Colonial American History

Common Place: The Interactive Journal of Early American Life
Self described as a forum for bringing " together scholars, activists, journalists, filmmakers, teachers, and history buffs to discuss everything from politics to parlor manners." The features include "investigative reporting, primary research, and essays on methodological dilemmas and disciplinary divides." Reviews of recent scholarship and films are also included.

The Archive of Early American Images
Maintained by Brown University, this archive will ultimately have around 6000 images dating from 1492-1825. Many of these images are from  relatively obscure works and have not been reproduced until  they were housed in this collection. While useful, keyword searches often require several attempts to find suitable images.

Raid on Deerfield: The Many Stories of 1704
A very interesting approach to the February 1704 raid on Deerfield, Mass. by Frecnh and Native forces. Maps, miltimedia segments, artifacts, timelines and a thoughful cultural context highlight this site.

Black Loyalists in the American Revolution
As many as 30,000 escaped slaves  fought for the British during the American Revolution in hopes of winning their freedom. This searchable site is sensibly organized and tells their story.

Spy Letters of the American Revolution
A project of the Clements Library at the University of Michigan, this site offers "an amazingly complete look at the everyday intelligence operations of both the British and American armies.  Many of the letters highlighted in this digital exhibit were pivotal to the success and failures of sieges, battles, and surprise attacks."  Maps. biographies, timelines, prints and narratives supplement and compliment the letters.

Thomas Jefferson Digital Archive
Created by the Electronic Text Center and the University of Virginia, this site contains a comprehensive collection of the views of Jefferson arranged under 9000 titles relating to government, religious freedom, politics, morals, science, art, education etc. There is also a comprehensive annotated bibliography of writings about Jefferson and a collection of his papers and writings.

Founding Fathers Info
Though geared toward younger students of the late colonial period and early republic, this site does has some useful links and information. An online version of the Federalist Papers is particularly valuable.

Colonial Williamsburg
Online access to the world's largest living history museum. You might want to first go to the "Explore & Learn" link to  learn about the different social and ethnic groups that lived in colonial Williamsburg.

The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut 1636-1776
An initiative of the University of Connecticut Libraries and supported by the Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center, the site holds images of all fifteen volumes of the Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, 1636-1776. You may search the site through the A-Z subject index, by date, or  by volume and page number.

The Papers of John Jay
A searchable database of the papers of  the first Chief Justice and two term governor of New York. There is a biographical essay and four background papers.

Salem Witchcraft Trials
The Electronic Text Center at the University of Virginia has put together the most thorough site for researching the Salem Withcraft Trials. You will find full text transcripts, pamphlets, contemporary sermons, maps and more than 500 related documents. You might also look at Seventeenth Century New England which has a number of useful links about colonial New England and an empasis on the Salem Witchcraft Trials.