Introduction
The study of historical sources contributes to gaining a more complete understanding of the processes and the personalities behind them that have shaped America as it is at the moment. Within the framework of this research work, several primary and secondary works were analyzed, each of which touches on different periods of the formation of the United States and the prominent individuals and events involved in this process. Each of these sources has some connection with each other, which contributes to the deepening of knowledge about colonial America and the gradual globalization in the country.
Christopher Columbus’ Journal
The first source that was selected for analysis in the framework of this work is Marcus and Burner called “America firsthand,” which contains an excerpt from the records of Christopher Columbus. This information is of critical importance for the study as it talks about the first encounter with native people in 1493 (Marcus & Burner, 1989). This source has a critical historical value as it provides awareness about the period of formation of the modern United States and the conditions in which people lived in their territory at the beginning of the 15th century. The choice of this source is due to the fact that it reveals information about the first steps towards the formation of America and the factors that influenced it.
Kingsbury’s Records
The following source is “The Records of the Virginia Company of London,” written by Kingsbury. This paper focuses on such an event as the Indian attack on early Virginia settlement in 1622 (Kingsbury, 1933). Edward Waterhouse describes savages who seem to be relatively harmless people. The brutal attack forced them to reconsider these views and led to a significant conflict in the state. This source was chosen because it shows the lack of will and protest that the colonialists faced when dealing with Colonial Settlements.
Bradford’s Insights
The continuation of this broad topic is also facilitated by such a source as “History of Plymouth plantation, 1620-1647” by Bradford. The author’s work highlights the conditions in which the colonial settlements lived (Bradford, 1912). It is stated that there were such sins as “drunkenness and un[cleanness]; not only in continence between persons unmarried, but some married persons also” (Cobbs-Hoffman & Gjerde, 2006, p. 68). This information, as in the previous source, highlights the causes of the conflicts that have arisen and the factors affecting them.
Almon’s Resolutions
“Resolutions” by Almon provides a more complete understanding of such a process in the history of the United States of America as the American Revolution. It draws attention to how the Stamp Act Congress Condemns the Stamp Act (Almon, 1765). The central task of this document was to impose inherent rights and liberties for the colonial settlements (Cobbs-Hoffman & Gjerde, 2006). Therefore, this work, as the ones mentioned before, provides valuable insight into how the conflict in the territory of the future America began to gradually move in a more favorable direction, which started through the granting of certain freedoms to the colonial population. This aspect also concerns the fact that initiatives to ensure women’s rights have also been promoted during this period.
Articles of Confederation
The following source is vital, as it is viewed in a historical context as the first Constitution of the United States. Articles of Confederation “March 1, 1781, until 1789 when the present-day Constitution went into effect” (“Articles of Confederation (1777),” n.d., para. 2). This document, in particular, stresses the rights of the states, their sovereignty, and independence.
Manning’s Book
The source “The key of liberty” by Manning (1798) has a similarity in significance with respect to the information provided. This work raises the topic of unequal distribution of property between nations, which was becoming increasingly worrisome by the end of the eighteenth century. In addition, the source notes many professions that “naturally unite in their schemes to make their calls as honorable and lucrative as possible” (Cobbs-Hoffman & Gjerde, 2006, p. 158). The connection between these works shows the gradual transformation of America to the state in which it is now. Despite the fact that these works affect various topics, they make a common contribution to the development of understanding of this process.
Lewis and Clark’s Letter
Lewis and Clark, in their “Letter to Hugh Henney and speech prepared for Yellowstone Indians,” raise the topic of conflict between the indigenous population and the new government of the country. Particular attention is paid to the continuation of attempts to subjugate the indigenous population (Lewis & Clark, 1806). The authors say that in the speech, they are trying to attempt to make this group of the population understand that they will be seriously punished for any aggression on their part. Furthermore, the source indicates topics such as foreign policy, western movement, and Indian removal.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the chosen sources are all related and connect to more prominent themes of studied Units, as they provide different points of view on the processes that determined the development of the modern United States of America. They also gained a deeper understanding of colonial America and its gradual integration into the global landscape. In more detail, each of them provides insight into the difficulties and conflicts that arose among people with a colonial population and how these events stretched the history of the country for a long time. Significant personalities, such as Christopher Columbus, and events, such as the introduction of the Constitution or the American Revolution, facilitated the shaping of these sources. Thus, the study of these works showed signs of continuity over time.
References
Almon, J. (1765). Resolutions. In Collection of Interesting. Authentic Papers Relative to the Dispute Between Great Britain and North America, p. 27.
Articles of Confederation (1777). (n.d.). National Archives. Web.
Bradford, W. (1912). History of Plymouth plantation, 1620-1647. Massachusetts Historical Society.
Cobbs-Hoffman, E. & Gjerde, J. (2006). Major problems in American history. Houghton Mifflin Co.
Kingsbury, S. M. (1933). The records of the Virginia company of London. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office.
Lewis, M. & Clark, W. (1806). Letter to Hugh Henney and speech prepared for Yellowstone Indians. Original Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Manning, C. M. (1798). The key of liberty. Web.
Marcus, R. & Burner, D. (1989). America firsthand. St. Martin’s Press/Bedford Books.