FOUNDING WRITERS: The Gentlemen

  • Between 1600 and 1800, a remarkable group of men and women helped to found the thirteen colonies and, eventually, the United States. While early settlers were often occupied with the daunting day-to-day business of survival, and later colonists--especially as the Revolution approached--tried to navigate the often dangerous political waters that could make daily life risky, several of these hearty, brave souls found time to write. Early works tended to be journals and narratives, but a few let their imaginations soar and wrote poetry and fictional narratives. The later 18th century saw a decided shift towards political and social concerns: Freedom from British Rule, the Constitution, Slavery, and Women’s Rights were frequently the topics of brilliant fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

  • Michael Wigglesworth (1631-1705) The Day of Doom
  • William Bradford (1590-1657) Of Plymouth Plantation
  • Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
  • Edward Taylor (1644?-1729): Poetry
  • Thomas Paine (1739-1809) Common Sense; Age of Reason
  • Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) The Almanack; The Autobiography
  • Olaudah Equiano (1745?-1797) The Life of Olaudah Equiano
  • Philip Freneau (1752-1832) Poetry

Recommended Reading

Suggested Reading

John Smith (1580-1631) A Description of New England John Cotton (1584-1652) God’s Promise to His Plantations John Winthrop (1587-1649) A Model of Christian Charity Roger Williams (1613-1683) The Bloudy Tenent Michael Wigglesworth (1631-1705) The Day of Doom William Bradford (1590-1657) Of Plymouth Plantation Samuel Sewall (1652-1730) The Diary Cotton Mather (1633-1728) Memorable Providences Robert Beverley (1673-1722) The History of Virginia Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God Edward Taylor (1644?-1729): Poetry Jupiter Hammon (1711-1806) Address to Negroes of NYS Thomas Jefferson (1734-1826) The Declaration of Independence Thomas Paine (1739-1809) Common Sense; Age of Reason Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) The Almanack; The Autobiography Olaudah Equiano (1745?-1797) The Life of Olaudah Equiano Philip Freneau (1752-1832) Poetry
William Bradford
• 1630 Bradford begins writing “Of Plimoth Plantation,” a detailed history of the founding of Plymouth Colony and the lives of the colonists from 1621 to 1647. Bradford writes his last notes in the volume in 1650.• 1657-ca. 1775 Manuscript volume remains in Bradford’s family, who allow it to be used by historians and clergymen to document the history of the colony. Last known location is the library of the Old South Church, Boston; the volume is presumably removed by British soldiers during the American Revolution.• 1855 Volume rediscovered in England, in the library of the Bishop of London.• 1897 Volume is returned to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; State Library is given custody. Facsimile edition of entire volume is published.• 2012-2014 Massachusetts State Library secures funding to conserve and digitize the manuscript and to make a digital version available to the public.• 2019 State Library acquires new exhibition case with enhanced security features for display of Library holdings; will be used for short-term display of the Bradford manuscript to commemorate Plymouth's 400th Anniversary at a future date.
Michael Wigglesworth
Jonathan Edwards
Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Paine

Olaudah Equiano
Equiano's World (UK organization): http://equianosworld.org/index.php#home The Equiano Society: https://equiano.uk/the-equiano-society/
Philip Freneau
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