Michael J. Marlatt Collection of Documents from Colonial America

These Colonial-era documents, from the collection of Pepperdine alumnus and attorney Michael J. Marlatt, span from 1715 to 1781 and represent the cultural, philosophical, and political atmosphere leading up to and during the Revolutionary War. Taken together, they show us an emerging nation in the process of becoming America. The collection reveals three themes by which the documents are organized below: the story of politics in every day life in the colonies, the relationship between Great Britain and the colonies, and the themes of conflict and independence at the heart of the Revolutionary War. These documents provide a sense of the political context in Great Britain and in the colonies that led to America becoming an independent nation. Through these words, handwritten and printed, we see our nation’s heritage in the strength and conviction of the leaders of the Revolution. This digital collection is based on Becoming America: An Exhibition of Colonial Documents curated by Melissa Nykanen, Head of Special Collections and University Archives at Pepperdine University Libraries.

In Spring, 2023 Seaver College students in ENG 205: Introduction to Digital Humanities created a website examining, contextualizing, and transcribing these documents. Click on the link below to access their site.