A Guide to the Michael G. Hall Papers, 1959-2010

Biographical Note

Michael G. Hall was born in Princeton, New Jersey, on January 8, 1926, and attended Princeton University, graduating with a B.A. in 1949. After receiving his undergraduate degree, Hall earned a Ph.D. in history from John Hopkins University in 1956. From 1956 until 1959, Hall served as a fellow at the Institute of Early American History and Culture in Williamsburg, Virginia. In 1959, Hall came to the University of Texas at Austin, where he spent the remainder of his career as a history professor, initially focusing his research on Puritans in New England, but later expanding his interests to World History as a whole. He taught numerous classes at UT, including Basic Books in American History, History of Science in the Western World, Puritan New England to 1740, The Encounter: Anglo-Americans and Native Americans, World History to 1500, and Seminar in Early American History. Currently, Hall is a professor emeritus at UT, occasionally teaching freshmen seminars in World History.

Additionally, Hall served as the undergraduate advisor from 1965 until 1968, when he became Graduate Advisor and the Chairman of the Graduate Studies Committee. For four years, 1976-1980, he served as the Chairman of the History Department. Besides his professional activities in UT’s history department, Hall taught as a visiting professor at Columbia University, 1963; University of Pennsylvania, 1965; University of São Paulo, 1976; and Quaid-i-Aslam University, Pakistan, 1984-1985. He sat on the advisory council for the Institute of Early American History and Culture, 1990-1992, and the Board of Directors for the University Co-operative Society, 1996-2000. Furthermore, he belonged to numerous academic and non-academic organizations including the American Antiquarian Society, the Massachusetts Historical Society, Colonial Society of Massachusetts, and the American Alpine Club.

Hall’s major publications include Edward Randolph and the American Colonies, 1676-1703, The Last American Puritan: The Life of Increase Mather, and "Jared Diamond and the 17th Century Encounter in North America." In addition, he edited The Autobiography of Increase Mather, The Glorious Revolution in America, and Science and Society in the United States.

Scope and Contents

Correspondence, research material, class materials, student work, drafts, manuscripts, maps, and printed materials comprise the Michael G. Hall Papers, 1959-2010, and document Hall’s activities as a history professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Research material on world history, demographics, and New England composes the bulk of the papers. However, both correspondence, 1981-1998, and class materials also make up a significant portion of the papers. The segment of class materials containing student work and grades has been restricted. Additionally, the papers contain ample documentation of Hall’s activities with UT’s History Department, the American Antiquarian Society, the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Institute of Early American History and Culture, and the American Alpine Club. Furthermore, the papers include some drafts and manuscripts of Hall’s writing as well as proofs of Increase Mather’s diary with his edits.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Portions of the collection are restricted until 2079 due to privacy concerns.

Use Restrictions

These papers are stored remotely. Advance notice required for retrieval. Contact repository for retrieval.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Michael G. Hall Papers, 1959-2010, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Megan Mummey, July 2010.

Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s "History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light" project, 2009-2011.

Detailed Description of the Papers