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Title Giambattista Scandella. Series I Journals, No. 6
Author Scandella, Giambattista
Date 16 Apr-4 May 1798
Document Type Personal Account
Reference MSS 101, Series 1, Folder 6
Library / Archive Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Collection Name Giambattista Scandella Papers, 1787-1798
Description Contains observations of the American political and justice systems at both a local level (Pennsylvania, primarily) and a national level. Mentions government spending, violation of criminal laws, the Constitution, universal suffrage, charitable organisations, the Alien Bill [Alien and Sedition Acts, 1798], relations with France and England, and the U.S. militia. Includes several short newspaper clippings.
Series Description The collection includes a diary and commonplace books containing impressions of America, and medical case records. Journal and commonplace books are both rich in detailed observations about the United States at the end of the 18th century. Scandella's comments touch on a broad range of topics, such as Quakers, race relations, U.S. political culture and system, physical features of the land, Americans' character, and U.S. foreign relations. His notes also discuss a number of prominent Americans he met or befriended, including Washington, Jefferson, and Benjamin Latrobe. Journals and commonplace books include a few American newspaper clippings, which lack citations. The commonplace books also include small drawings of things he observed, such as farm equipment or dams, as well as margin doodles.
Biographical Note / History Scandella was born in Italy and was educated as a physician. He came to America c.1796 and settled in Philadelphia in 1797.
Theme(s) Politics, Legislation and Governance; Religion, Ethnic Identity and Community Relations
Places Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, United States
Nationality Italian; American; French; English
Keywords politics, economics, vote, government, commerce, trade, war, foreign policy, hot weather, economics, legislation
Additional Information Please note: Some of the metadata for this document has been taken from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania catalogue.
Language Italian; English
Document(s) linked to Scandella, Giambattista. Series I Journals, No. 7
Copyright Historical Society of Pennsylvania