EAI Series II - Sample Documents

Early American Imprints, Series II: Shaw-Shoemaker; 1801-1819 illuminates the Early National period in United States history. In this critical period, also significant for its many literary and scientific advances, America would grow in one vast bound with the Louisiana Purchase and would face its original foe, Great Britain, in the War of 1812. By studying primary sources from the first two decades of the nineteeth century, researchers can better understand the great concern among early Americans over the future of their fledging republic.

Following are samples from the books, pamphlets and broadsides in Early American Imprints, Series II:

1... The Rise of Political Parties
2... Westward Expansion and Governing New Territories
3... Congress Compensates Lewis and Clarke
4... The Famous Duel
5... Foreign Affairs
6... Concerning Native Americans
7... Prelude to War

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It may be surprising to those unfamiliar with early American politics that nowhere in the Constitution are political parties mentioned. Yet, the party system that characterizes so much of American political discourse and action evolved naturally from the tumultuous spirit of the Early Republic. In a strong caution to voters in an election for the Governor of New York, this broadside illustrates the fear of factions (political parties) that pervaded political thought during the Early National period.

Title: To the free and independent electors of the state of New-York. Friends and fellow citizens. As the time will soon approach when an election will be held to fill the important office of Governor of this state … (1801)

While President Thomas Jefferson’s famous Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the country, these newly acquired territories brought the U.S. government new challenges. This broadside details the qualifications for holding office in “The Territory of Orleans.”

Title: [Ordinance of 1787] Extract from the Ordinance of Congress of the 13th of July, 1787, which has been extended to and is now in force within the Territory of Orleans. (1805)

Lewis and Clarke did not undertake their famous expedition of the vast territories in the northwest for free. The following document details the official compensation for their efforts.

Title: An Act Making Compensation to Messrs. Lewis and Clarke and Their Companies (1807)

Describing the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, this 31-page document includes correspondence between the two gentlemen leading up to the terminal incident. Here are the first six pages.

Title: Particulars of the late duel fought at Hoboken, July 11, between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, esqrs., in which the latter unfortunately fell, containing all the papers relating to that event, together with the will of Gen. Hamilton, and the letters of Bishop Moore, and the Rev. J.M. Mason. (1804)

One of the immediate concerns of the newly elected president Thomas Jefferson was an international one—protecting American merchant ships in the Mediterranean from the Barbary powers of North Africa. The following is a three-page account of a successful assault on a Barbary ship by United States naval forces.

Title: Report from the committee, to whom was referred on the 11th Instant, the Resolutions of the Senate, in respect to Lieut. Sterret, the Officers and Crew of the United States' schooner Enterprize (1802).

The following nine-page report by Thomas Jefferson to Congress starkly illustrates the paternalistic view that whites had toward Indian populations.

Title: Message from the President of the United States communicating letters from Governor Hull respecting the Indians in the vicinity of Detroit ... (1807)

This 41-page pamphlet sets out plainly the issues that caused the tensions that led to the War of 1812. Here are the first seven pages.

Title: Peace or war?, or, Thoughts on our affairs with England by James Cheetham. (1807)