Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Townshend Acts
It seems like the British Parliament was just throwing laws at the American colonists just to see what might stick. Read about the Townshend Acts that were passed after the Declaratory Act which was passed after the repeal of the Stamp...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Lexington and Concord
Find a good overview of the "shot heard around the world," the battle at Lexington, and the continuance at Concord. Read Paul Revere's account of his famous ride, and follow his route on the map. Then find a brief account of the capture...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Middle Colonies: Quakers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey
A good look at the philosophy of the Quakers who colonized William Penn's religious refuge in the colony of Pennsylvania. Read about Penn's liberal views about government, religious freedom, and relations with Native Americans.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Religious Transformation and the Second Great Awakening
The first half of the 19th century saw the emergence of many social and religious movements. Read about the Second Great Awakening and how it related to and changed the practice of and participation in religious life. See also how it...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Boston Patriots
Read about five famous Boston patriots who played a large role in the events prior to the American Revolution and the Revolution itself.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Beginnings of Revolutionary Thinking
The American Revolution was close to 200 years in the making. Read about the philosophies and attitudes toward government, as well as the diverse populations who came to the British colonies, that eventually fomented rebellion.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Beginnings of Revolutionary Thinking: Impact of Enlightenment
The ideas of the Enlightenment began in Europe, but they were acted upon in the American colonies. See how the philosophies of John Locke and Rousseau influenced the thoughts and actions of Puritan clergy and political figures like...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Hamilton's Financial Plan
George Washington tasked Alexander Hamilton as the man to clean up the economic mess of the new republic. Read about his ideas, what they were unpopular at the time, but were really very forward thinking.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Revolution on the Home Front
War is not confined to the battlefield. The economic consequences were great for the Americans during the Revolutionary War. Find out about what British occupation meant, and how women stepped up to keep the economy going while the men...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: New England Colonies: William Bradford; The First Thanksgiving
Plymouth Colony did not suffer the same problems as the English colony farther south, Jamestown. Read about the leadership of William Bradford, and the relationship between the settlers and the Native Americans who helped those who lived...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Sons and Daughters of Liberty
A brief look at the Sons and Daughters of Liberty, clandestine groups who protested against the British with acts of intimidation and the boycotting of British goods.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Beginnings of Revolutionary Thinking: What Is the American?
Even colonial America was a melting pot of people from far away. Read about the diversity of the population and why it had an effect on the possibility of rebellion and revolution.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Growth of Populism
Western farmers organized in an attempt to have their issues heard politically. Read about the various farmers' organizations which developed into the idea of populism and the formation of the Populist Party.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Life on the Farm
With the passage of the Homestead Act, settlers could own 160 acres for free. Read about the problems that faced the new farmers both economically and from Mother Nature.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Stamp Act Controversy
Read about why the Stamp Act caused such controversy in the colonies. The British Parliament had imposed several taxes previously, but find out why this one, in particular, struck such a chord.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Market Crashes
Although not the only cause for the Great Depression, the stock market crash in October 1929, showed the weakness of the American economy in a concrete way. Read about how the stock market values were run up by speculation, and how it...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Battle of Saratoga
The weeks leading up to the Battle of Saratoga were filled with disaster for the British troops. Read about the problems General Burgoyne had, and find out how the Americans took advantage of those problems to deliver a stunning defeat...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Roe v. Wade and Its Impact
The subject of the legality of abortion has been a contentious one for decades. Read about the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade in 1973, and the subsequent attempts to maintain it and overturn it.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: "American Blood on American Soil"
President James Polk's desire was for the United States to stretch from sea to shining sea. See what happened when his overatures to Mexico to buy the land north of the Rio Grande River were spurned. Take a brief vote to see if Polk was...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Britain in the New World: The House of Burgesses
The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first elected legislature in the New World. Find out why the governmental conditions in England led to this representative government and how it was so different from the governing of colonies in...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Declaration of Independence
The idea behind the Declaration of Independence and the process of writing it involved a great deal of thought and hand-wringing. Read about the three separate parts of the declaration, and the audiences for which the document was aimed.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Experiments With Utopia
Read about the communities, often religious, that strove to be a Utopia, a perfect place where man's natural goodness would provide a good life. Several Utopian communities were spread across the East and Midwest.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Age of Jackson
An overview of the issues and changes to the political scene in the Age of Jackson. Read about the nullification crisis and Jackson's veto of the national bank charter, and the relocation of Native Americans. Find out about the...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a watershed event in the relations between the American colonists and their mother country. Read about what led up the shooting, the event itself, and its aftermath. Included is a contemporary account of the...