Puritanism and the Age of Reason Authors

Unlike most political writers of the day, he addressed common men in his essays:

Thomas Paine

He established the University of Virginia:

Thomas Jefferson

The most persuasive writer of the American Revolution:

Thomas Paine

He is considered the most powerful speaker of the American Revolution:

Patrick Henry

His autobiography became the model for a new genre, the slave narrative:

Olaudah Equiano

He joined the crusade for religious reform at age 12:

William Bradford

After saving enough money, this author was able to purchase his freedom in 1766:

Olaudah Equiano

He embodied the best of the new nation and became America’s first celebrity:

Benjamin Franklin

He was one of the earliest opponents of British rule in the American colonies:

Patrick Henry

After attending the College of William and Mary, he went on to become and accomplished statesman, architect, and lawyer:

Thomas Jefferson

He helped to plan and finance the voyage of the Mayflower:

William Bradford

He helped craft the compact which is often called the first U.S. Constitution:

William Bradford

By the Age of 24, this author had a successful print shop and was the editor of The Pennsylvania Gazette:

Benjamin Franklin

This author led a remarkable, adventurous life as an explorer, soldier and sailor:

Olaudah Equiano

Served as America’s first secretary of state, second vice president, and third president from 1801-1809:

Thomas Jefferson

One of the first poets in the American colonies:

Anne Bradstreet

He went out on his own at age 15, and after teaching himself law he was admitted to the bar at age 24:

Patrick Henry

Responsible for the first public library, bifocals, fire brigade, and the University of Pennsylvania:

Benjamin Franklin

Elected governor of his colony over 30 times:

William Bradford

He doubled the size of the nation by authorizing the Louisiana Purchase:

Thomas Jefferson

The youngest of 15 children in his family:

Benjamin Franklin

This poet was married at age 16 and two years later immigrated to the American colonies:

Anne Bradstreet

He was effective in forging alliances with the alliances with the Native American tribes such as the Wampanoag:

William Bradford

Washington ordered this author’s essay read to his troops before they crossed the Delaware River to attack the Hessians:

Thomas Paine

This poet’s early work, imitative and conventional in both form and consent, is largely unremarkable and was long considered primarily of historical interest:

Anne Bradstreet

Wrote what is known today as the first great African Autobiography, which helped expose the cruelty of the slave trade:

Olaudah Equiano

As the oldest founding father, he was already 70 years old when he was asked to help draft the Declaration of Independece:

Benjamin Franklin

He designed his own home, called Monticello:

Thomas Jefferson

Served as the governor of Virginia and member of the Virginia General Assembly:

Patrick Henry

He declined positions of secretary and Supreme Court justice offered to him by George Washington:

Patrick Henry

Died on the morning of July 4th, 1826, fifty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence:

Thomas Jefferson

Their later poetry focuses on the internal struggle between desiring the pleasures of the world and focusing on the promise of Heaven:

Anne Bradstreet

His last major work, The Age of Reason, attacked organized religion and alienated many of his supporters:

Thomas Paine

In January 1776 he wrote Common Sense, in which he argued that Americans must fight for their independence:

Thomas Paine

This writer’s brother-in-law took their book of poetry to England and published them in 1650 under the title “The Tenth Muse, Lately Sprung Up in America

Anne Bradstreet