The Details:
Alfred Mills. Pictures of English History, in Miniature, from the Reign of Henry VI to the Death of Lord Nelson. Philadelphia: Johnson and Warner, 1815. [catalog record]
Bequest of d’Alté A. Welch, 1970.
The Story:
Illustrated histories for children became a staple in the early American republic. This is the only known copy of the earliest American edition of Pictures of English History. Illustrations include the burning of London, the execution of Anne Boleyn, and the murder of two young princes by Richard III’s henchmen. In no small way, the book would have provided proof of the corruption of an absolute monarchy—a lesson that would instill in American children a love for a republican form of government.
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General Wolf Broadside in Case 5
