Going to the Source: The Bedford Reader in American History, Volume 1: To 1877 » (1st Edition)

Lots of readers offer lots of sources, but only Going to the Source gives students a clear method for how to use them. The reader's strong pedagogical framework, developed by historians with extensive teaching experience, helps students learn how to ask fruitful questions in order to evaluate documents effectively and develop critical reading skills. Mirroring the chronology of the U.S. history survey, each chapter introduces students to the excitement of working with documents by focusing on a single intriguing historical episode. The reader's wide variety of chapter topics that complement the survey course and its rich diversity of sources -- from personal letters to political cartoons -- provokes students' interest as it teaches them the skills they need to successfully grapple with historical sources.

A new quick reference guide inside the front cover shows students how to make the most of the book.

VOLUME I: TO 1877

1. Monsters and Marvels: Images of Animals from the New World

Using the Source: Images of Animals

The Source: Images of Animals from the New World

2. Tales of Captivity and Redemption: North American Captivity Narratives

Using the Source: Captivity Narratives

The Source: North American Captivity Narratives

3. Colonial America's Most Wanted: Runaway Advertisements in Colonial Newspapers

Using the Source: Runaway Advertisements

The Source: Runaway Advertisements from Colonial Newspapers, 1747-1770

4. Germ Warfare on the Colonial Frontier: An Article from the Journal of American History

Using the Source: Journal Articles

The Source: An Article from the Journal of American History, March 2000

5. Toasting Rebellion: Songs and Toasts in Revolutionary America

Using the Source: Songs and Toasts

The Source: Toasts and Songs of the Patriot Movement, 1765-1788

6. Debating the Constitution: Speeches from the New York Ratification Convention

Using the Source: The Ratification Debates

The Source: Speeches Debating the Constitution from the New York Ratification

7. The Question of Female Citizenship: Court Records from the New Nation

Using the Source: Court Records

The Source: James Martin (Plaintiff in Error) v. The Commonwealth and William Bosson and Other Ter-tenants, 1805

8. Family Values: Advice Literature for Parents and Children in the Early Republic

Using the Source: Advice Literature for Parents and Children

The Source: Advice Literature on Child Rearing and Children's Literature, 1807-1833

9. King Cotton: Economic Data on Slavery in the Antebellum South

Using the Source: Economic Data

The Source: Data Measuring the Economic Efficiency of Slavery in the Antebellum South

10. The West in Jacksonian Arts: George Catlin's Paintings of American Indians

Using the Source: Paintings

The Source: Paintings from George Catlin's Indian Gallery, 1832-1839

11. On and Off the Record: Diplomatic Correspondence on the Eve of the Mexican-American War

Using the Source: Diplomatic Correspondence

The Source: Diplomatic Correspondence Concerning the Annexation of Texas, March 10, 1845-March 18, 1846

12. Martyr or Madman? Biographies of John Brown

Using the Source: Biographies

The Source: Biographies of John Brown

13. The Illustrated Civil War: Photographers on the Battlefield

Using the Source: Civil War Photographs

The Source: Photographs of Civil War Battlefields and Military Life, 1861-1866

14. Political Terrorism during Reconstruction: Congressional Hearings and Reports on the Ku Klux Klan

Using the Source: Congressional Hearings and Reports

The Source: Testimony and Reports from the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States

new to this edition