Resource Spotlight: New Books on the American Revolution, Constitution, and U.S. History!

It’s mid-July and MA250 is in full swing! If you’re local or visiting Boston, hopefully you’ve had the chance to experience some of the State Library’s recent events and exhibits. If you would like to find out about MA250 events near you – visit the MA250 Events page!

You can also download a copy of the MA250 Field Guide from our digital repository.

If you’re more of a bookworm and would prefer to celebrate through reading about American Revolution and the Commonwealth’s involvement – both in the war and the formation of the U.S. (or maybe you just need a refresher!) – and if you have a library card with us, you’re in luck! The State Library recently added some new books to its collection:

Published by the U.S. Army Center of Military History, these titles cover various battles and campaigns in the War of Independence:

• Opening Shots in the Colonies, 1775-1776 by Glenn F. Williams & Jonathan D. Bratten
• Valley Forge to Monmouth, 1778 by Mark Edward Lender
• The Canadian Campaign, 1775-1776 by Michael P. Gabriel

Can’t visit us in person? Don’t worry, you can access these online through the GPO and download them for free as PDFs:

• Opening Shots in the Colonies, 1775-1776
• Valley Forge to Monmouth, 1778
• The Canadian Campaign, 1775-1776

If you’re a fan of the Freedom Trail and want to visit historic sites significant to the American Revolution, then you’ll want to check out Boston 1776: A Rogue Tour of Revolution City by J.D. Dickey. This book “features nine immersive walking tours on seven period-style maps” and provides tips for those who might be unfamiliar with Boston.

Other new additions to our collection include:

• The Dreadful Word: Speech Crime and Polite Gentlemen in Massachusetts, 1690-1776 by Kristin Olbertson
• The American Revolution and the Constitution, edited by Y. Levin, A. White, & J. Yoo
• Born Equal: Remaking America’s Constitution, 1840-1920 by Akhil Reed Amar
• American Legal History: A Very Short Introduction by G. Edward White
• American Women’s History: Avery Short Introduction by Susan Ware

Bonus resource: In honor of the 250th, the State Library has been giving away free pocket Constitutions curtesy of the Federal Depository Library Program. If you missed your chance to pick one up, don’t worry – you can download a free pdf version of the Constitution of the United States with Index and the Declaration of Independence, Pocket Edition from the GPO website!

Happy reading!


Maryellen Larkin

Government Documents Reference Librarian