diff --git a/dataset/persistence/database.py b/dataset/persistence/database.py
index 685a55c..c74a056 100644
--- a/dataset/persistence/database.py
+++ b/dataset/persistence/database.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class Database(object):
         self.metadata.bind = self.engine
         self.tables = {}
 
-    def create_table(table_name):
+    def create_table(self, table_name):
         with self.lock:
             log.debug("Creating table: %s on %r" % (table_name, self.engine))
             table = SQLATable(table_name, self.metadata)
@@ -51,15 +51,15 @@ class Database(object):
             if table_name in self.tables:
                 return Table(self, self.tables[table_name])
             if self.engine.has_table(table_name):
-                return load_table(engine, table_name)
+                return self.load_table(table_name)
             else:
-                return create_table(engine, table_name)
+                return self.create_table(table_name)
 
     def __getitem__(self, table_name):
         return self.get_table(table_name)
 
     def query(self, query):
-        return resultiter(self.engine.execute(query)):
+        return resultiter(self.engine.execute(query))
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return '<Database(%s)>' % self.url
diff --git a/test/__init__.py b/test/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/test/sample_data.py b/test/sample_data.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d69bf2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/sample_data.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+from datetime import datetime
+
+TEST_DATA = [
+    {
+        'date': datetime(2011, 01, 01),
+        'temperature': 1,
+        'place': 'Galway'
+    },
+    {
+        'date': datetime(2011, 01, 02),
+        'temperature': -1,
+        'place': 'Galway'
+    },
+    {
+        'date': datetime(2011, 01, 03),
+        'temperature': 0,
+        'place': 'Galway'
+    },
+    {
+        'date': datetime(2011, 01, 01),
+        'temperature': 6,
+        'place': 'Berkeley'
+    },
+    {
+        'date': datetime(2011, 01, 02),
+        'temperature': 8,
+        'place': 'Berkeley'
+    },
+    {
+        'date': datetime(2011, 01, 03),
+        'temperature': 5,
+        'place': 'Berkeley'
+    }
+]
diff --git a/test/test_persistence.py b/test/test_persistence.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..68c4914
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_persistence.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import unittest
+from datetime import datetime
+
+from dataset import connect
+
+class DatabaseTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.db = connect('sqlite:///:memory:')
+
+    def test_create_table(self):
+        table = self.db['foo']
+        assert table.table.exists()
+        assert len(table.table.columns) == 1, table.table.columns
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()
+