This course will focus on the history of the English colonies in North America, and their decision to join together and fight for independence from England in the 1770s. Though it will at times touch on geographically related regions – Spanish America, French America, and the West Indies, most notably – they will not be the main focus of the course.

Throughout the semester we will pay close attention to the ways in which the colonial experience was different for different sectors of society. We will also try to understand how the American Revolution both grew out of, and reshaped, the traditions and legacies of colonial society. 

Week 1

Topic: 1491

Week 2

Topic: England, Africa, America, and the birth of the Atlantic World

Readings (primary):

Christopher Columbus – Journal (extracts/selections)

[http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/source/columbus1.asp]

 Bartoleme de Las Casas, A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies, selections

[http://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bdorsey1/41docs/02-las.html]

Gomes Eannes de Azurara, The Chronicle of the Discovery and Conquest of Guinea (selections)

[http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/amerbegin/exploration/text7/azurara.pdf]

Readings (secondary):

Alan Taylor, American Colonies, chapters 1-2

Week 3

Topic: Virginia

Readings (primary):

John Smith, Generall Historie, selections

[http://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bdorsey1/41docs/10-smi.html]

Bacon’s Declaration in the Name of the People, 30 July 1676 

[http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1651-1700/bacons-declaration-in-the-name-of-the-people-30-july-1676.php]

Governor William Berkely: On Bacon’s Rebellion, 19 May 1676

[http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1651-1700/governor-william-berkely-on-bacons-rebellion-19-may-1676.php]

Readings (secondary):

Taylor, 6-7

Week 4

Topic: New England

Readings (primary):

John Winthrop: A Model of Christian Charity, 1630

[https://history.hanover.edu/texts/winthmod.html]

Samuel Green, ed.: Groton in Witchcraft Times, c.1671

[http://history.hanover.edu/texts/Willard-Knap.html]

Readings (secondary):

Taylor, 8-9

Week 5

Topic: The West Indies and the American South

Readings (primary):

Charter of Carolina – March 24, 1663

[http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/nc01.asp]

 A Declaration and Proposals of the Lord Proprietor of Carolina, Aug. 25-Sept. 4, 1663

[http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/nc02.asp]

Readings (secondary):

Taylor, 10-11

Week 6

Topic: The Middle Colonies

Readings (primary):

William Penn (1644-1718): Some Fruits of Solitude In Reflections And Maxims

[http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1682penn-solitude.asp]

Nicolaes Van Wassenaer: Excerpts from the “Historisch Verhael” (Historical Account)

[http://web.archive.org/web/19991018180353/http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/history/burrows/wassen.htm]

Readings (secondary):

Taylor, 12

Week 7

Topic: The racial and gender politics of Colonial America

Readings (primary):

 Benjamin Franklin, An Account of the Paxton Boys’ Murder of the Conestoga Indians, 1764.
[http://explorepahistory.com/odocument.php?docId=1-4-26]

James Dove, An Anti-Quaker Defense of the Paxton Boys, 1764.
[http://explorepahistory.com/odocument.php?docId=1-4-24]

Slavery
The Life of Gustavus Vassa (selections)
http://legacy.fordham.edu/Halsall/mod/Vassa.asp

early protest against slavery:
http://www.qhpress.org/texts/oldqwhp/as-1688.htm

Virginia Laws – read December 1662-ACT XII; September 1663-ACT XVIII; October 1669-ACT I. September 1672-ACT VIII; June 1680-ACT X; April 1691-ACT XVI. October 1705-CHAP. XXII; October 1705-CHAP. XLIX.
http://www.virtualjamestown.org/laws1.html

Abigail Adams, “Remember the Ladies,”
http://history.hanover.edu/courses/excerpts/165adams-rtl.html (see it in the original here: http://www.masshist.org/database/viewer.php?item_id=5&mode=large&img_step=1#page1)

Readings (secondary):

Taylor, 13

Week 8

Topic: The institutions of colonial America; republicanism

Readings (primary):
England’s 1689 Bill of Rights;
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/england.asp

Selected militia regulations; *
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B21G7_wZmR9Wc1RoR3NvR0JzeU0/view?usp=sharing
http://www.virginia1774.org/Militia%20Act%20of%201757.html

Fletcher of Saltoun, A Discourse of Government relating to Militias;
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B21G7_wZmR9WQ0tnVEVBSDVwbVU/view?usp=sharing

Franklin, The Plain Truth 
http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-03-02-0091

Readings (secondary): Taylor, 18

* Note: Prof. Shusterman expects each student to spend around 1 hour total reading these, and spread evenly between the texts. You should not feel that you may need to know every detail of the texts and the rules.

Week 9

Topic: The French and Indian War

Readings (primary):
William III: Address to Parliament on the French Question, 31 December 1701;
http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1701-1750/king-william-addresses-parliament-on-the-french-question-31-december-1701.php

Governor Glen, The Role of the Indians in the Rivalry Between France, Spain, and England, 1761;
http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1751-1775/governor-glen-the-role-of-the-indians-in-the-rivalry-between-france-spain-and-england-1761.php

Peace Treaty of Paris, 1763
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/paris.asp 

Readings (secondary): Gordon Wood, The American Revolution: A History, Part I 

Week 10

Topic: From the Stamp Act Crisis to the Boston Tea Party

Readings (primary): Jack Rakove, Declaring Rights, pp. 46-63.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B21G7_wZmR9WbnB1LVJWZldtUmc/view?usp=sharing 

Readings (secondary): Wood, Part II

Week 11

Topic: The Fighting Begins

Readings (primary):
Thomas Paine, Common Sense;
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B21G7_wZmR9WZ0tVY0lHQnExeU0/view?usp=sharing

Dunmore’s Proclamation
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B21G7_wZmR9WbDMxNDE4Y1o0Znc/view?usp=sharing

Readings (secondary): Wood, Part III 

Week 12

Topic: Declaring Independence; The Revolutionary War

Readings (primary):
Rakove, pp. 63-95;
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B21G7_wZmR9WUm1mQ0p2b0NsU0U/view?usp=sharing

The Declaration of Independence
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html

Readings (secondary): Wood, Parts IV-V

Week 13

Topic: The Revolutionary War (cont); Shaping the New Republic

Readings (primary):
Washington, Sentiments on a Peace Establishment;
http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/a1_8_12s6.html

Articles of Confederation
http://www.law.ou.edu/ushistory/artconf.shtml

Readings (secondary): Wood, Part VI

Week 14

Topic: Constitutionalism and its Discontents

Readings (primary): 
The Federalist Papers, selections;
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/fed.asp

Constitution to the United States, selections    .
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html 

Readings (secondary): Wood, Part VII

1.Tutorial: 20%

2.Tests: 45% (3@15%)

3.Research Paper: 35%

TBA

Texts for purchase:

• Alan Taylor, American Colonies
• Gordon Wood, The American Revolution

*There will also be some online readings.

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