Revolutionary circa 1750-1800

Location

Who? Benjamin Franklin * Thomas Jefferson * Thomas Paine Alexander Hamilton James Madison John Jay Phyllis Wheatley * Noah Webster *

What genre? Public/ Political Documents Newspapers Almanacs Essays Pamphlets Speeches Poetry

Why? The mind of the nation was on politics. Journalists and

printers provided a forum for the expression of ideas. Most historians agree that the American Revolution would

not have happened without colonial newspapers Freedom of the Press is born in 1735 after Peter Zenger,

publisher of the New York Weekly Journal, was arrested for criticizing the royal governor, which was considered libelous. He plead to the jury to defend the “cause of liberty… the liberty both of exposing and opposing arbitrary power… by speaking and writing the truth.”

Focused on relations with Great Britain and on the nature of government

Development of American Literature:

Colonial-Revolutionary By the early 1800s, America could boast a small body of

national literature that includes native American stories and poetry, first-hand narratives, inward-looking Puritan writings, political documents, poetry, and some essays.

However, no American novels or plays of importance, and the modern short story had yet to be invented.

As the 18th century comes to a close, the raw materials for a great national literature were at hand, waiting to be used.