In 1774, Thomas Jefferson gave his allies in Virginia politics permission to publish his essay, Summary View of the Rights of British America. Even after the pamphlet was printed multiple times across the American colonies and in London, Jefferson continued to revise his personal copy of the text. Here are the changes he intended.
Because only a few paper mills were established in Colonial America between 1690 and the Revolution, the growing American print industry was largely dependent on an imported supply of paper. In the 1760s, Britain exploited this vulnerability by placing taxes on paper, sparking tensions that would lead to Revolution.
Thomas Jefferson used Euclidean Geometry and Newtonian Calculus to design a plow for maximum efficiency. Rather than seeking a patent, he published his innovative “mouldboard of least resistance” for all farmers to use freely.
As a young man, Isaiah Thomas printed and published a Boston newspaper that stoked the fires of Revolution. After the war, Thomas enjoyed a consequential career in printing, illustrating, publishing, papermaking, bookselling, collecting, and historical writing.
As our nation prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the Library of Congress is producing a series of short films that present items from our collections related to American history and culture. Check out the latest films in the series!
In his early 20s, George Washington played a central role in the opening acts of the French and Indian War. The fastidious young man kept careful journals for both of his expeditions across the Alleghanies; when these records were printed and published in 1754 and 1756, George Washington became (in)famous across the British and French Empires.
In another installment in Bibliomania's series on how books were made in the 15th-18th centuries, this post describes the processes of making woodcut illustrations, copperplate engravings, and etchings.
As we prepare to celebrate the United States' 250th birthday on July 4, 2026, the Rare Book and Special Collections Division is producing a series of short films that highlight items related to American history and culture with particular focus on the Founding era.
As the Library begins a year-long run-up to the 250-year anniversary of the founding of the United States on July 4, 1776, the Rare Book Division will co-host an event with the Manuscript Division on July 17 to explore the history of the Declaration of Independence and its illustrated reproductions. This "Made at the Library" event will feature Dr. John Bidwell's discussion of his recent book, "The Declaration in Print and Script: A Visual History of America's Founding Document."
