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| Headquarters | University of Virginia,, |
|---|---|
| Owner | National Historical Publications and Records Commission The University of Virginia Press |
| Products | Papers and correspondence 185,000 documents |
| Services | Searchable database Free to the public |
| URL | founders |
Founders Online is aresearchwebsite providing free access to adigitized collection representing thecollected papers of seven of the most influential figures in the founding of theUnited States.[1][2] Among the 185,000 documents available through the website's searchabledatabase are the papers ofJohn Adams,Benjamin Franklin,Alexander Hamilton,John Jay,Thomas Jefferson,James Madison, andGeorge Washington.[3][4] The database also includes correspondence between theseFounders and hundreds of other figures. The website is a cooperative venture between theNational Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), the grant-making arm of theNational Archives, andThe University of Virginia Press.[1]
The Founders Online website, launched on June 13, 2013, enables students, researchers, scholars, and the general public to read what the Founders wrote and debated in the years leading up to and following the nation's formation. The subjects they discussed between themselves and others ranged from public policies and democratic principles toslavery and theConstitution. The works available also provide insight into the Founders' friendships and personal lives.[1]
The website's collection is the result of a 50-year effort by scholars to locate, transcribe, annotate, and digitize 18th and 19th century documents held by archives worldwide. From these works, hundreds of individual volumes have been published that can also be accessed.[1][3]
The collection is derived from the letterpress editions of the Founders' original papers, which were drawn from the following sources:[5]
Besides the complete works of these individuals, Founders Online includes the selected papers ofJohn Jay, firstChief Justice of theU.S. Supreme Court.[5] Eventually, the website's collection is expected to exceed 200,000 documents.[2][6] The website is based at theUniversity of Virginia inCharlottesville.
The website's editorial work is made possible through federal funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission and theNational Endowment for the Humanities. Additional major funding is provided by a wide range of foundations, corporations, and private individuals. Also sponsoring Founders Online's editorial projects areThe University of Virginia,Princeton University,Massachusetts Historical Society,Columbia University.Yale University,American Philosophical Society,University of Chicago, andThomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello.[7]
