Colonial Period

Before the United States, thirteen separate colonies settled throughout the eastern coast of North America. As separate communities with their own goals and needs, they were not created to join together. However, external forces during the 1770s pushed these colonies to form the United States of America.

Phillis Wheatley: America’s First African American Woman Poet Who Spoke Truth to Power

Phillis Wheatley remains a towering figure in early American literature. As the first African American woman — and among ...

Benjamin Rush: A Founding Father Devoted to Education, Public Health, and Civic Virtue

A Versatile and Influential Founder Benjamin Rush is sometimes called “the forgotten Founder,” but his influence on early ...

Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea): Mohawk Leader Who Bridged Cultures During the American Revolution

In the complex story of America’s founding, Joseph Brant—known by his Mohawk name, Thayendanegea—stands out as a leader ...

Cornplanter (Gaiänt’wakê): A Peacemaker Between Nations

When most Americans think of the nation’s founders, names like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson often ...

Crispus Attucks: The First to Fall for American Liberty

In the story of America’s founding, one man’s courage on a cold March night in Boston became a ...

America’s Founding Generation

We honor the men and women of America’s founding generation who broke barriers and shaped the early republic ...

Gouverneur Morris: The Revolutionary’s Pen and the Nation’s Architect

Gouverneur Morris is often celebrated as the man who physically wrote the final draft of the United States ...

The First Continental Congress: Thirteen Clocks Begin to Strike Together

The colonies reached a critical point in the summer of 1774. Parliament’s Coercive Acts—called the “Intolerable Acts” in ...

“Proclaim Liberty”: The First Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence

In July 1776, the streets of Philadelphia were thick with humidity—and tension. Despite the colonies having been at ...

The Intolerable Acts: When British Punishment Pushed America Toward Revolution

Boston's citizens delivered a clear message in December 1773. Disguised as Mohawk Indians, they boarded British ships and ...

Jamestown Settlement: The First Permanent English Colony in America

Jamestown marks the beginning of English-speaking America. Established in 1607 along the banks of the James River in ...

The Death of Blackbeard: A Legend Comes to an End

On November 22, 1718, one of history’s most notorious pirates, Edward Teach—better known as Blackbeard—met his dramatic end ...