Early American Sources makes researching easier than ever in this digital age. We help to to connect scholars of all levels to primary sources related to the Americas from roughly 1500 to 1900. Our website offers information on archives and research libraries that hold collections of early American materials, as well as links to online resources that specialize in the early Americas. Much of our featured content includes:

Archival Sources

Detailed lists of national and local archives in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and other countries throughout the Americas. These lists provide information on each repository’s collection strengths, finding aids, digitized materials, and research funding.

Digital Sources

Descriptions of and links to various online databases, digitized collections, mapping projects, and online content creators that focus on the early Americas.

Published Sources

Bibliographies of printed collections of primary sources related to the early Americas. These lists currently cover British North America, the early American republic, the papers of U.S. presidents, and race and slavery. There are also bibliographies for the United States organized by state/territory and a list of early American cookbooks.

Academic Resources

Information about a variety of resources to help with scholarly work on the early Americas, including lists of fellowships, research institutes, and conferences.

In the coming months, Early American Sources will continue to add more resources. Our current focus is to expand our lists of North American archives and published sources, as well as digital collections in the United States. We will also be adding several specialty resources that will be both informative and entertaining. In the mean time, we encourage you to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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Early American Sources was created in 2021 by Joseph Thomas Ross. Joseph received his BA from The Ohio State University, his MA from Ohio University, and is currently an adjunct lecturer at the University of Missouri. His research focuses on the early American state and Anglo-American imperialisms in the early American West. He is the author of “‘Strange Doings with Respect to Preemptions’: Federal Power and Political Interests at the Chillicothe Land Office, 1800-1802,” which appeared in Ohio Valley History, as well as “Federalist Failure: Conflict and Disorder in the Northwest Territory,” a chapter in Settling Ohio: First Nations and Beyond, a forthcoming volume from Ohio University Press. You can follow Joseph on Twitter @joeross1800 and email him at joeross1800@outlook.com.