Works Cited

Complete bibliography of primary sources, secondary analyses, and digital resources used in this thematic analysis of polarization and freedom in U.S. history (1490s-1890s).

Primary Sources

12 Documents

Bacon, Nathaniel. "A People's Declaration." Virginia, 1676.

Bacon's manifesto outlining grievances against Governor Berkeley and colonial government

Political Document
Polarization
Period: Colonial Era
Location: Virginia Historical Society
Significance: Demonstrates early colonial class and regional divisions

Jefferson, Thomas. "Declaration of Independence." Philadelphia: Continental Congress, July 4, 1776.

Foundational document establishing American principles of natural rights and self-governance

Founding Document
Freedom
Period: Revolutionary Era
Location: National Archives
Significance: Established ideological foundation for American concepts of freedom

Hamilton, Alexander, James Madison, and John Jay. The Federalist Papers. New York, 1787-1788.

Series of essays defending the proposed Constitution and federal government

Political Essays
Polarization
Period: Constitutional Era
Location: Library of Congress
Significance: Shows Federalist arguments in the first major American political debate

Henry, Patrick, and George Mason. Anti-Federalist Papers. Various locations, 1787-1788.

Essays and speeches opposing ratification of the Constitution

Political Essays
Polarization
Period: Constitutional Era
Location: Various state archives
Significance: Demonstrates Anti-Federalist concerns about federal power and individual liberty

Lincoln, Abraham. "House Divided Speech." Republican State Convention, Springfield, Illinois, June 16, 1858.

Lincoln's analysis of sectional tensions over slavery expansion

Political Speech
Both Themes
Period: Antebellum Period
Location: Abraham Lincoln Association
Significance: Articulated the irreconcilable nature of the slavery conflict

Lincoln, Abraham. "Emancipation Proclamation." Washington, D.C., January 1, 1863.

Presidential proclamation freeing slaves in rebellious states

Executive Order
Freedom
Period: Civil War
Location: National Archives
Significance: Transformed Civil War into a war for freedom and human rights

Stanton, Elizabeth Cady, and Lucretia Mott. "Declaration of Sentiments." Seneca Falls Convention, New York, July 19-20, 1848.

Women's rights manifesto demanding political and social equality

Reform Document
Freedom
Period: Antebellum Period
Location: Women's History Museum
Significance: Extended American freedom ideals to include women's rights

U.S. Constitution. "Thirteenth Amendment." Ratified December 6, 1865.

Constitutional amendment abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude

Constitutional Amendment
Freedom
Period: Reconstruction
Location: National Archives
Significance: Legally ended slavery throughout the United States

U.S. Constitution. "Fourteenth Amendment." Ratified July 9, 1868.

Constitutional amendment establishing birthright citizenship and equal protection

Constitutional Amendment
Freedom
Period: Reconstruction
Location: National Archives
Significance: Guaranteed citizenship and civil rights to formerly enslaved people

U.S. Constitution. "Fifteenth Amendment." Ratified February 3, 1870.

Constitutional amendment prohibiting voting discrimination based on race

Constitutional Amendment
Freedom
Period: Reconstruction
Location: National Archives
Significance: Extended voting rights regardless of race, color, or previous servitude

Douglass, Frederick. "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Rochester, New York, July 5, 1852.

Powerful speech critiquing American hypocrisy regarding slavery and freedom

Abolitionist Speech
Both Themes
Period: Antebellum Period
Location: Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
Significance: Exposed contradictions between American ideals and reality of slavery

Various States. "Literacy Test Examples." Southern United States, 1890s-1960s.

Discriminatory voting tests designed to disenfranchise African American voters

Legal Documents
Both Themes
Period: Post-Reconstruction
Location: Civil Rights Digital Library
Significance: Demonstrates how legal freedom could be undermined by discriminatory practices

Secondary Sources

6 Works

Foner, Eric. The Story of American Freedom. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1999.

Comprehensive examination of how concepts of freedom evolved in American history

Academic Book
Freedom
Significance: Authoritative analysis of freedom as a central theme in American development

McCarty, Nolan, Keith T. Poole, and Howard Rosenthal. Polarized America: The Dance of Ideology and Unequal Riches. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2016.

Scholarly analysis of political polarization patterns throughout American history

Academic Book
Polarization
Significance: Data-driven analysis of long-term polarization trends

Bailyn, Bernard. The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1967.

Analysis of the intellectual foundations of American revolutionary thought

Academic Book
Both Themes
Significance: Explains how colonial ideas about freedom and government shaped the Revolution

Wood, Gordon S. The Radicalism of the American Revolution. New York: Vintage Books, 1993.

Examination of how the Revolution transformed American society and concepts of freedom

Academic Book
Freedom
Significance: Shows how revolutionary ideals created new definitions of liberty and equality

Holt, Michael F. The Political Crisis of the 1850s. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1978.

Analysis of the political breakdown that led to the Civil War

Academic Book
Polarization
Significance: Explains how political polarization made compromise impossible

Berlin, Ira. Many Thousands Gone: The First Two Centuries of Slavery in North America. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1998.

Comprehensive study of slavery's development and impact on American society

Academic Book
Freedom
Significance: Documents how slavery shaped American concepts of freedom and unfreedom

Digital Archives & Collections

5 Collections

Library of Congress. "Civil War Glass Negatives and Related Prints." Digital Collection. https://www.loc.gov/collections/civil-war-glass-negatives/

Photographic documentation of the Civil War period

Digital Archive
Significance: Visual evidence of America's greatest crisis over freedom and union

Library of Congress. "Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention Broadsides." Digital Collection. https://www.loc.gov/collections/continental-congress-and-constitutional-convention-broadsides/

Original documents from the founding period

Digital Archive
Significance: Primary sources showing early American political debates

Library of Congress. "Women's History and the 19th Amendment." Digital Collection. https://www.loc.gov/collections/women-history/

Documents related to women's rights movements

Digital Archive
Significance: Sources documenting expansion of freedom to include women

National Archives. "Founding Documents." https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs

Original texts of Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights

Government Archive
Significance: Foundational documents establishing American principles of freedom

Civil Rights Digital Library. "Voting Rights and Disenfranchisement." https://crdl.usg.edu/

Documentation of voting rights struggles and discriminatory practices

Digital Archive
Significance: Evidence of how legal rights were undermined by discriminatory practices

Course Materials

3 Resources

Khan Academy. "US History Course Materials." Online Educational Platform. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history

Supplementary educational content covering American history themes

Educational Resource
Significance: Provides accessible explanations of complex historical concepts

Course Textbook. "American History: A Survey." Various chapters covering 1490s-1890s period.

Primary textbook for historical context and chronological framework

Textbook
Significance: Provides comprehensive coverage of the historical period

Class Handouts and Lecture Notes. "Polarization and Freedom Themes." Course materials.

Instructor-provided materials focusing on thematic analysis

Course Materials
Significance: Guides thematic interpretation of historical events
Citation Format & Academic Standards
Proper academic citation practices used throughout this project

Primary Sources

Documents & Speeches:

Author. "Title." Location: Publisher/Institution, Date.

Constitutional Sources:

U.S. Constitution. "Amendment Title." Ratified Date.

Secondary Sources

Books:

Author. Title. City: Publisher, Year.

Digital Collections:

Institution. "Collection Title." URL

Research Methodology

This project employs thematic analysis methodology, examining primary and secondary sources to identify recurring patterns of polarization and evolving concepts of freedom throughout American history (1490s-1890s).

Primary Sources: 12 documents
Secondary Sources: 6 scholarly works
Digital Archives: 5 collections