Featured Primary Sources
The Early Republic
Nothing can enrich and enliven our understanding of the nation’s past, or dispel apathy about it, more powerfully than primary sources. The primary sources below open up a variety of viewpoints and have been chosen by master teachers specifically for use in the classroom. Affiliate School members can print a packet that includes an image of the document, photograph, or other resource, a transcript where applicable, and text to place the document in historical context. Additionally, you may want to search the Gilder Lehrman Collection itself for other resources to enrich your lessons.
Slavery in the New York State census, 1800
Creator: Curriculum Subjects: Government and Civics Grade Levels:
Washington on a proposed third term and political parties, 1799
Creator: George Washington Curriculum Subjects: Government and Civics Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
“Jefferson is in every view less dangerous than Burr”: Hamilton on the election of 1800
Creator: Alexander Hamilton Curriculum Subjects: Government and Civics Grade Levels:Primary Sources from Other Sub-Eras
A map of the Louisiana Territory, 1814
Creator: Meriwether Lewis Curriculum Subjects: Geography, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Grade Levels: 6, 7, 8
Jefferson on the French and Haitian Revolutions, 1792
Creator: Thomas Jefferson Curriculum Subjects: Geography, Government and Civics, World History Grade Levels:
Ratification of the US Constitution in New York, 1788
Creator: George Washington and the Constitutional Convention Curriculum Subjects: Government and Civics Grade Levels:
The duel: Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, 1804
Creator: Angelica Schuyler Church Curriculum Subjects: Government and Civics Grade Levels: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
The first inauguration: George Washington and his reluctance to become president, 1789
Creator: George Washington Curriculum Subjects: Government and Civics Grade Levels: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
The Monroe Doctrine, 1823
Creator: James Monroe Curriculum Subjects: Economics, Geography, Government and Civics, World History Grade Levels: