITUTION

XXIV. The Articles of Confederation

146. Debates in the Congress on the Articles; from _John Adams'
Works_ 470

147. The Articles; from the _Revised Statutes of the United
States_ 475

XXV. The National Domain

148. The desire for Statehood in the West, and Western
self-confidence; a statement by a convention of the proposed State
of Frankland 485

149. Organization of the Western Territory by Congress:

_a._ The Ordinance of 1784; from the _Journals of Congress_ 486

_b._ The Northwest Ordinance (1787); _ib._ 488

XXVI. Drifting toward Anarchy

150. Gouverneur Morris to John Jay, on the prospect of a military
dictator; from Sparks' _Life and Works of Gouverneur
Morris_ 497

151. Shays' Rebellion:

_a._ A statement of grievances by Hampshire County;
from Minot's _History of the Insurrection in Massachusetts_
497

_b._ Washington's alarm; letters to Henry Lee and to
Madison; from _Washington's Writings_ 500

152. A shrewd foreigner's view of the social conflict over the
adoption of a new Constitution (Otto's letter to Vergennes, on
the failure of the Annapolis Convention); from the Appendix
to Bancroft's _History of the Constitution_ 502

XXVII. Making the Constitution

153. The call issued by the Annapolis Convention for a Federal
Convention; from the _Documentary History of the Constitution_
506

154. Typical credentials of delegates to the Federal Convention
(the Georgia credentials); from _Farrand's Records of the Federal
Convention_ 510

155. George Mason's account of the preliminaries at Philadelphia
(a letter to George Mason, Jr., May 20, 1787); _ib._ 512

156. The "Virginia Plan"; _ib._ 514

157. George Mason on aristocratic and democratic forces in the
Convention at its opening (letter to George Mason, Jr.,
June 1); _ib._ 517

158. The "New Jersey Plan"; _ib._ 518

159. Hamilton's plan; from _Hamilton's Works_ 521

160. Character sketches of men of the Convention, by William
Pierce, a delegate from Georgia; from Farrand's _Records
of the Federal Convention_ 522

161. One day in the Convention,--the critical day's debate on the
Connecticut Compromise; _ib._ 532

XXVIII. Ratifying the Constitution

162. George Mason's objections to the Constitution; from Kate
Mason Rowland's _Life of George Mason_ 543

163. Mason's explanation of the preparation of his "Objections";
from Farrand's _Records of the Federal Convention_ 546

164. A Federalist account of how John Hancock was induced finally
to support the Constitution in the Massachusetts ratifying
convention; by Stephen Higginson, in _Writings of Laco_ 547

165. The Federal Constitution 551

INDEX OF SOURCES. 576

SUBJECT INDEX. 580

A SOURCE BOOK IN AMERICAN
HISTORY

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Allyn and Bacon. 1913.

[2] Bradford's _Plymouth Plantation_, the main source for this topic, is quoted so extensively in the _American History and Government_ that it is not used here in this connection.

I. ENGLAND IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY

1. Classes of Englishmen

William Harrison, in Holinshed's _Chronicle_ (1577). Cf. No. 75 on like social divisions in early New England; and see _American History and Government_, # 65.

We in England divide our people commonlie into foure sorts, as gentlemen, citizens or burgesses, yeomen, ... or [and] laborers. Of gentlemen the first and cheefe (next the king) be the prince, dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts, and barons: and these are called gentlemen of the greater sort, or (as our common usage of speech is) lords and noblemen: and next unto them be knights, esquiers, and last of all they that are simplie called gentlemen, ... Who soever studieth the lawes of the realme, who so abideth in the universitie giving his mind to his booke, or professeth physicke and the liberall sciences, or beside his service in the roome of a capteine in the warres, or good counsell given at home, whereby his commonwealth is benefited, can live without manuell labour, and thereto is able and will beare the port, charge, and countenance of a gentleman, he shall for monie have a cote and armes bestowed upon him by heralds (who in the charter of the same doo of custome pretend antiquitie and service, and manie gaie things) and, thereunto being made so good cheape, be called master, which is the title that men give to esquiers and gentlemen, and reputed for a gentleman ever after....

... our merchants [are] to be installed, as amongst the citizens (although they often change estate with gentlemen, as gentlemen doo with them, by a mutuall conversion of the one into the other)....

Yeomen are ... free men, borne English, and [who] may dispend of their owne free land in yearelie revenue, to the summe of fortie shillings sterling, or six pounds as monie goeth in our times. ... This sort of people have a certeine preheminence, and more estimation than labourers and the common sort of artificers, and commonlie live wealthilie, keepe good houses, and travell to get riches. They are also for the most part farmers to gentlemen ... or at the leastwise artificers, and with grasing, frequenting of markets, and keeping of servants (not idle servants as the gentlemen doo, but such as get both their owne and part of their master's living) do come to great welth, in somuch that manie of them are able and doo buie the lands of unthriftie gentlemen, and often setting their sonnes to the schooles, to the universities, and to the Ins of the court, or otherwise leaving them sufficient lands whereupon they may live without labour, doo make them by those means to become gentlemen. _These were they that in times past made all France afraid. ..._

The fourth and last sort of people in England are daie labourers, poore husbandmen, and some retailers (which have no free land) copie holders, and all artificers,--as tailers, shomakers, carpenters, brickmakers, masons, etc. As for slaves and bondmen we have none, naie such is the privilege of our countrie by the especiall grace of God, and bountie of our princes, that if anie come hither from other realms, so soone as they set foot on land they become so free of condition as their masters. ... This fourth and last sort of people therefore have neither voice nor authoritie in the common wealth, but are to be ruled, and not to rule other; yet they are not altogither neglected, for in cities and corporat townes, for default of yeomen they are faine to make up their inquests [juries] of such maner of people. And in villages they are commonlie made churchwardens, sidemen, aleconners, now and then constables, and manie times injoie the name of hedboroughes. Unto this sort also may our great swarmes of idle serving men be referred, of whome there runneth a proverbe; 'Young serving men, old beggers,' bicause service is none heritage....

A. SOUTHERN COLONIES TO 1660

II. MOTIVES FOR EARLY ENGLISH COLONIZATION

2. From Sir George Peckham's "True Report"

Richard Hakluyt's _Voyages ... and Discoveries_ (1589), III, 167 ff.

Peckham was a partner in Gilbert's enterprise. His _Report_, a
considerable pamphlet, was written in 1582.

... To conclude, since by Christian dutie we stand bound chiefly to further all such acts as do tend to the encreasing the true flock of Christ by reducing into the right way those lost sheepe which are yet astray: And that we shall therein follow the example of our right vertuous predecessors of renowned memorie, and leave unto our posteritie a divine memoriall of so godly an enterprise: Let us, I say, for the considerations alledged, enter into judgement with our selves, whether this action may belong to us or no. ... Then shal her Majesties dominions be enlarged, her highnesse ancient titles justly confirmed, all odious idlenesse from this our Realme utterly banished, divers decayed townes repaired, and many poor and needy persons relieved, and estates of such as now live in want shail be embettered, the ignorant and barbarous idolaters taught to know Christ, the innocent defended from their bloodie tyrannical neighbours, the diabolicall custome of sacrificing humane creatures abolished....

3. A Discourse on Western Planting by Richard Hakluyt, 1584

_Maine Historical Society Collections_, Second Series, II (1877).

This pamphlet was written by Hakluyt, an English clergyman and an
ardent advocate of American colonization, at Raleigh's request, to
influence Queen Elizabeth. It fills 107 pages of the volume of the
Maine collections.