Containing the letters of John Winthrop, Sr., and Jr., and their correspondents, this collection details the early years of the New England colonies. One of the most important manuscript sources about colonial New England, the Winthrop Papers are central to the collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society and to the study of American history. This series provides annotated transcriptions, prepared for a scholarly audience, of the most valuable documents from this resource. Winthrop materials at the MHS include a range of correspondence, commonplace books, printed works, maps, legal documents, portraits, artifacts, and photographs spanning the family's history from 15th-century England to 20th-century America.