The Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of the American Enlightenment is the first reference work on this key subject in early American history. With over 500 original essays on key American Enlightenment figures, it provides a comprehensive account to complement the intense scholarly activity that has recently centered on the European Enlightenment.

Table of Contents

• Acknowledgments
• List of Contributors
• Introduction
• A
• ACADEMIES
• ADAMS, ABIGAIL SMITH (1744-1818)
• ADAMS, JOHN (1735-1826)
• ADAMS, JOHN QUINCY (1767-1848)
• ADAMS, SAMUEL (1722-1803)
• ADDISON, ALEXANDER (1759-1807)
• AFRICAN AMERICANS
• AGRICULTURE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
• AITKEN, ROBERT (1735-1802)
• ALDEN, TIMOTHY, Jr. (1771-1839)
• ALEXANDER, ARCHIBALD (1772-1851)
• ALISON, FRANCIS (1705-79)
• ALLEN, ETHAN (1738-89)
• ALLEN, JOHN (fl. 1740s-70s, d.1780s)
• ALLSTON, WASHINGTON (1779-1843)
• ALMANACS
• AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
• AMERICAN COMPANY OF COMEDIANS
• AMERICAN ENLIGHTENMENT, END OF THE
• AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY
• AMERICAN REVOLUTION
• AMES, FISHER (1758-1808)
• AMES, NATHANIEL (1708-64)
• AMES, NATHANIEL (1741-1822)
• ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME
• ANTIFEDERALISTS
• APPLETON, NATHANIEL (1731-98)
• ARCHAEOLOGY
• ARCHITECTURE
• ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
• ASTRONOMY
• ATHEISM
• AUDUBON, JOHN JAMES (1785-1851)
• AUTOBIOGRAPHY
• B
• BACHE, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (1769-98)
• BACKUS, ISAAC (1724-1806)
• BAILEY, FRANCIS (c. 1735-1815)
• BAIRD, ABSALOM (1758-1805)
• BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
• BANNEKER, BENJAMIN (1731-1806)
• BAPTISTS
• BARD, JOHN (1716-99)
• BARD, SAMUEL (1742-1821)
• BARLOW, JOEL (1754-1812)
• BARTON, BENJAMIN SMITH (1766-1815)
• BARTRAM, JOHN (1699-1777)
• BARTRAM, WILLIAM (1739-1823)
• BAYLEY, RICHARD (1745-1801)
• BELKNAP, JEREMY (1744-98)
• BELL, ROBERT (1730 or 1731-84)
• BELLAMY, JOSEPH (1719-90)
• BENBRIDGE, HENRY (1743-1812)
• BENEZET, ANTHONY (1713-84)
• BENTLEY, WILLIAM (1759-1819)
• BERKELEY, GEORGE (1685-1753)
• BEVERLEY, ROBERT (c. 1673-1722)
• BIDDLE, OWEN (1774-1806)
• BILL OF RIGHTS (1791)
• BISHOP, ABRAHAM (1763-1844)
• BLAIR, JAMES (c. 1655-1743)
• BLAND, RICHARD (1710-76)
• BOLLMANN, JUSTUS ERICH (1769-1821)
• BOND, THOMAS (1712-84)
• BOOKS
• BOOKSELLERS AND BOOKSTORES
• BORDLEY, JOHN BEALE (1727-1804)
• BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
• BOUDINOT, ELIAS (1740-1821)
• BOWDITCH, NATHANIEL (1773-1838)
• BOWDOIN, JAMES II (1726-90)
• BOYLSTON, ZABDIEL (1680-1766)
• BRACKENRIDGE, HUGH HENRY (1748-1816)
• BRADFORD, ANDREW (1686-1742)
• BRADFORD, WILLIAM (1663-1752)
• BRADFORD, WILLIAM (1722-91)
• BRATTLE, THOMAS (1658-1713)
• BRATTLE, WILLIAM (1662-1717)
• BROWN, CHARLES BROCKDEN (1771-1810)
• BROWN, JOSEPH (1733-85)
• BUCHANAN, JOSEPH (1785-1829)
• BULFINCH, CHARLES (1763-1844)
• BURR, ESTHER EDWARDS (1732-58)
• BYRD, WILLIAM II (1674-1744)
• C
• CALVINISM
• CAMPBELL, ROBERT (1769-1800)
• CANADA AND THE AMERICAN ENLIGHTENMENT
• CAREY, MATHEW (1760-1839)
• CARROLL, CHARLES (1737-1832)
• CARROLL, JOHN (1736-1815)
• CARTER, LANDON (1710-78)
• CATESBY, MARK (1683-1749)
• CATHOLICISM
• CHANNING, WILLIAM ELLERY (1780-1842)
• CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
• CHARLESTON LIBRARY SOCIETY
• CHASE, SAMUEL (1741-1811)
• CHAUNCY, CHARLES (1705-87)
• CHEMISTRY
• CHEW, BENJAMIN (1722-1810)
• CHILDREN
• CHURCH, BENJAMIN, Jr. (1734-78)
• CHURCH AND STATE
• CITIES
• CLAP, THOMAS (1703-67)
• CLASSICISM
• CLAY, HENRY (1777-1852)
• CLAYTON, JOHN (1694-1773)
• CLINTON, DE WITT (1769-1828)
• CLUBS AND SOCIETIES
• COGSWELL, MASON FITCH (1761-1830)
• COLDEN, CADWALLADER (1688/9-1776)
• COLDEN, JANE (1724-60)
• COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
• COLLIN, NICHOLAS [NILS] (1746-1831)
• COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS
• COLONIALISM
• COMMERCE AND TRADE
• COMMON LAW
• CONGREGATIONALISM
• CONNECTICUT WITS
• CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES
• CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
• CONSTITUTIONS OF THE STATES
• COOK [OR COOKE], EBENEZER (c. 1667-c. 1732)
• COOPER, JAMES FENIMORE (1789-1851)
• COOPER, THOMAS (1759-1839)
• COPLEY, JOHN SINGLETON (1738-1815)
• CORAM, ROBERT (1761-96)
• CORRESPONDENCE
• CORRUPTION
• COXE, JOHN REDMAN (1773-1864)
• COXE, TENCH (1755-1824)
• CRÈVECOEUR, J. HECTOR ST JOHN DE (1735-1813)
• CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
• CROCKER, HANNAH MATHER (1752-1829)
• CUTLER, MANASSEH (1742-1823)
• D
• DALE, THOMAS (1700-50)
• DALLAS, ALEXANDER JAMES (1759-1817)
• DAVIES, SAMUEL (1723-61)
• DEANE, SAMUEL (1733-1814)
• DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
• DEISM
• DEMOCRACY
• DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICAN SOCIETIES
• DENNIE, JOSEPH (1768-1812)
• DICKINSON, JOHN (1732-1808)
• DICKINSON, JONATHAN (1688-1747)
• DOBSON, THOMAS (1750-1823)
• DOUGLAS, DAVID (1799-1834)
• DOUGLASS, WILLIAM (c. 1681-1752)
• DOWNER, SILAS (1729-85)
• DRAKE, DANIEL (1785-1852)
• DRAYTON, WILLIAM HENRY (1742-79)
• DUANE, MARGARET HARTMAN MARKOE BACHE (1770-1836)
• DUANE, WILLIAM (1760-1835)
• DUCHÈ, JACOB (1738-98)
• DUDLEY, PAUL (1675-1751)
• DULANY, DANIEL, Jr. (1722-97)
• DUNBAR, WILLIAM (1750-1810)
• DUNLAP, WILLIAM (1766-1839)
• DU SIMITIÈRE, PIERRE EUGÉNE (1737-84)
• DUTCH REPUBLIC AND THE AMERICAN ENLIGHTENMENT
• DWIGHT, THEODORE (1764-1846)
• DWIGHT, TIMOTHY (1752-1817)
• E
• ECONOMIC THOUGHT
• EDUCATION
• EDWARDS, JONATHAN (1703-58)
• ELECTRICITY
• ELIOT, JARED (1685-1763)
• ELLICOTT, ANDREW (1754-1820)
• ELLIS, HENRY (1721-1806)
• EMMET, THOMAS ADDIS (1764-1827)
• ENGLAND AND THE AMERICAN ENLIGHTENMENT
• ENGLAND, JOHN (1786-1842)
• ENVIRONMENTALISM
• EQUALITY
• EVANS, LEWIS (c. 1700-56)
• EVARTS, JEREMIAH (1781-1831)
• EVERETT, EDWARD (1794-1865)
• EXPLORATION
• F
• FACTION
• FAME
• FAUQUIER, FRANCIS (c. 1703-68)
• FEDERALIST, THE
• FEDERALISTS
• FEKE, ROBERT (c. 1707-52)
• FENNO, JOHN (1751-98)
• FERGUSSON, ELIZABETH GRAEME (1737-1801)
• FESSENDEN, THOMAS GREEN (1771-1837)
• FINDLEY, WILLIAM (1741-1821)
• FINLEY, SAMUEL (1715-66)
• FITCH, JOHN (1744-98)
• FITHIAN, PHILIP VICKERS (1747-76)
• FOURIERISM IN AMERICA
• FOWLE, DANIEL (1715-87)
• FOXCROFT, THOMAS (1697-1769)
• FRANCE AND THE AMERICAN ENLIGHTENMENT
• FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN (1706-90)
• FRANKLIN, JAMES (1697-1735)
• FRANKLIN, WILLIAM (c. 1732-1814)
• FRASER, CHARLES (1782-1860)
• FREEDOM
• FREEMASONRY
• FRENEAU, PHILIP MORIN (1752-1832)
• FRONTIER AND THE AMERICAN ENLIGHTENMENT
• FULTON, ROBERT (1765-1815)
• G
• GADSDEN, CHRISTOPHER (1724-1805)
• GAINE, HUGH (1726-1807)
• GALLATIN, ALBERT (1761-1849)
• GALLITZIN, DEMETRIUS AUGUSTINE (1770-1840)
• GARDEN, ALEXANDER (1730-91)
• GAY, EBENEZER (1696-1787)
• GENÊT, EDMOND-CHARLES (1763-1834)
• GEOGRAPHY
• GEOLOGY
• GERMANY AND THE AMERICAN ENLIGHTENMENT
• GODFREY, THOMAS (1704-49)
• GODFREY, THOMAS (1736-63)
• GREAT AWAKENING, THE
• GREEN, ASHBEL (1762-1848)
• GREEN, JONAS (1712-67)
• GREENE, NATHANAEL (1742-86)
• GREENLEAF, THOMAS (1755-98)
• GREENWOOD, ISAAC (1702-45)
• GREW, THEOPHILUS (d. 1759)
• H
• HALL, DAVID (1714-72)
• HAMILTON, ALEXANDER (1712-56)
• HAMILTON, ALEXANDER (c. 1755-1804)
• HAMMON, JUPITER (1711-1806)
• HAPPINESS
• HARE, ROBERT (1781-1858)
• HAZARD, EBENEZER (1744-1817)
• HENLEY, SAMUEL (1744-1815)
• HENRY, JOSEPH (1797-1878)
• HENRY, PATRICK (1736-99)
• HILLEGAS, MICHAEL (1728-1804)
• HISTORICAL THOUGHT
• HOLT, JOHN (c. 1721-84)
• HOPKINS, LEMUEL (1750-1801)
• HOPKINS, SAMUEL (1721-1803)
• HOPKINS, STEPHEN (1707-85)
• HOPKINSON, FRANCIS (1737-91)
• HOPKINSON, JOSEPH (1770-1842)
• HOPKINSON, THOMAS (1709-51)
• HOSACK, DAVID (1769-1835)
• HOSPITALS
• HUMPHREYS, DAVID (1752-1818)
• HUTCHINS, THOMAS (1730-89)
• HUTCHINSON, THOMAS (1711-80)
• I
• IMMIGRATION
• IMPROVEMENT
• INGLIS, CHARLES (1734-1816)
• INOCULATION AND VACCINATION
• INSANITY
• INSTRUMENTS AND INSTRUMENT MAKERS
• IRELAND AND THE AMERICAN ENLIGHTENMENT
• IRVING, WASHINGTON (1783-1859)
• J
• JAY, JOHN (1745-1829)
• JEFFERSON, THOMAS (1743-1826)
• JEFFRIES, JOHN (1745-1819)
• JOHNSON, SAMUEL (1696-1772)
• JOURNALISM
• JOURNALS AND MAGAZINES
• JUNTO
• K
• KALM, PEHR [PETER] (1716-79)
• KEITH, WILLIAM (c. 1669-1749)
• KEMP, FRANCIS ADRIAN VAN DER [ALSO FRANÇOIS ADRIAAN] (1752-1829)
• KENT, JAMES (1763-1847)
• KINNERSLEY, EBENEZER (1711-78)
• KNIGHT, SARAH KEMBLE (1666-1727)
• KNOX, HENRY (1750-1806)
• KUHN, ADAM (1741-1817)
• L
• LATIN AMERICA AND THE AMERICAN ENLIGHTENMENT
• LATROBE, BENJAMIN HENRY (1764-1820)
• LAURENS, HENRY (1724-92)
• LAW
• LEACOCK, JOHN (1729-1802)
• LEE, ARTHUR (1740-92)
• LEE, RICHARD HENRY (1733-94)
• LEIB, MICHAEL (1760-1822)
• LEVERETT, JOHN (1662/3-1724)
• LEWIS, RICHARD (c. 1699-1734)
• LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION
• LIBERTY
• LIBRARIES
• LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA
• LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
• LINING, JOHN (1708-60)
• LITERACY
• LITERATURE
• LIVINGSTON, WILLIAM (1723-90)
• LOGAN, GEORGE (1753-1821)
• LOGAN, JAMES (1674-1751)
• LOUISIANA PURCHASE
• LOYALISTS
• M
• MACLEAN, JOHN (1771-1814)
• MACLURE, WILLIAM (1763-1840)
• MADISON, JAMES (1749-1812)
• MADISON, JAMES (1751-1836)
• MALBONE, EDWARD GREENE (1777-1807)
• MANNERS
• MARCHANT, HENRY (1741-96)
• MARSHALL, HUMPHRY (1722-1801)
• MARSHALL, JOHN (1755-1835)
• MARTIN, LUTHER (1748-1826)
• MASON, GEORGE (1725-92)
• MATHER, COTTON (1663-1728)
• MAYHEW, JONATHAN (1720-66)
• MCCLURG, JAMES (1746-1823)
• MCHENRY, JAMES (1753-1816)
• MCKEAN, THOMAS (1734-1817)
• MEDICINE
• MIFFLIN, THOMAS (1744-1800)
• MILLER, SAMUEL (1769-1850)
• MILLS, ROBERT (1781-1855)
• MITCHELL, JOHN (1711-68)
• MITCHILL, SAMUEL LATHAM (1764-1831)
• MONROE, JAMES (1758-1831)
• MORAL PHILOSOPHY
• MORGAN, JOHN (1735-89)
• MORRIS, GOUVERNEUR (1752-1816)
• MORRIS, ROBERT (1734-1806)
• MORSE, JEDIDIAH (1761-1826)
• MORTON, SARAH WENTWORTH APTHORP (1759-1846)
• MUNFORD, ROBERT III (c. 1737-84)
• MURRAY, JUDITH SARGENT (1751-1820)
• MURRAY, LINDLEY (1745-1826)
• MURRAY, WILLIAM VANS (1760-1803)
• MUSEUMS
• MUSIC
• N
• NATIVE AMERICANS
• NATURAL HISTORY
• NATURAL LAW
• NATURAL RELIGION
• NATURAL RIGHTS
• NEAL, JOHN (1793-1876)
• NEW YORK CITY
• NEW YORK SOCIETY LIBRARY
• NEWSPAPERS
• NISBET, CHARLES (1736-1804)
• NOTT, ELIPHALET (1773-1866)
• O
• OLIVER, ANDREW (1731-99)
• OLIVER, PETER (1713-91)
• OTIS, JAMES, Jr. (1725-83)
• P
• PAGE, JOHN (1743-1808)
• PAINE, THOMAS (1737-1809)
• PAINTING
• PALMER, ELIHU (1764-1806)
• PAMPHLETS
• PARKER, JAMES (c. 1714-70)
• PARKS, WILLIAM (c. 1699-1750)
• PARSONS, THEOPHILUS (1750-1813)
• PASSIONS
• PEALE, CHARLES WILLSON (1741-1827)
• PECK, WILLIAM DANDRIDGE (1763-1822)
• PENDLETON, EDMUND (1721-1803)
• PENN, WILLIAM (1644-1718)
• PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
• PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM
• PHILANTHROPY
• PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT
• PHYSICK, PHILIP SYNG (1768-1837)
• PICKERING, TIMOTHY (1745-1829)
• PINCKNEY, ELIZA LUCAS (1722-93)
• POETRY
• POLITENESS
• POLITICAL THOUGHT
• POPULATION
• POWNALL, THOMAS (1722-1805)
• PRESBYTERIANISM
• PRESCOTT, WILLIAM HICKLING (1796-1859)
• PRESIDENTS AS ENLIGHTENMENT FIGURES
• PRIESTLEY, JOSEPH (1733-1804)
• PRINCE, THOMAS (1687-1758)
• PRINT CULTURE
• PROGRESS
• PUBLISHING
• PURITANISM
• Q
• QUAKERISM
• QUINCY, JOSIAH, Jr. (1744-75)
• QUINCY, JOSIAH (1772-1864)
• R
• RACE
• RAFINESQUE, CONSTANTINE (1783-1840)
• RAMSAY, DAVID (1749-1815)
• RAMSAY, MARTHA LAURENS (1759-1811)
• RANDOLPH, EDMUND (1753-1813)
• RANDOLPH, JOHN (1727-84)
• RANDOLPH, JOHN (1773-1833)
• RANDOLPH, MARTHA JEFFERSON (1772-1836)
• READ, GEORGE (1733-98)
• READING
• REASON
• REDMAN, JOHN (1722-1808)
• RELIGION
• REPUBLICANISM
• REVERE, PAUL (1734-1818)
• RHETORIC
• RICHARD, GABRIEL (1767-1832)
• RIGHTS
• RITTENHOUSE, DAVID (1732-96)
• ROBIE, THOMAS (1689-1729)
• RODNEY, CAESAR (1728-84)
• RODNEY, CAESAR AUGUSTUS (1772-1824)
• ROMANS, BERNARD (fl. 1720-84)
• ROMAYNE, NICHOLAS (1756-1817)
• ROSE, AQUILA (c. 1695-1723)
• ROSS, JAMES (1762-1847)
• ROWSON, SUSANNA HASWELL (1762-1824)
• RUMSEY, JAMES (1743-1792)
• RUSH, BENJAMIN (1746-1813)
• RUSH, JAMES (1786-1869)
• RUSH, WILLIAM (1756-1833)
• RUSSIA AND THE AMERICAN ENLIGHTENMENT
• S
• SAMPSON, WILLIAM (1764-1836)
• SAY, THOMAS (1787-1834)
• SCEPTICISM
• SCIENCE
• SCOTLAND AND THE AMERICAN ENLIGHTENMENT
• SCULPTURE
• SEPARATION OF POWERS
• SERMONS
• SEWALL, SAMUEL (1652-1730)
• SHAYS's REBELLION
• SHERMAN, ROGER (1721-93)
• SHIPPEN, WILLIAM, Jr. (1736-1808)
• SILLIMAN, BENJAMIN, Sr. (1779-1864)
• SLAVERY
• SMALL, WILLIAM (1734-75)
• SMIBERT, JOHN (1688-1751)
• SMITH, ELIHU HUBBARD (1771-98)
• SMITH, MELANCTON (1744-98)
• SMITH, ROBERT (1722-77)
• SMITH, SAMUEL STANHOPE (1751-1819)
• SMITH, WILLIAM (1697-1769)
• SMITH, WILLIAM (1727-1803)
• SMITH, WILLIAM (1728-93)
• SOCIAL CONTRACT
• SONS OF LIBERTY
• SPARKS, JARED (1789-1866)
• SPOTSWOOD, ALEXANDER (1676-1740)
• STERLING, JAMES (1701-63)
• STILES, EZRA (1727-95)
• STITH, WILLIAM (1707-55)
• STOCKTON, ANNIS BOUDINOT (1736-1801)
• STOCKTON, RICHARD (1730-81)
• STODDARD, SOLOMON (1643-1729)
• STORY, JOSEPH (1779-1845)
• STRICKLAND, WILLIAM (1788-1854)
• STUART, GILBERT (1755-1828)
• STUDENT LIFE
• SUICIDE
• SWAN, JAMES (1754-1830)
• SYNG, PHILIP, Jr. (1703-89)
• T
• TAPPAN, BENJAMIN (1773-1857)
• TARASCON, LOUIS ANASTASE (1759-1840)
• TAYLOR, JOHN (1753-1824)
• TECHNOLOGY
• TENNENT, GILBERT (1703-64)
• TENNENT, WILLIAM, Sr. (1673-1746)
• THACHER, OXENBRIDGE (1719-65)
• THEATER
• THOMAS, ISAIAH (1749-1831)
• THOMPSON, BENJAMIN (1753-1814)
• THOMSON, CHARLES (1729-1824)
• TILGHMAN, WILLIAM (1756-1827)
• TOLERATION
• TORREY, JOHN (1796-1873)
• TRADITION
• TRAVEL WRITING
• TRUMBULL, JOHN (1750-1831)
• TRUMBULL, JOHN (1756-1843)
• TUCKER, GEORGE (1775-1861)
• TUCKER, ST GEORGE (1752-1827)
• TUESDAY CLUB OF ANNAPOLIS
• TYLER, ROYALL (1757-1826)
• U
• UNITARIANISM
• UTILITARIANISM
• V
• VAN BRAAM HOUCKGEEST, ANDREAS EVERARDUS (1739-1801)
• VAN SCHAACK, PETER (1747-1832)
• VANDERLYN, JOHN (1775-1852)
• VAUGHAN, BENJAMIN (1751-1835)
• VAUGHAN, JOHN (1756-1841)
• VIRTUE
• W
• WALN, ROBERT, Jr. (1794-1825)
• WARDEN, DAVID BAILIE (1772-1845)
• WARREN, JAMES (1726-1808)
• WARREN, JOSEPH (1741-75)
• WARREN, MERCY OTIS (1728-1814)
• WASHINGTON, DC
• WASHINGTON, GEORGE (1732-99)
• WATERHOUSE, BENJAMIN (1754-1846)
• WEBSTER, DANIEL (1782-1852)
• WEBSTER, NOAH (1758-1843)
• WEEMS, MASON LOCKE (1759-1825)
• WEST, BENJAMIN (1730-1813)
• WEST, BENJAMIN (1738-1820)
• WHEATLEY, PHILLIS (1753-84)
• WHISKEY REBELLION
• WILLARD, JOSEPH (1738-1804)
• WILLIAMSON, HUGH (1735-1819)
• WILSON, ALEXANDER (1766-1813)
• WILSON, JAMES (1742-98)
• WINTHROP, JAMES (1752-1821)
• WINTHROP, JOHN (1714-79)
• WISE, JOHN (1652-1725)
• WISTAR, CASPAR (1696-1752)
• WISTAR, CASPAR (1761-1818)
• WITCHCRAFT
• WITHERSPOON, JOHN (1723-94)
• WOMEN
• WOOD, SALLY SAYWARD BARRELL KEATING (1759-1855)
• WOODHOUSE, JAMES (1770-1809)
• WOOLMAN, JOHN (1720-72)
• WRIGHT, SUSANNA (1697-1784)
• WYTHE, GEORGE (1726-1806)
• Y
• YATES, ABRAHAM, Jr. (1724-96)
• YATES, ROBERT (1738-1801)
• Z
• ZENGER, JOHN PETER (1697-1746)
• ZUBLY, JOHN JOACHIM (1724-81)