Browse Primary Sources

Locate primary sources, including images, objects, media, and texts. Annotations by scholars contextualize sources.

Brazilian Carriage

This horse-drawn carriage dates from the late-eighteenth or early nineteenth century. During this period, carriages like this were the preferred form of transportation for elite members of society. It protected them from inclement weather and created a spectacle among the rest of the townspeople who saw them ride by.

Parque Lage

The Parque Lage is located in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, and at the foot of the Christ the Redeemer mountain. The site features lush gardens and a nineteenth-century mansion. Its name originates from the former residents of the home, Henrique Lage and Gabriella Besanzoni.

First Sounds of the Hymn of Independence

The nation of Brazil declared its independence from Portugal on September 7, 1822 after three centuries of colonial rule. At this time, Brazil was ruled by Emperor Pedro I (1822-1831). It joined the many other nations that declared their independence during this period across the former Portuguese and Spanish empires.

Death Mask of Pancho Villa

Pancho Villa (1878-1923) was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution, which lasted from 1910-1920. The revolution began with the overthrow of President Porfirio Diaz, who had been in power for 31 years. Over the next decade, elite figures vied for power, and agrarian insurrection ravaged the country.

The 33 Orientales

In 1825, Uruguayan troops won their independence from Brazil. The military contingent became known as the “33 Orientales,” reflecting the number of participants and referencing the name of the region (Oriente). Between 1875 and 1878, Juan Manuel Blanes captured a version of these events on oil and canvas.

Portón de Campo

This stone structure, also known as the Puerta de la Ciudadela, belonged to the historic defensive walls of Colonia del Sacramento. Although the city is located in modern-day Uruguay, at the time of construction (1745), it was occupied by the Portuguese under Governor Vasconcellos.

Eighteenth-Century Uruguayan Home

On display here are several objects from the Museo Casa de Nacarello, a small museum in Colonia, Uruguay that aims to recreate daily life in an eighteenth-century home. The building that houses the museum dates from that period, and it contains furniture, dishes, and decorations that residents of Colonia would have used at the time.

Museo Regional de Oriente

The Museo Regional de Oriente is a state-run history and anthropology museum in San Miguel, El Salvador. The complex that houses this institution began as a textile factory in the 1940s. In the 1980s, during the Guerra Civil (civil war), the Salvadoran military operated out of these structures, which housed the infantry battalion.

Iglesia Colonial de Conchagua

The Iglesia Colonial de Conchagua is one of the oldest churches in El Salvador. It stands in the shadows of the town’s namesake feature, the Conchagua volcano.

Washington Post Announces Eisenhower's Reelection in 1956

The Washington Post Announces Eisenhower's Reelection

A newspaper is a publication intended for a broad audience that appears regularly, often daily, and claims to contain factual accounts of recent events. The Washington Post, for instance, has reported on the presidential elections in the United States since 1880, and is proud to count itself a historic member of the "campaign reporting business."

Castillo de Piria

This castle-like home once belonged to Francisco Piria, a Uruguayan entrepreneur and the founder of the town of Piriápolis. He lived from 1847 to 1933. Piria was the child of Italian immigrants, who comprised a major portion of the population in the Rio de la Plata region during this period. He grew up in the capital city of Montevideo and attended school in Italy.

Ruins of the Convento de San Francisco

These structures are all that remain from a convent built near the coast of modern-day Uruguay in the 1690s. It is located in Colonia del Sacramento, a city that switched back and forth from Spanish rule to Portuguese rule several times during the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries. Its unstable political identity resulted from its positioning in a highly contested region.

Portrait of General Artigas

José Gervasio Artigas Arnal (1764-1850) was a Uruguayan soldier who became a national hero for his contributions to the wars of independence from Spain. He is a celebrated figure in Uruguayan culture, and his name has become ubiquitous throughout the country. For example, one of the main roads in its capital city of Montevideo is Artigas Bulevard.

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New York Times editorial on Mexico, November 21, 1855

The New York Times was founded in 1851. It was an antislavery newspaper before the Civil War, helping to establish the Republican Party in 1854. It covered international as well as national and local affairs. Historians regard the Times as a gauge of American opinion at the time.

Mexico Constitution 1857

Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857

The Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857 was a liberal constitution. It replaced an organic law of 1836 that had given dictatorial authority to President Antonio López de Santa Anna, who was overthrown after selling parts of Sonora and Chihuahua to the United States in the Gadsden Purchase.

Mexico Cartoon, 1846

This cartoon was published in New York in June 1846 as a lithograph, a month after the United States declared war on Mexico on May 13, 1846 to begin the Mexican-American War, which resulted in U.S. annexation of Mexico’s northern territory. Lithographs were printed cheaply from original drawings using crayon, limestone, and rolled-on ink.

Wooden Triptych

This small wooden piece was constructed as a triptych, with two side panels that can fold over the main panel. It displays religious imagery, with the Virgin Mary at the center. The time period is unclear. The other figures remain unidentified, but are likely religious figures or images of the individuals who commissioned the piece. This item was intended for personal devotion in the home.

Tomb of General Juan Lavalle

Argentina declared independence from Spain in 1816 and eventually achieved it after several years of fighting royalist forces. Juan Lavalle was born in Buenos Aires in 1797, and remained in Argentina for most of his life. He joined General San Martin to fight for independence across South America.

The Obelisk of Buenos Aires

Built 1936 to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of the city, the Obelisk stands in downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. It stands 67.5 meters tall, made of concrete and stone. The nation of Argentina celebrates its independence day on July 9th. This monument is located in the historic heart of town, at the intersection of July 9th Avenue and Corrientes Avenue.

Remains of the Puerta de la Ciudadela

The city of Montevideo, Uruguay, once belonged to the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata, under the control of the Spanish Crown. It was officially founded in 1724. Around this time, the government constructed a wall around the city. Such walls served important defensive purposes, especially for places like Montevideo, which directly bordered the sprawling Portuguese territory of Brazil.