The Beginnings of America, 1607-1763

The opening decades of America's colonial era come alive through the very words of those who lived it. This volume gathers diaries, letters, and narratives written by explorers, settlers, and ordinary colonists, letting listeners hear the hopes, fears, and daily struggles that shaped the first English footholds on the continent. By presenting these sources with modest modernized spelling, the book offers a clear window into a world far removed from our own.

Readers will encounter the raw reality of Jamestown’s first winter, the desperate search for food during the Pilgrims’ “starving time,” and the complex encounters with Native peoples such as the story of Pocahontas and John Smith. The collection also reveals the deep religious convictions, superstitions, and social tensions that animated early settlements. Together, these firsthand accounts flesh out the skeletal outlines found in standard histories, providing a vivid, personal portrait of early America.