Harriet Beecher Stowe Primary Sources

Historical documents. What clues can you gather about Harriet Beecher Stowe, the time, place, players, and culture?

Uncle Tom's Cabin

E-text of the 1852 novel.

A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin

The book Stowe wrote in 1853 to rebut accusations of inaccuracy against her novel.

Manuscript pages

Images of Stowe's actual manuscript of the novel.

Review: By a Southerner

A four-part review of Uncle Tom's Cabin by a Southerner that appeared in the New York Times.

The Christian Examiner Review

A review of Stowe's novel by a Christian paper.

The Great American Novel

An 1868 article in The Nation arguing for Stowe's book.

Josiah Henson

Excerpts from the autobiography of former slave Josiah Henson, who inspired Stowe to write Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

The abolitionist's 1845 autobiography.

The Drummers' and Fifers' Guide

A widely-used 1862 manual for military corps musicians.

"Cabin Fever"

Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. on Uncle Tom's Cabin.

"The True Story of Lady Byron's Life"

A scandalous gossip story Stowe wrote in 1869.