The Newberry is an especially rich resource for the study of Early American history. Some types of primary sources one might find include colonial records; published state archives; historical and genealogical society papers; state, county and town histories; newspapers and periodicals; missionary accounts; travel literature; diaries, sermons and hymns; Indian captivity narratives; and historical monographs. These original sources are complemented by later published editions of primary sources, such as the Early American Imprints and Early American Newspapers microfilm series.
Colonial Period
Attempting to include all phases in the development of European colonies in the Americas, the Newberry has an abundance of primary source material documenting the British, French, Spanish and Portuguese colonies. Like other subject areas within American history, the Ayer and Ruggles collections have a wealth of material for the study of the Colonial Period.
British Colonies: The Newberry’s British Colonial History collections demonstrate the history of the settlement of the Atlantic Coast and the western movement into its hinterland. A complete list of the Newberry Library material for the British Colonies would reveal such rarities as
All the early editions of John Smith’s New England and Virginia
A Briefe and True Relation of the Discouerie of the North Part of Virginia by John Brereton (London, 1602)
Voyage Made this Present Yeere 1605 by James Rosier (London, 1605)
A complete set of the Eliot tracts, 1643-1671
In addition to these rare histories, there are a large number of pamphlets on the French and Indian War, extensive material on the Hudson Bay Company, Indian Wars, Captivities and Treaties, and a great wealth of printed archival material.
French Colonies: The Newberry, often within the Ayer collection, has many important sources on the history of the French colonies. Some of the special sources of note are
A complete set of the Jesuit Relations in original Cramoisy editions
Multiple editions of Hennepin and Champlain
And many other items, printed and manuscript, are essential sources on the history of the French colonies in North America.
Spanish Colonies: No less interested in those sections of the continent that were formerly under Spanish dominion, the Newberry has collected extensively for the history of Mexico and Latin America for the period of discovery, conquest, and colonization. Some of the rare printed works include:
Multiple editions of Las Casas between 1552 and 1877
The works of Oviedo and many editions of Acosta, Herrida, and Solis
Many manuscripts and transcripts of archives relating to the conduct of the Spanish colonies are available at the Newberry, most often within the Ayer collection. These collections generally consist of documents from the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries which relate to the history of the territory of the United States formerly held by Spain. Transcripts have been copied from the archives of the Indes at Seville, Simancus, Madrid, Nacogdoches, and Matamoras.
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