American History Documents

America - still a young country by world standards - began as an experiment in self-government. This collection includes stories of America's people as they follow a path of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

This image depicts the last page of a three-page telegram which Jackie Robinson sent to President Kennedy during June of 1963.  He was urging pro...

Jacob Cook purchased slaves, then those slaves ran away.  Under America's "Fugitive Slave Law of 1850," he had the right to seek-out-and-find tho...

Bookcover image of James Butler Bonham: Messenger of Defeat, by William N. Bonham.

As noted in the book which tells the story of the Amistad captives - compiled by John W. Barber and published by himself and E.L. Barber in 1840 - Jam...

James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy, disagreed with the Naval Court of Inquiry's opinion.  He issued his own assessment in two differing forma...

Benjamin Banneker, a free black, prepared an Almanac for 1792 which his publishers called "an extraordinary effort of genius." Banneker’s white ...

Benjamin Banneker, a free black, prepared an Almanac for 1792 which his publishers called "an extraordinary effort of genius." Banneker’s white ...

James Otis wrote that the "lust of power" leads to an abuse of political power.

Bookcover image of Hesitant Martyr of the Texas Revolution: James Walker Fannin, by Gary Brown.

Image of a Press Release from Senator Robert Kennedy called Statement on Vietnam War, dated January 31, 1966. Click on the image for a better view.

Image of the second page of a Press Release from Senator Robert Kennedy called Statement on Vietnam War, dated January 31, 1966. Click on the image f...

How was it that Japan selected Pearl Harbor as the attack target?  What types of resources did Japan assign to the mission?The U.S. Navy's Histor...

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