Table of Contents

Foreword     xi
Colonial America (1582-1750)
Chronology     1
Preface     4
Origins of English Settlement
National and Economic Reasons to Colonize the New World (1585)   Richard Hakluyt     8
Religious Reasons to Colonize the New World (1629)   John Winthrop     10
Virginia Is an Abundant New Paradise (1613)   Alexander Whitaker     13
Virginia Is Not a New Paradise (1624)   Richard Ffrethorne     15
Contact and Conflict with Native Americans
Indians and Colonists Should Live in Peace (1609)   Powhatan     16
Indians Should Be Conquered and Exterminated (1622)$dThe Virginia Company of London   Edward Waterhouse     17
A Puritan Missionary's Account of Indians (1646)   John Eliot     19
A Puritan Captive's Account of Indians (1682)   Mary Rowlandson     20
Religious Disputes in the New World
The Colonies Should Allow Religious Toleration (1657)   Edward Hart$dCitizens of Flushing     24
Religious Toleration Is Unwise (1647)   Nathaniel Ward     25
A Defense of the Salem Witch Trials (1692)   Cotton Mather     26
An Attack on the Salem Witch Trials (1692)   Thomas Brattle     29
The GreatAwakening Is a Welcome Religious Revival (1743)$dAn Assembly of Pastors of Churches in New England     31
The Great Awakening Has Led to Harmful Religious Zealotry (1742)   Charles Chauncy     33
Labor in Colonial America
Poor Europeans Should Come to America as Indentured Servants (1666)   George Alsop     36
Poor Europeans Should Not Come to America as Indentured Servants (1754)   Gottlieb Mittelberger     38
Slavery Is Immoral (1700)   Samuel Sewall     40
Slavery Is Moral (1701)   John Saffin     42
Forging a New Nation (1750-1800)
Chronology     45
Preface     48
The Decision to Break from Great Britain
Parliament Is Abusing the Rights of Americans (1764)   Stephen Hopkins     52
Parliament Is Not Abusing the Rights of Americans (1765)   Martin Howard     55
America Must Seek Independence of Great Britain (1776)   Thomas Paine     57
America Must Reconcile with Great Britain (1776)   Charles Inglis     60
Revolutionary War
War Against the British Is Not Justified (1776)$dThe Ancient Testimony and Principles of the People Called Quakers     63
War Against the British Is Justified (1775)   John Carmichael     64
American Soldiers Should Act Together to Ensure Their Own Welfare (1783)   John Armstrong     66
American Soldiers Should Act in the Nation's Interest (1783)   George Washington     68
Creating a New Government
A Strong National Government Is Necessary to Ensure the Nation's Survival (1783)   George Washington     69
Strong State Governments Are Maintaining Freedom and Prosperity (1787)   James Winthrop     71
A Republic Must Be Small and Uniform to Survive (1787)   "Brutus"     73
A Viable Republic Can Be Large and Diverse (1787)   James Madison     75
The Constitution Needs a Bill of Rights (1788)   Patrick Henry     77
The Constitution Does Not Need a Bill of Rights (1788)   Alexander Hamilton     79
Jay's Treaty Should Be Rejected (1795)   Robert R. Livingston     80
Jay's Treaty Should Be Accepted (1796)   Fisher Ames     82
The Sedition Act Violates the Bill of Rights (1799)   George Hay     84
The Sedition Act Does Not Violate the Bill of Rights (1799)$d5th Congress Majority Report     86
Antebellum America (1800-1850)
Chronology     88
Preface     91
Expanding Nation, Expanding Government
The Louisiana Purchase Should Be Approved (1803)   Thomas Jefferson      95
The Louisiana Purchase Should Be Opposed (1803)   Samuel White     97
The Federal Government Is Supreme Over the States (1819)   John Marshall     98
The Federal Government Is Not Supreme Over the States (1819)   Spencer Roane     102
Indians Should Be Removed to the West (1830)   Andrew Jackson     104
Indians Should Be Allowed to Remain in Their Homeland (1830)$dThe Cherokee Nation     106
The Bank of the United States Should Be Abolished (1832)   Andrew Jackson     109
The Bank of the United States Should Not Be Abolished (1832)   Daniel Webster     111
Social Reform Issues of the Antebellum Era
Suffrage Should Not Be Based on Property (1821)   Nathan Sanford     114
Suffrage Should Be Limited to Property Holders (1821)   James Kent     115
Immigrants Endanger America (1845)$dNative American Party     117
Immigrants Do Not Endanger America (1845)   Thomas L. Nichols     119
Women Hold an Exalted Status in America (1841)   Catharine E. Beecher     121
Women Hold a Degraded Status in America (1848)   Elizabeth Cady Stanton$dThe Seneca Falls Convention     124
Manifest Destiny and War with Mexico
America Should Not Annex Texas (1844)    Henry Clay     126
America Should Annex Texas (1845)   John L. O'Sullivan     128
The United States Must Wage War on Mexico (1846)   James K. Polk     130
The United States Fought Mexico to Gain Territory (1850)   Ramon Alcaraz et al.     132
Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877)
Chronology     135
Preface     138
Slavery and the Road to Secession
Southern States May Be Forced to Leave the Union (1850)   John C. Calhoun     141
The Union Must Be Preserved (1850)   Daniel Webster     144
Constitutional Rights Do Not Extend to Blacks (1857)   Roger Taney     148
Constitutional Rights Do Extend to Blacks (1857)   Benjamin Robbins Curtis     152
Popular Sovereignty Should Settle the Slavery Question (1858)   Stephen A. Douglas     154
Slavery Should Not Be Allowed to Spread (1858)   Abraham Lincoln     156
Secession Is Justified (1861)$dSouth Carolina Declaration     159
Secession Is Not Justified (1861)   Abraham Lincoln     161
The Civil War
Freeing the Slaves Should Be the Primary War Aim (1862)   Horace Greeley     164
Preserving the Union Should Be the Primary War Aim (1862)   Abraham Lincoln     166
The Emancipation Proclamation Is a Significant Achievement (1862)   Frederick Douglass     166
The Emancipation Proclamation Is a Worthless Act (1863)   Clement L. Vallandigham     168
War Justifies the Restriction of Civil Liberties (1863)   Abraham Lincoln     170
War Does Not Justify the Violation of Civil Liberties (1863)$dOhio Democratic Convention     172
Reconstruction
The South Is a Separate, Conquered Nation (1866)$dJoint Committee on Reconstruction     174
The South Is Not a Separate, Conquered Nation (1867)   Andrew Johnson     176
Blacks Should Have the Right to Vote (1866)   Frederick Douglass     178
Blacks Should Not Have the Right to Vote (1867)   Andrew Johnson     180
Index     183