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Compendium Tarpeia's online repository of thousands of primary source documents from 1492-today. Pick a chapter to view documents. Colonial Era 1492-1763 Chapter 1 La Conquista 1492 ― 1603 View Chapter Chapter 1 La Conquista 1492 ― 1603 Chapter 2 Nova Britannia 1603 ― 1675 View Chapter Chapter 2 Nova Britannia 1603 ― 1675 Chapter 3 Intercolonial Wars 1675 ― 1763 View Chapter Chapter 3 Intercolonial Wars 1675 ― 1763 Revolutionary Era 1763-1783 Chapter 4 Join or Die 1763 ― 1775 View Chapter Chapter 4 Join or Die 1763 ― 1775 Chapter 5 Independence 1775 ― 1784 View Chapter Chapter 5 Independence 1775 ― 1784 Founding Era 1783-1817 Chapter 6 More Perfect Union 1784 ― 1789 View Chapter Chapter 6 More Perfect Union 1784 ― 1789 Chapter 7 Federalist Regime 1789 ― 1801 View Chapter Chapter 7 Federalist Regime 1789 ― 1801 Chapter 8 Republican Liberty 1801 ― 1817 View Chapter Chapter 8 Republican Liberty 1801 ― 1817 Antebellum Era 1817-1849 Chapter 9 Good Feelings 1817 ― 1829 View Chapter Chapter 9 Good Feelings 1817 ― 1829 Chapter 10 Common Man 1829 ― 1841 View Chapter Chapter 10 Common Man 1829 ― 1841 Chapter 11 Manifest Destiny 1841 ― 1849 View Chapter Chapter 11 Manifest Destiny 1841 ― 1849 Emancipation Era 1849-1885 Chapter 12 Sectional Crisis 1849 ― 1860 View Chapter Chapter 12 Sectional Crisis 1849 ― 1860 Chapter 13 Civil War 1860 ― 1865 View Chapter Chapter 13 Civil War 1860 ― 1865 Chapter 14 Reconstruction 1865 ― 1885 View Chapter Chapter 14 Reconstruction 1865 ― 1885 Progressive Era 1885-1913 Chapter 15 Gilded Age 1885 ― 1897 View Chapter Chapter 15 Gilded Age 1885 ― 1897 Chapter 16 New Nationalism 1897 ― 1913 View Chapter Chapter 16 New Nationalism 1897 ― 1913 World Wars Era 1913-1945 Chapter 17 World War I 1913 ― 1921 View Chapter Chapter 17 World War I 1913 ― 1921 Chapter 18 Roaring Twenties 1921 ― 1929 View Chapter Chapter 18 Roaring Twenties 1921 ― 1929 Chapter 19 Great Depression 1929 ― 1941 View Chapter Chapter 19 Great Depression 1929 ― 1941 Chapter 20 World War II 1941 ― 1945 View Chapter Chapter 20 World War II 1941 ― 1945 Cold War Era 1945-1989 Chapter 21 Containment 1945 ― 1961 View Chapter Chapter 21 Containment 1945 ― 1961 Chapter 22 Detente 1961 ― 1977 View Chapter Chapter 22 Detente 1961 ― 1977 Chapter 23 Rearmament 1977 ― 1989 View Chapter Chapter 23 Rearmament 1977 ― 1989 Modern Era 1989-Today Chapter 24 End of History 1989 ― 2001 View Chapter Chapter 24 End of History 1989 ― 2001 Chapter 25 War on Terror 2001 ― 2017 View Chapter Chapter 25 War on Terror 2001 ― 2017 Chapter 26 Crisis of Populism 2017 ― Today View Chapter Chapter 26 Crisis of Populism 2017 ― Today

Our Team Board Mark Shubert Founder, Chair, Creative Director Student of American History About the Chair About the Chair Conor Pilant Vice Chair Student of American History About Conor About Conor Callie Donaghue Treasurer About Callie Evan Louey-Dacus Volunteer Coordinator About Evan Mindy Huspen Secretary About Mindy Nour Chbany Chief Marketer About Nour Advisors KrisAnne Hall Advisor Constitutional Attorney, Consultant, Professor, Writer About KrisAnne David Tubbs Advisor Visiting American History Professor at Princeton About David Dean Monsieur Advisor Writer and Historian About Dean Tim Schantz Advisor Senior Financial Executive; Smithsonian; HSP About Tim Cathy Gillespie Advisor CEO of Constituting America About Cathy Katie Gorka Advisor About Katie Adam Levinson Advisor Lawyer & History Enthusiast About Adam Volunteers Anaïs R. Sommers Proctor Historian of the Colonial Era About Anaïs Courtney Hartz Proctor Historian of the Revolutionary Era About Courtney Cydnee Melville Proctor Historian of the Emancipation Era About Cydnee Liam Reilley Volunteer Historian About Liam Alessandro Ciccarelli Volunteer Historian About Alessandro Megan Krause Volunteer Historian About Megan Mekenna Miller Volunteer Historian About Mekenna Alyssa Bailey Volunteer Historian About Alyssa Phillip Gruenemay Volunteer Historian About Phillip

James A. Garfield James Abram Garfield was the 20th president of the United States, serving from March 4, 1881, until his death on September 19, 1881. Born into humble circumstances in Ohio, Garfield rose through education, teaching, law, military service, and politics to become one of the most prominent Republican leaders of the post–Civil War era. His presidency was extraordinarily brief, but his career reflected many of the central political conflicts of the Gilded Age, particularly disputes over civil-service reform, political patronage, and the influence of party factions. Garfield was also a gifted scholar and orator who believed strongly in education, individual advancement, and public service. His assassination, only months after taking office, transformed him from a relatively obscure president into a symbol of the dangers of the nation's patronage system. Garfield was born on November 19, 1831, in Orange Township, Ohio, the youngest of five children of Abram and Eliza Garfield. His father died when James was only 18 months old, leaving his mother to raise the family with limited means. As a boy, Garfield worked on his family's farm and developed a fascination with reading and learning. At age 16 he left home to attend the Geauga Seminary, where he studied while working to pay his expenses. He later attended the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute—now Hiram College—and became an instructor there. In 1854 he entered Williams College in Massachusetts as a junior and graduated in 1856. Garfield returned to Ohio and became principal of the Eclectic Institute, where he taught a broad range of subjects. His intellectual abilities, religious convictions, and talent for public speaking quickly established him as a rising figure in his community. Garfield entered politics as a Republican during the turbulent years preceding the Civil War. In 1859, Ohio voters elected him to the state senate, where he opposed the expansion of slavery and became increasingly involved in the Republican Party. When the Civil War began in 1861, Garfield volunteered for military service and eventually became a brigadier general. He distinguished himself at the Battle of Middle Creek in Kentucky in January 1862, helping Union forces secure an important victory. Later that year he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, beginning a congressional career that would last nearly 18 years. Garfield resigned his military commission in 1863 and took his seat in Congress, where he became an influential Republican. He served on important committees, supported Reconstruction and civil rights for African Americans, and developed a reputation as an able legislator and powerful speaker. By the late 1870s, he was one of the most respected Republican leaders in Washington. Garfield's path to the presidency emerged from a bitterly divided Republican Party. At the 1880 Republican National Convention, former president Ulysses S. Grant was supported by the Stalwarts, who favored traditional patronage politics, while Senator James G. Blaine represented another major faction. Garfield was nominated as a compromise candidate after a prolonged convention and was elected president in November 1880. His administration immediately became entangled in the patronage struggle. Garfield attempted to resist the demands of Senator Roscoe Conkling and the Stalwarts, particularly over appointments to federal offices. His decision to nominate reform-minded figures, including William H. Robertson as collector of the Port of New York, provoked a major confrontation with Conkling. Although Garfield's administration had little time to accomplish its broader program, he supported civil-service reform, education, improved agricultural research, and modernization of the federal government. On July 2, 1881, Charles J. Guiteau, a disgruntled office seeker who believed Garfield owed him a government position, shot the president at a Washington railroad station. After the shooting, Garfield spent the summer of 1881 attempting to recover while doctors struggled to locate and remove the bullet. He was moved from the White House to a seaside retreat in New Jersey in September, but his condition continued to deteriorate. Garfield remained mentally alert for much of his illness and continued to discuss government affairs with those around him. Although later medical understanding suggests that the medical treatment itself contributed substantially to his decline, physicians at the time repeatedly probed his wound in unsuccessful attempts to find the bullet. Garfield eventually developed severe infections and internal complications. His vice president, Chester A. Arthur, did not assume presidential powers during Garfield's illness, and Garfield technically remained president until his death. Garfield died at Elberon, New Jersey, on September 19, 1881, at the age of 49. Guiteau was convicted of murder and hanged in 1882. Garfield's presidency was too short for him to establish a substantial record as chief executive, but his death had lasting consequences for American politics. His assassination dramatically increased public support for civil-service reform and helped create the political momentum that produced the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883, which began replacing the patronage system with a merit-based federal civil service. Garfield is also remembered for rising from poverty through education and becoming one of the nation's most accomplished scholars and politicians. His life demonstrated the possibilities of nineteenth-century American education and political advancement, while his death exposed the destructive consequences of the era's patronage politics. Although ranked among the lesser-known presidents because of the brevity of his administration, Garfield occupies an important place in American history as a reform-minded president whose unfinished career helped accelerate the transformation of the federal government. President, Representative, General

George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker Bush was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993. Born on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts, Bush came from a prominent political and business family and spent much of his life in public service. Before becoming president, he held a remarkable variety of positions, including congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, chairman of the Republican National Committee, chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in China, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and vice president. His presidency was defined by the end of the Cold War, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Persian Gulf War, and major changes in the international order. Although his presidency lasted only one term, Bush's long career in government made him one of the most experienced American statesmen of the twentieth century. Bush grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut, as the son of Prescott Bush, a successful businessman who later became a U.S. senator from Connecticut, and Dorothy Walker Bush. He attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, where he excelled academically and participated in athletics. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Bush chose to enter military service rather than immediately attend college. On his 18th birthday in 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and became one of its youngest pilots. During World War II, he flew torpedo-bomber missions in the Pacific and was shot down over the island of Chichijima in September 1944; he survived and was rescued by an American submarine. Bush was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery. After the war, he married Barbara Pierce in 1945 and entered Yale University, where he graduated in 1948 with a degree in economics. After college, Bush moved his young family to Texas and entered the oil business, helping establish the Zapata Petroleum Corporation and becoming a successful businessman. He soon turned toward politics and won election to the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas in 1966. Although he lost a Senate race in 1964, Bush's moderate Republicanism and growing experience made him an increasingly important figure in national politics. President Richard Nixon appointed him ambassador to the United Nations in 1971, and Bush later served as chairman of the Republican National Committee during the Watergate era. President Gerald Ford appointed him chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in the People's Republic of China, giving Bush valuable experience in international diplomacy. In 1976, Ford appointed him director of the Central Intelligence Agency, where Bush served for roughly a year. After unsuccessfully seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 1980, Bush became Ronald Reagan's running mate. The Reagan-Bush ticket won the 1980 and 1984 elections, making Bush vice president for eight years. Bush became president on January 20, 1989, succeeding Reagan. His presidency coincided with the dramatic conclusion of the Cold War. During his first year, communist governments across Eastern Europe collapsed, and the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989. In 1991, the Soviet Union itself dissolved, bringing the Cold War to an end. Bush also confronted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990. He organized a large international coalition under United Nations authority, and after months of economic sanctions and diplomatic efforts, the United States and its allies launched Operation Desert Storm in January 1991. The coalition rapidly defeated Iraqi forces and liberated Kuwait, although Bush chose not to pursue Saddam Hussein to Baghdad. Domestically, Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, a landmark civil-rights law, but his decision to accept a budget agreement that included tax increases damaged his standing with many conservatives. His approval ratings soared after the Gulf War but later declined as the economy weakened. Bush lost the 1992 presidential election to Democrat Bill Clinton. After leaving office in January 1993, Bush largely withdrew from electoral politics but remained active in public service and philanthropy. He and Barbara Bush established the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum and supported numerous charitable causes. Bush also developed an unusually close friendship with his former political rival Bill Clinton. The two worked together on humanitarian relief efforts, including fundraising after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Bush's post-presidential years were marked by charitable work, public appearances, and continued involvement in Republican politics, particularly through his family's growing political prominence. His sons, George W. Bush and Jeb Bush, both entered politics; George W. became the 43rd president in 2001, while Jeb served as governor of Florida. Bush's willingness to cooperate with political opponents and his emphasis on service contributed to a reputation that grew more favorable after he left office. George H. W. Bush died on November 30, 2018, in Houston, Texas, at the age of 94. He was survived by his children and was buried at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas, beside his wife Barbara and their daughter Pauline Robinson Bush. Bush's legacy is closely associated with the peaceful management of the Cold War's conclusion and the creation of an international coalition to reverse Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. His presidency is also remembered for bipartisan achievements such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and for the political controversy surrounding his broken campaign promise, "Read my lips: no new taxes." Historians have often regarded Bush as a highly experienced and pragmatic president whose greatest strengths were foreign policy, diplomacy, and coalition-building. Though he served only one term, his decades of military, business, diplomatic, intelligence, and political experience made George H. W. Bush one of the most consequential American public servants of his generation. President, Vice President, Representative

Colonial Era Chapter 2: Nova Britannia 1603 ― 1675 Jacobean Age 1603-1625 Caroline Age 1625-1649 Interregnum 1649-1660 Restoration 1660-1675 La Conquista 1492 ― 1603 Previous Chapter Intercolonial Wars 1675 ― 1763 Next Chapter Colonial Era Sponsors In Grateful Recognition Patrons of the Past: (Sponsoring all nine Eras) Doug Shubert Adam Shubert Cathy Gillespie Sponsors of the Colonial Era: Bernie Frischer Sponsor an Era Documents Filter by Type Filter by Author Reset Filter by Era Master Index Read Document 04/17/1492 The formal agreement between Christopher Columbus and the Catholic Monarchs, outlining the terms of his voyage, including titles, governance, and a share of profits from any lands discovered. It provides a primary record of how Spain officially authorized and incentivized overseas exploration, establishing Columbus’s authority and the framework for his expeditions. Ferdinand of Aragon Capitulations of Santa Fe Read Document 04/30/1492 Issued by Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, the charter grants Christopher Columbus hereditary titles of Admiral of the Ocean Sea, Viceroy, and Governor over discovered lands, along with a share of profits. It establishes a legal and economic framework for exploration, showing how the Spanish Crown incentivized expansion through private enterprise while maintaining authority over commerce, territory, and governance. Ferdinand of Aragon Privileges Granted to Columbus Read Document 08/03/1492 Columbus sailed west under the Spanish Crown seeking a route to Asia, making landfall in the Bahamas on 12 October 1492 and initiating sustained contact between Europe and the Americas. He explored Cuba and Hispaniola and founded the short-lived La Navidad. His 1492–1493 journal, the earliest detailed European account of the Caribbean, survives only through the abstracted transcription of Bartolomé de las Casas. Christopher Columbus Columbus' Diary of His First Voyage Read Document 02/15/1493 Columbus’s letter announcing the results of his first voyage was published across Europe, describing the islands he encountered, their peoples, and the vast potential for wealth and Christian expansion. Framing the discovery as a triumph for Spain, the letter promised new lands rich in resources and ripe for conversion, bolstering Spanish prestige and competition with rival European powers. Christopher Columbus Columbus' Letter of His First Voyage Read Document 05/04/1493 Issued in 1493, Pope Alexander VI grants Spain rights to lands “discovered” west of a line of longitude while recognizing prior Portuguese claims to lands east of it. Written in Latin, this bull established the principle that non-Christian lands could be claimed by European powers, forming the basis for future colonization of the Americas. Pope Alexander VI Inter caetera Read Document 06/07/1494 An agreement between Spain and Portugal, mediated by the Pope, that divided newly discovered lands outside Europe along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands. This treaty granted Spain rights to most of the Americas while Portugal secured control over Africa, Asia, and later Brazil, shaping the course of global empire. Pope Alexander VI Treaty of Tordesillas Read Document 03/05/1496 Venetian explorer John Cabot, sailing under commission from England’s Henry VII, made landfall on the coast of North America, likely Newfoundland, on June 24, becoming the first known European since the Norse to reach the mainland. His voyage laid the foundation for England’s territorial claims in the New World, shaping the future of English colonization. Henry VII John Cabot's First Patent Read Document 05/10/1497 Amerigo Vespucci, a Florentine navigator working for Spain, claimed to have sailed on a 1497–1498 voyage along the coast of the New World, possibly reaching Central America, though the authenticity of this voyage remains disputed by historians. Amerigo Vespucci Amerigo Vespucci First Voyage Read Document 07/22/1497 The Spanish Crown issued royal instructions authorizing Christopher Columbus to promote permanent settlement on Hispaniola by distributing land and requiring colonists to cultivate crops and develop the island’s resources. This decree marked an early shift from exploration toward organized colonization and agricultural exploitation in Spain’s emerging American empire. Ferdinand of Aragon Decree to Cultivate American Colonies Read Document 03/05/1498 Second letters patent issued by Henry VII granting John Cabot authority to outfit up to six ships and return to newly discovered lands (February 3, 1498), expanding royal support for exploration while relying on private financing, after which Cabot departed later that year on a voyage whose date, route, and fate remain unknown, with his pension ending in 1499 suggesting he likely died during or shortly after the expedition. Henry VII John Cabot's Second Patent Read Document 1503 Mundus Novus is a letter, attributed to Amerigo Vespucci, describing his voyages to the newly encountered lands across the Atlantic. Written in Latin and first printed in 1503, it introduced European readers to the idea that these lands were not Asia, but a “New World” previously unknown to Europeans. The letter emphasizes the vast size, natural wealth, and distinct peoples of these territories, fueling curiosity and prompting further exploration. Amerigo Vespucci Mundus Novus Read Document 12/27/1512 Promulgated by King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Juana of Castile in Burgos, Spain; the first comprehensive legal code regulating Spanish conduct, labor obligations, living conditions, and religious instruction of Indigenous peoples in the Americas, initially on Hispaniola and later applied to Puerto Rico and Jamaica, establishing the Crown’s framework for colonial governance and the treatment of native populations. Ferdinand of Aragon The Laws of Burgos 1 2 3 ... 135 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 ... 135 Biographies Christopher Columbus (1451–1506) was a Genoese navigator who sailed under the Spanish Crown and completed four transatlantic voyages beginning in 1492. He is best known for making sustained European contact with the Americas while searching for a western sea route to Asia. His expeditions initiated the Columbian Exchange and Spanish colonization of the Caribbean, though his governance and treatment of Indigenous peoples remain deeply controversial. View Bio Christopher Columbus John Rolfe (c. 1585–1622) was an English colonist who became one of the most important figures in the early development of Virginia. He helped establish Virginia’s tobacco industry and married Pocahontas in 1614, contributing to a period of improved relations between the English and the Powhatan Confederacy. His legacy is closely tied to the economic growth of Jamestown, the colonization of Virginia, and the complex history of English-Indigenous relations in early America. View Bio John Rolfe John Winthrop (1588–1649) was an English Puritan leader who helped establish the Massachusetts Bay Colony and served as its governor for much of its early history. In 1630, he led a large group of Puritan settlers to New England as part of the Great Migration, seeking to establish a religious community based on Puritan principles. As governor, Winthrop shaped the colony's government and society, leaving a lasting legacy as one of the most influential leaders in early New England. View Bio John Winthrop Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) rose from humble beginnings as a runaway printer’s apprentice to become a leading writer, scientist, diplomat, and statesman whose influence shaped every stage of America’s founding. Through intellect, wit, and practical wisdom, he helped secure independence, unite the colonies, and design a constitutional republic that could endure. View Bio Benjamin Franklin Roger Sherman (1721–1793) was a Connecticut statesman and lawyer who played a central role in America’s founding and is the only person to sign all four key founding documents: the Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution. A delegate to both Continental Congresses and the Constitutional Convention, he later served in the first U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, shaping the early structure of the federal government. View Bio Roger Sherman Samuel Adams (1722–1803) was an American revolutionary, Founding Father, and political leader who became one of the most influential organizers of resistance to British rule. He helped mobilize opposition to British taxation, supported American independence, signed the Declaration of Independence, and later served as governor of Massachusetts. He opposed the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. View Bio Samuel Adams Reset Filter by Era Filter by Office 1 2 3 ... 18 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 ... 18 Search by Name

< Back Dean Monsieur Advisor Dean Monsieur is a historian with a specialization in American history and sociology, having written and composed historical documentaries and papers, served as lead historical advisor to non-profit organizations, and even served as vice-executive of political non-profit, American Virtue. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Dean's challenging upbringing fueled his determination to understand the events that shaped his community, his country, and the broader world. More than that, Dean was nagged by the question of not just "what" but "why". Dean found himself at a unique confluence of history, psychology, politics, and sociology, spawning his particular style of historical analysis. Over roughly a decade, Dean educated himself extensively in history through books, online courses, and archives, forming a nuanced understanding of historical events. His breakout into publicity came with the creation of the Monsieur Z Youtube Channel, which has amassed a significant following due to its engaging and accessible historical content. The initial videos on the Monsieur Z channel aimed to blend education with entertainment in the form of what-if scenarios which gave background into historic events before speculating on what might have occurred had history unfolded differently. Over time, however, the Monsieur Z channel began shifting to more strictly educational content. Dean's unique ability to make history entertaining and informative has earned him a reputation as a leading history content creator on the platform. Building on the success of his YouTube channel, Dean produced a highly acclaimed documentary series, the 7 Ages of America , which frames the history of the United States not as a history of one single nation, but of multiple nations who across the history of the United States vied for dominance of national institutions, and repeatedly altered the political character of the country, arguing that the United States has not had one continuous government, but multiple governments/regimes akin to France, Mexico, and Brazil. Through this work, Dean has brought critical historical narratives to a broader audience, highlighting the complexities and intricacies of America's past. In addition to his work in media, Dean served as the Vice-President of political non-profit organization, American Virtue. In this role, he leverages his historical knowledge to inform the organization's mission and activities, particularly in areas related to education, civic engagement, and American culture. Dean’s work has profoundly impacted public understanding of history, earning him invitations to speak at conferences and participate in panel discussions. His dedication to making history accurate and accessible have inspired many. Dean believes that understanding the past is crucial for navigating the present and shaping the future, and he strives to foster a deeper appreciation for history among people of all ages and backgrounds. Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/@MonsieurDean/featured

About Tarpeia includes our legal forms such as our 990ns and IRS determination letter and our values as a charity. Acerca de About the Nonprofit Amending America ltd. Nonprofit 501(c)(3) Pay to the order of: Amending America ltd. Public Charity Status: 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) EIN: 88-2590159 Incorporated in the State of Georgia Domestic Nonprofit Corporation NAICS Code: Educational Services NAICS Sub Code: Educational Support Services Effective May 12, 2022 990/990EZ/990N Required 2022 990N 2023 990N 2024 990N 2025 990N IRS Determination Letter Byla ws Approved to Solicit Funds in the State of Georg ia GEORGIA CODE Copyright 2016 by The State of Georgia All rig hts reserved. *** Current Through the 2016 Regular Session *** TITLE 43. PROFESSION S AND BUSINESSES CHAPTER 17. CHARITABLE SOLICITATIONS O.C.G.A. § 43-17-9 (2016) § 43-17-9. Exemptions (a) The following persons are exempt from the provisions of Code Sections 43-17-5, 43-17-6, and 43-17-8: (1) Educational institutions and those organizations, foundations, associations, corporations, charities, and agencies operated, supervised, or controlled by or in connection with a nonprofit educational institution, provided that any such institution or organization is qualified under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as ame nded; Link to full exemption list The Problem We Face You see an erosion of social cohesion, inefficient government policy, and a perishing national identity today and don't understand where it all started, how it has gotten worse, or how to fix them. Only 27% of Americans have a “basic” understanding of American history, and that “basic” understanding is not enough to pass a college exam. America’s ignorance of our own history is not only disappointing but also detrimental to our welfare as it prevents us from understanding the political institutions and social environment we live in today, this misunderstanding not only leads to a disjoined union, divided on partisan lines and peculiar interests, but it prevents us from properly critiquing our society in a constructive manner, after all how can you fix something you don't understand? We lack a diverse yet unified understanding of our history preventing us from moving forward together. This illiteracy is what Tarpeia aims to alleviate. Our Value Proposition We are an educational nonprofit specializing in American history. Our online services include a repository of thousands of historical documents, a curriculum for students studying history that is also turnkey for teachers to use in their classrooms, and a publication for academic papers. Our online services are accessible, comprehensive, and user-friendly unlike many schools, libraries, and educational organizations who do not effectively use online technology nor provide more than the bare minimum basics of the topics they cover. Our work bridges the chasm between the frontier of scholarship and what is taught in the classroom. This "chasm" is a serious disconnect between academia and the people that is currently not being addressed by academia who are stuck awarding each other and working on trivial projects instead of educating the people. Your Call to Action With your support we will provide educational material to students, resources to teachers, and transparency to parents. Without you, we and others are missing out, so contribute to the cause and let's Amend America. Prioritize Primary Sources: Value: Return to the sources of the past rather than relying exclusively on modern historiography and inherited interpretation. Historical understanding should begin with direct engagement with documents, speeches, laws, letters, newspapers, court decisions, artifacts, and archival evidence. Issues Addressed: Misunderstanding of research Weak standards of historical verification Excessive ideological framing Falsehoods repeated through citation chains How Current Academia Often Falls Short: Many educational environments rely heavily on textbook summaries and secondary interpretation while students rarely engage deeply with original source material. Historical claims are often repeated through citation chains without sufficient reexamination of the underlying evidence. Students are taught what historians concluded before learning how historians arrived at those conclusions. Our Approach: Amending America emphasizes direct engagement with primary sources so learners can evaluate evidence independently, identify competing interpretations, and develop stronger historical reasoning skills. Coordinate with Educators: Value: Work collaboratively with administrators, teachers, scholars, archivists, and public educators to strengthen civic and historical literacy. Issues Addressed: Weak culture of civic inquiry Insufficient support structures Limited professional pathways How Current Academia Often Falls Short: Educational institutions are frequently compartmentalized, with limited collaboration between scholars, teachers, public historians, and civic organizations. Students often lack mentorship opportunities and sustained intellectual communities outside isolated coursework. Our Approach: Amending America seeks to build networks between educators, researchers, institutions, and learners to create long-term support systems and collaborative educational opportunities. Hone Media Literacy: Value: Teach students how to analyze, evaluate, contextualize, and infer meaning from primary sources across different forms of media and historical eras. Issues Addressed: Weak historical literacy Misunderstanding of research AI misinformation and digital confusion How Current Academia Often Falls Short: Students are often taught historical conclusions without learning how to critically evaluate evidence, propaganda, media framing, visual rhetoric, or source reliability. Our Approach: Amending America trains learners to examine documents, speeches, photographs, newspapers, political cartoons, broadcasts, film, and digital material critically and contextually. Refute Historical Misconceptions: Value: Promote intellectual honesty by identifying and correcting misconceptions through evidence-based analysis. Issues Addressed: Weak standards of historical verification Overgeneralization Falsehoods taken as truth How Current Academia Often Falls Short: Popular narratives are frequently repeated without rigorous scrutiny because they have become academically conventional or culturally accepted. Simplified historical myths often persist even when primary evidence complicates or contradicts them. Our Approach: Amending America encourages learners to test historical claims directly against evidence and remain open to revision when stronger documentation emerges. Create Accessible Materials: Value: Develop educational resources that are user-friendly, navigable, visually engaging, and accessible to both students and educators. Issues Addressed: Restricted access to historical material Financial barriers Weak public engagement How Current Academia Often Falls Short: Historical resources are often hidden behind institutional barriers, expensive tuition systems, fragmented archives, or poorly organized databases that discourage public engagement. Our Approach: Amending America seeks to make high-quality historical and civic resources broadly available through accessible digital platforms and intuitive educational design. Integrate Interactive Pedagogy: Value: Combine different forms of media, technology, and instructional methods to create engaging and immersive educational experiences. Issues Addressed: Weak culture of inquiry Overreliance on memorization and trivia Student disengagement How Current Academia Often Falls Short: Many educational environments rely heavily on passive lecture models and static textbooks that fail to fully engage learners or stimulate intellectual curiosity. Our Approach: Amending America integrates timelines, multimedia archives, primary sources, assessments, discussion exercises, and interactive learning tools into a unified educational ecosystem. Refine Assessment & Feedback: Value: Design meaningful assessments that encourage growth, mastery, reflection, and continued intellectual development. Issues Addressed: Weak support structures Credential-focused education Student discouragement How Current Academia Often Falls Short: Assessment systems are often designed primarily for grading and standardization rather than intellectual development. Students frequently receive limited constructive feedback and little encouragement toward long-term learning. Our Approach: Amending America seeks to create assessments that reinforce critical thinking, research ability, rhetorical skill, and civic understanding while cultivating confidence and curiosity. Include Diverse Histories: Value: Present multiple perspectives and competing interpretations through direct engagement with historical evidence. Issues Addressed: Excessive ideological framing Narrow or fragmented curricula One-sided historical narratives How Current Academia Often Falls Short: Historical instruction can become ideologically selective, presenting events through narrow interpretive frameworks while minimizing competing viewpoints or contextual complexity. Our Approach: Amending America exposes learners to a broad range of historical voices, arguments, and experiences so they may better understand historical actors, conflicts, and motivations in context. Encourage Civic Participation: Value: Educate learners about how they can actively participate in their communities and constitutional republic. Issues Addressed: Weak civic literacy Passive educational culture Disconnect between history and public life How Current Academia Often Falls Short: Civic education is often detached from practical participation, leaving students unfamiliar with institutions, processes, rights, responsibilities, and avenues for public engagement. Our Approach: Amending America connects historical study to active citizenship, constitutional understanding, and community involvement. Connect with the Past: Value: Demonstrate how present conditions are shaped by past people, decisions, conflicts, institutions, and ideas. Issues Addressed: Lack of chronological instruction Fragmented thematic teaching Overgeneralization How Current Academia Often Falls Short: Nonchronological and fragmented teaching methods frequently obscure how historical developments evolved over time and influenced one another. Our Approach: Amending America emphasizes chronological coherence and interconnected historical themes to help learners understand causation, continuity, and change across generations. Rhetoric & Civil Discourse : Value: Cultivate rhetorical literacy, public speaking, debate, and mature civic dialogue. Issues Addressed: Weak culture of inquiry Decline of civil discourse Passive learning environments How Current Academia Often Falls Short: Students are rarely trained in persuasive communication, constructive disagreement, or rhetorical analysis despite these being foundational skills for republican self-government. Our Approach: Amending America incorporates oration, debate, rhetorical analysis, and discussion-based learning into civic education. Invest in Education: Value: Provide financial support and institutional investment in students, educators, scholars, and educational initiatives. Issues Addressed: Financial barriers to education Limited professional opportunities Restricted access to educational advancement How Current Academia Often Falls Short: High tuition costs, institutional exclusivity, and limited funding opportunities often prevent talented individuals from fully participating in historical and civic education. Our Approach: Amending America seeks to reinvest resources into educational accessibility, scholarships, collaborative projects, research opportunities, and public learning initiatives. An Approach to History & Civic Education Laudable Goals Historical Compendium We aim to become the best online repository of American historical documents. Journal of Record We aim to run the best Journal of Record for American history research. Curate Curriculum We aim to curate the best online curriculum covering American history, civics, and classical education. Prestigious Award We aim to provide the most prestigious award for scholars who enrich the field of American history. Intermediate Goals Educational Vendor We aim to become an educational vendor so students who complete our curriculum get the credits they deserve. Credits for Con Law, American History, Civics, and APUSH. Scholarship & Relief We aim to create a scholarship program to provide funds for a student's tuition specifically for those majoring in history, civics, or law; along with a teacher relief program for those who need funds for their classroom. Audience We aim to get 1 million subscribers for our Youtube channel and 10,000 site members. Endowment We aim to establish and maintain an endowment to fund the scholarship program and eventually all expenses of the nonprofit. Half of annual return will remain in the portfolio to compound over time while the other half will cover the expenses of the charity. Publication We aim to increase our publishing rate of essays, op-eds, research projects, dissertations, and primary source documents on their respective pages. Thoughts on Education CIVITAS , PRODUCTIVUS, ERUDITIO Education is intended for individuals to hone three characteristics. Citizenship: Where people are able to understand political institutions in depth along with the broader social contract to act civilly enough to network and build relationships. Productivity: Where people are able to earn and then contribute resources for their own life, the lives of their family & friends, and society at large by developing skills valued in the market. Enlightenment: Where people are able to understand the world we live in and pursue expanding that knowledge so that our posterity may understand even more. Some Issues with Current History Education 1. Limited Historical Literacy Many educational institutions expose students to isolated events, dates, and personalities without cultivating a deep understanding of historical development, constitutional traditions, civic institutions, and political thought. Students often leave history courses with fragmented knowledge rather than a coherent understanding of how societies evolve over time. 2. Restricted Access to Historical Material A significant amount of primary source material, scholarship, archival media, and historical documentation remains difficult for the public to access due to paywalls, institutional barriers, fragmented databases, or lack of contextual organization. Amending America seeks to make history widely accessible through open educational platforms built around primary source engagement and chronological organization. 3. Weak Culture of Civic Inquiry Modern education frequently emphasizes credentialing and standardized outcomes over intellectual formation. There are too few environments dedicated to sustained curiosity, deliberation, debate, document analysis, and lifelong civic learning. Historical education should cultivate inquiry, investigation, and discussion rather than passive memorization. 4. Misunderstanding of Research Many students are taught to consume historical interpretations without learning how historical research itself is conducted. Reading secondary literature is important, but it is not the same as conducting research. Genuine historical research requires engagement with primary sources, artifacts, archival materials, locations, and contemporaneous evidence. Secondary scholarship should guide inquiry, identify debates, and reveal areas requiring further investigation rather than substitute for independent examination. 5. Fragmented Teaching of Historical Themes Historical themes are often artificially separated despite being deeply interconnected. Subjects such as the Cold War, Civil Rights Movement, constitutional development, economic transformation, social activism, immigration, and foreign policy constantly overlap and influence one another. Teaching these themes in isolation prevents students from understanding the broader historical context and causal relationships between events. A coherent historical education must integrate overlapping developments into a unified chronological narrative. 6. Overreliance on Trivia Rather Than Understanding Historical education is too often reduced to memorization of names, dates, and isolated events. While factual knowledge is important, the purpose of studying history is not merely recalling information. History should help individuals understand institutions, human behavior, political conflict, cultural transformation, civic responsibility, and the causes and consequences of decisions across time. 7. Overgeneralization of Historical Events Complex historical developments are frequently oversimplified into narrow narratives that fail to convey their depth, internal debates, competing interests, and long-term consequences. For example, Reconstruction is often reduced to a brief description of postwar military occupation without sufficiently exploring: competing Reconstruction plans, constitutional amendments, civil rights legislation, federal enforcement policies, economic transformation, immigration, corruption, resistance movements, political debates, and the lived experiences of freedmen and former Confederates. Students deserve exposure to the complexity of historical events rather than simplified summaries. 8. Lack of Chronological Instruction Nonchronological teaching methods often distort historical understanding by obscuring cause-and-effect relationships between events. Chronology is essential for understanding how decisions, movements, crises, and policies developed over time. Without a strong chronological framework, students struggle to understand how one development influenced another and how historical actors responded to evolving circumstances. 9. Excessive Omission of Historical Material Large portions of history are routinely omitted from standard curricula. Many survey courses move rapidly through broad historical periods while neglecting important debates, institutions, legislation, intellectual movements, regional developments, constitutional controversies, and lesser-known historical actors. Amending America seeks to provide a fuller and more comprehensive historical narrative that restores depth, continuity, and context. 10. Excessive Ideological Framing Historical education should encourage critical inquiry rather than ideological conformity. Students should be exposed to primary documents, competing interpretations, and multiple perspectives so they can develop their own informed conclusions. Civic education requires intellectual honesty, methodological rigor, and openness to debate rather than partisan instruction. 11. Weak Standards of Historical Verification Historical claims are often repeated through citation chains without sufficient reexamination of the underlying evidence. Amending America emphasizes direct engagement with primary sources and encourages students to investigate historical claims independently rather than relying solely on appeals to authority or inherited narratives. Historical interpretation should remain open to revision when new evidence or stronger analysis emerges. 12. Insufficient Support Structures for Students Students frequently lack mentorship opportunities, guided research environments, collaborative learning communities, and long-term intellectual support systems that encourage continued civic and scholarly engagement. Education should foster ongoing participation rather than isolated course completion. 13. Limited Professional & Civic Pathways Historical and civic education programs often provide few opportunities for students to apply their knowledge through teaching, publishing, research, public history, archival work, media production, or civic engagement initiatives. Educational institutions should cultivate pathways for meaningful participation beyond the classroom. 14. Financial Barriers to Civic Education Rigorous historical and civic education is frequently restricted by high tuition costs and institutional exclusivity. Amending America seeks to expand access to high-quality educational resources while maintaining academic seriousness and intellectual rigor. 15. Challenges Presented by Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence technologies present both opportunities and risks for education. AI tools may assist with editing, organization, accessibility, and presentation, but they should not replace independent learning, source analysis, historical reasoning, or critical thought. Historical education must continue to emphasize human inquiry, evidence evaluation, and intellectual responsibility. Case for Support

John Adams John Adams was born on October 30, 1735, in Braintree, Massachusetts Bay Colony, to John Adams Sr., a farmer and deacon, and Susanna Boylston Adams, from a prominent local family. He entered Harvard College at age fifteen and graduated in 1755, originally intending to become a minister before turning to law. After studying under James Putnam, Adams was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1758, beginning a legal career marked by a sharp mind and moral integrity. Early in his career, he was influenced by the arguments of James Otis Jr. against the Writs of Assistance, which helped shape his lifelong commitment to liberty under the law. In the 1760s, Adams emerged as a public intellectual, writing A Dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Law and opposing British taxation while still defending order and legal process. He gained national attention in 1770 by defending the British soldiers accused in the Boston Massacre, demonstrating his belief that justice must prevail over popular opinion. Elected to the First Continental Congress in 1774, Adams quickly became a leading advocate for independence and helped secure the appointment of George Washington as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. In 1776, he played a central role in seconding the resolution for independence and contributing to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, which Congress adopted on July 4. After the Revolution, Adams served as a diplomat in France, the Netherlands, and Great Britain, securing recognition of U.S. independence, critical loans, and the Treaty of Paris in 1783. He returned to the United States to draft the Massachusetts Constitution, ratified in 1780, a model for the federal Constitution. Adams was elected the first Vice President under George Washington in 1789, serving two terms, and then became the second President of the United States in 1797. His presidency faced the Quasi-War with France and domestic tensions, including the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts, but he also avoided full-scale war through diplomacy. After losing the presidency to Thomas Jefferson in 1800, Adams retired to his home in Quincy, Massachusetts, known as Peacefield. He spent his retirement writing, farming, and corresponding with Jefferson, reflecting on the Revolution, governance, and republican ideals. John Adams died on July 4, 1826, coincidentally the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, only hours after Jefferson. He left a legacy as a lawyer, diplomat, and statesman who balanced principle with pragmatism, securing both American independence and the foundations of the young republic. President, Founder, Vice President, Delegate to Continental Congress

Charles Curtis Charles Curtis was a Kansas lawyer and Republican politician who served in both houses of Congress, became Senate majority leader, and served as Herbert Hoover's vice president. He was of mixed European and Kaw ancestry and became the first person with significant Native American ancestry to reach either the presidency or vice presidency. He remains the only person of acknowledged Native American ancestry to serve as vice president. Curtis was born on January 25, 1860, in North Topeka, Kansas. His mother, Ellen Papin, was of Kaw, Osage, Potawatomi, and French ancestry, while his father, Orren Curtis, was of English, Scots, and Welsh ancestry. Curtis was raised largely by his grandparents after his mother died when he was young. He learned English, French, and some Kaw and developed a strong connection to his mother's Kaw heritage. Curtis studied law and was admitted to the Kansas bar in 1881. He became a successful attorney in Topeka and entered Republican politics. He served as county attorney of Shawnee County and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1892. He later became a U.S. senator from Kansas, serving from 1907 to 1913 and again from 1915 to 1929. Curtis became one of the most powerful Republican legislators of the Progressive Era and 1920s. He served as Senate Republican whip and later as Republican floor leader and majority leader. He was instrumental in organizing Republican senators and played an important role in tariff and other economic legislation. In 1928, Republican presidential nominee Herbert Hoover selected Curtis as his running mate. The Hoover-Curtis ticket won the election, and Curtis became vice president on March 4, 1929. As vice president, Curtis presided over the Senate during the opening years of the Great Depression. He had previously been one of the most powerful legislative leaders in the country, but his relationship with President Hoover was sometimes strained. Hoover and Curtis differed over political strategy and the extent of Curtis's role within the administration. The worsening economic crisis contributed to Hoover and Curtis's defeat by Franklin D. Roosevelt and John Nance Garner in the 1932 election. After leaving office in March 1933, Curtis remained in Washington and worked as a legal and political adviser. He did not hold another elected office. He died in Washington, D.C., on February 8, 1936, at the age of seventy-six. Curtis's legacy includes his long congressional career and his place in Native American and American political history. His ancestry made his vice presidency historically distinctive, while his decades in Congress made him one of the Republican Party's most experienced legislative leaders. His career also connects the political world of the Progressive Era with the Republican administration that governed during the opening years of the Great Depression. Vice President, Senator, Representative

Hubert Humphrey Hubert Horatio Humphrey was a Minnesota pharmacist, professor, mayor, senator, Democratic Party leader, and the thirty-eighth vice president. He became nationally prominent as an advocate for civil rights and liberal Democratic policies and later became one of the Senate's most influential Democratic leaders. He served as Lyndon B. Johnson's vice president from 1965 to 1969 and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1968. Humphrey was born on May 27, 1911, in Wallace, South Dakota, to Hubert Humphrey Sr. and Christine Buck Humphrey. His father operated a pharmacy, and Humphrey initially trained to follow him into the profession. He attended the University of Minnesota and later earned a pharmacy degree from Capitol College of Pharmacy in Denver in 1939. He subsequently returned to the University of Minnesota and earned a master's degree in political science in 1942. Humphrey became involved in politics during the New Deal era and entered Minnesota Democratic politics. He served as mayor of Minneapolis from 1945 to 1948, where he became nationally known for his advocacy of civil rights. At the 1948 Democratic National Convention, Humphrey delivered a major speech urging the party to adopt a stronger civil-rights platform. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1948. Humphrey served in the Senate from 1949 to 1964 and became one of the chamber's leading liberal Democrats. He played important roles in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other legislation. He served as Democratic whip and later became Senate majority whip. In 1964, Lyndon Johnson selected Humphrey as his vice-presidential running mate, and the Johnson-Humphrey ticket won the election by a large electoral margin over Republican Barry Goldwater and William E. Miller. As vice president, Humphrey became one of the Johnson administration's most active advocates for the Great Society. He worked extensively on civil-rights legislation, poverty programs, education, health care, and foreign policy. He also traveled internationally on behalf of the administration. However, the Vietnam War increasingly complicated his political position. Humphrey supported Johnson's Vietnam policy while the war became increasingly controversial within the Democratic Party. In 1968, Humphrey became the Democratic presidential nominee after Johnson announced that he would not seek another term. Humphrey lost the general election to Republican Richard Nixon, with Democrat George Wallace running a strong third-party campaign. After the election, Humphrey returned to the Senate in 1971 and served until his death. He became Senate minority whip and remained an influential Democratic figure. Humphrey died of bladder cancer at his home in Waverly, Minnesota, on January 13, 1978, less than two weeks before his sixty-seventh birthday. He was given a state funeral in Washington and was buried in Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. Humphrey's legacy is closely associated with the civil-rights movement, the Great Society, and the development of modern liberal Democratic politics. His Senate career placed him at the center of major legislative battles, while his vice presidency placed him within the Johnson administration during both landmark domestic reforms and the Vietnam War. His 1968 presidential campaign remains an important episode in the history of the Democratic Party and the Vietnam-era political realignment. Vice President, Senator

Thomas Todd Todd's career followed the expansion of American government westward from the original states into the new territories. He was instrumental in establishing Kentucky's legal and governmental institutions and brought that experience to the Supreme Court. His federal judicial record was relatively modest, but his participation in the Marshall Court makes him an important figure in the institutional development of the early Supreme Court. Todd was born in Virginia on January 23, 1765. His family relocated to Kentucky when he was young, during the period when Kentucky remained part of Virginia. He received a relatively limited formal education but studied law and became deeply involved in the creation of Kentucky's governmental institutions. Todd served as clerk of the Virginia House of Delegates before Kentucky achieved statehood. After Kentucky entered the Union in 1792, he became clerk of the state's first legislature and helped establish its judicial system. He served as a judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals and eventually became chief justice. His legal experience in the new state made him an important figure in the development of western American jurisprudence. Jefferson nominated Todd to the Supreme Court in December 1806, and the Senate confirmed him in March 1807. He joined the Marshall Court alongside Livingston and participated in important decisions concerning federal judicial authority, contracts, and commerce. His tenure overlapped with Dartmouth College v. Woodward , McCulloch v. Maryland , Cohens v. Virginia , and Gibbons v. Ogden . Todd generally joined the Court's majority rather than writing separate constitutional opinions. Todd remained on the Court until his death. He returned periodically to Kentucky and maintained close ties to the state while serving in Washington. He died in Frankfort on February 7, 1826, at sixty-one years old. Todd's principal legacy is institutional: he helped create Kentucky's legal system and represented the growing importance of western states within the federal judiciary. His Supreme Court record is less doctrinally distinctive than those of Marshall, Johnson, or Story, but his long tenure contributed to the stability of the Marshall Court. Constitutional approach: Original/structural constitutionalist. His limited surviving opinions do not support a highly individualized theory, but his jurisprudence fits comfortably within the constitutional framework of the Marshall Court. Key decisions Case Subject Todd's participation Fletcher v. Peck (1810) Contract Clause Participated Martin v. Hunter's Lessee (1816) Federal judicial power Participated McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) Federal power Participated Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819) Contracts Participated Cohens v. Virginia (1821) Federal judicial review Participated Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) Commerce Clause Participated Separate opinions: No major separate constitutional opinion is generally associated with Todd. Justice