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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Hanson, John, 1715-1783 [Congressional certificate authorizing vessels to engage in military activity]

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04870 Author/Creator: Hanson, John, 1715-1783 Place Written: s.l. Type: Printed document signed Date: circa 1781-1782 Pagination: 1 p. : Height: 24 cm, Width: 42.1 cm Order a Copy

Signed below seal by John Hanson. Countersigned by Charles Thompson, Secretary of the Continental Congress. Contains blank spaces designated for the name of commander and vessel, the vessel's weight and type, and the number of men on board. Created to authorize vessels (possibly privateers) to "set forth ... in a warlike manner ... to attack, subdue, seize, and take all ships and other vessels, goods, wares and merchandizes, belonging to the King or Crown of Great Britain ..." Features paper seal.

Hanson, John, 1715-1783
Thomson, Charles, 1729-1824

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