LITERATURE OF THE PERIOD SUMMARIES

A TIME OF CRISIS

• Most literature in Revolutionary period was public and political.
• Newspapers, magazines, and almanacs became popular
• These provided a forum for the expression of political ideas
• After 1763, the ideas became focused on the relationship
• with Great Britain and the nature of government.

POLITICS AS LITERATURE
༜The writing and speeches of American statesmen in the 1770s & 80s helped shape the world.
༜Writer James Otis coined the term "taxation without representation is tyranny".
༜Patrick Henry was a powerful speaker in the Virginia House of Burgesses.
༜Thomas Paine wrote the extremely influential pamphlet Common Sense in favor of independence
༜The Declaration of Independence was drafted by Thomas Jefferson in 1776.

POLITICS CONT.

༜ This was one of the most influential political statements ever made.
༜ The Constitution was drafted in 1787 by a committee.
༜There was great controversy over its ratification.
༜Ratification an especially hard-fought battle in New York.
༜James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote a series of essays called The Federalist that sought to convince New Yorkers to ratify. It succeeded.