In 1713, Cotton Mather wrote in his diary, "that the minds and manners of many People about the Country are much corrupted by foolish songs and ballads, which the hawkers and pedlars carry into all parts of the country." Isaiah Thomas (1749-1831) was a printer and book collector who founded the American Antiquarian Society in 1812. Among the printed items that he collected and preserved were a series of broadsides of these "foolish songs and ballads" that circulated Boston, Massachusetts in the early nineteenth century. On this website, visitors can explore over 300 broadsides of patriotic, amusing, and sometimes vulgar ballads. This collection also includes other items that were printed on broadsides, such as sermons and woodcuts. Each item is catalogued and extensively annotated. Visitors can browse the collection by a number of subject tags, including Parody, Taxation, Lawyers in Literature, and Parental Overprotection. Visitors may also be interested in a collection of essays that provide added context and insight into the collection.