| Transcriptions of original documents are available throughout the internet. There are hundreds of websites devoted solely to providing transcriptions of original documents. Therefore, the intention of providing documents on this website is not for the purpose of providing something unique and/or proprietary. The purpose for providing the documents that are reproduced here is to make them easily accessible to visitors of MotherBedford. The documents that have been chosen to be included here are ones which had some general influence on the development of the English colonies toward becoming the United States of America. Documents pertaining to a specific region other than the colony of Pennsylvania, or the frontier that would become Bedford County in 1771, have been left out. For that reason, the Virginia Charter has not been included, whereas the Stamp Act, which influenced all of the colonies, has been included. The Charter of Pennsylvania has been included since it ultimately led to the establishment of Lancaster, York, Cumberland and then Bedford County. |
| It should be noted that the transcriptions included here are as accurate as humanly possible. The original source materials, for each document, were located and transcribed in their entirety. Spelling, capitalization and punctuation have been transcribed accurate to the original source materials. |
The Mayflower Compact ~ 1620
The New England Confederation ~ 1643
The First Navigation Act ~ 1651
The Second Navigation Act ~ 1660
The Third Navigation Act ~ 1663
The Fourth Navigation Act ~ 1673
The Charter Of Pennsylvania ~ 1681
The Frame Of The Government Of The Province Of Pennsylvania ~ 1682
The Frame Of The Government Of The Province Of Pennsylvania ~ 1683
The Fifth Navigation Act ~ 1696
The Frame Of The Government Of The Province Of Pennsylvania ~ 1696
The Plan Of Union By William Penn ~ 1697
The Wool Act ~ 1699
The Charter Of Privileges ~ 1701
The Hat Act ~ 1732
The Sugar & Molasses Act ~ 1733
The Iron Act ~ 1750
The Currency Act ~ 1751
The Writ Of Assistance ~ 1762
The Treaty Of Paris ~ 1763
The Royal Proclamation ~ 1763
The Sugar Act ~ 1764
The Currency Act ~ 1764
The Stamp Act ~ 1765
The Quartering Act ~ 1765
The Declaration Of Rights (& Grievances) ~ 1765
The Declaratory Act ~ 1766
The Townshend Acts ~ 1767
The New York Restraining Act ~ 1767
The Commissioners Of Custom Act ~ 1767
The Townshend Revenue Act ~ 1767
The Indemnity Act ~ 1767
The Vice Admiralty Court Act ~ 1767
The Tea Act ~ 1773
The Coercive Acts / Intolerable Acts ~ 1774
The Boston Port Act ~ 1774
The Massachusetts Government Act ~ 1774
The Administration Of Justice Act ~ 1774
The Quartering Act ~ 1774
The Quebec Act ~ 1774
The Suffolk Resolves ~ 1774
Galloway's Plan Of Union ~ 1774
The Declaration And Resolves Of The First Continental Congress ~ 1774
The Association ~ 1774
Letters From The First Continental Congress ~ 1774
Address To The People Of Great Britain ~ 1774
Letter To The Inhabitants Of The British Colonies ~ 1774
Letter To The Inhabitants Of The Province Of Quebec ~ 1774
The Address To The King ~ 1774
The New England Restraining Act ~ 1775
The Articles Of War ~ Rules & Regulations ~ 1775
The Declaration On Taking Arms ~ 1775
Thomas Jefferson's First Draft
John Dickinson's First Draft
The Olive Branch Petition ~ 1775
The Address To The Inhabitants Of Great Britain ~ 1775
A Proclamation, By The King, For Suppressing Rebellion And Sedition ~ 1775
A Speech To The Six Confederate Nations ~ 1775
Franklin's Articles Of Confederation ~ 1775
Franklin's Short Hints Towards A Scheme For Uniting The Northern Colonies ~ 1754
The Albany Plan Of Union ~ 1754
The Address To The Assembly Of Jamaica ~ 1775
The Address To The People Of Ireland ~ 1775
Lord North's Conciliatory Resolution ~ 1775
Report Of The Committee On Trade ~ 1775 (& 1776)
Rules For The Regulation Of The Navy Of The United Colonies ~ 1775
Response To The King's Proclamation For Suppressing Rebellion And Sedition ~ 1775
Mr. Hartley's Motion For Conciliation With America ~ 1775
The American Prohibitory Act ~ 1775
The Letter To The Inhabitants Of The Province Of Canada ~ 1776
Report Of The Committee Of Correspondence Who Conferred With A Gentleman From Canada ~ 1776
Instructions And Commission To The Commissioners Appointed To Go To Canada ~ 1776
Address To The Inhabitants Of The Colonies From Their Delegates In Congress ~ 1776
Resolves Of The Continental Congress Regarding Privateers ~ 1776
Instructions To The Commanders Of Private Ships Or Vessels Of War ~ 1776
Resolution For Colonies To Establish Governments ~ 1776
Animated Address To The Inhabitants Of The Colonies ~ 1776
The Unanimous Declaration Of The Thirteen United States Of America ~ 1776
Declaration ~ First Draft ~ 1776
Declaration ~ Reported Draft ~ 1776
The Articles Of Confederation And Perpetual Union ~ 1777
The Articles Of Confederation ~ Initial & Second Drafts ~ 1777
Address To The Inhabitants Of The United States ~ 1777
A Speech To The Six Nations ~ 1777
Treaties Between The United States And France ~ 1778
Treaty Of Alliance, Eventual And Defensive, Between The United States Of America And His Most Christian Majesty ~ 1778
Treaty Of Amity And Commerce Between The United States Of America And His Most Christian Majesty ~ 1778
The Taxation Of Colonies Act ~ 1778
Treaty Of Fort Pitt / Treaty With The Delawares ~ 1778
Treaty Of Amity And Commerce Between Their High Mightinesses The States General Of The United Netherlands And The United States Of America ~ 1782
Convention Between The Lords The States General Of The United Netherlands, And The United States Of America, Concerning Vessels Recaptured ~ 1782
Provisional Articles Between The United States Of America And His Britannic Majesty ~ 1782
Treaty Of Amity And Commerce Concluded Between His Majesty The King Of Sweden And The United States Of North-America ~ 1783
Definitive Treaty Of Peace Between The United States Of America And His Britannic Majesty / The Treaty Of Paris ~ 1783
A Proclamation Declaring The Cessation Of Arms ~ 1783
Articles Of A Treaty Concluded At Fort Stanwix Between The United States And The Six Nations ~ 1784
Articles Of A Treaty Concluded At Fort M'Intosh Between The United States And The Wiandot, Delaware, Chippawa And Ottawa Nations ~ 1785
Treaty Of Amity And Commerce Between His Majesty The King Of Prussia And The United States Of America ~ 1785
Articles Of A Treaty Concluded At Hopewell Between The United States And The Cherokees ~ 1785
Articles Of A Treaty Concluded At Hopewell Between The United States And The Choctaw Nation ~ 1786
Articles Of A Treaty Concluded At Hopewell Between The United States And The Chickasaws ~ 1786
Articles Of A Treaty Concluded At The Mouth Of The Great Miami Between The United States And The Shawanoe Nation ~ 1786
Treaty Of Peace And Friendship Between The United States Of America And His Imperial Majesty The Emporer Of Morocco ~ 1787
Treaty Of Peace And Friendship Between The United States Of America And The Creek Nation ~ 1787
The Constitution Of The United States Of America ~ 1787
George Washington's First Inaugural Address ~ 1789
The Bill Of Rights ~ 1789
