About Colonial Newspapers
Bring up the phrase "colonial newspapers" and the mind immediately leaps to Benjamin Franklin. Franklin owned a printing press in Philadelphia and published many newspapers, newsletters and letters during his time. Colonial newspapers featured many articles during the French-Indian War, the lead up to the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War and finally to Washington's election as first president of the United States. In an era of industrial and political revolution, colonial newspapers brought the news to the common people much the same way they do today.
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History
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The first newspaper published in Colonial America was "Publick Occurences: Both Foreign and Domestick." More newsletter than newspaper, it lasted just one issue due to the public's outrage. Fourteen years would pass before the next colonial newspaper would launch.
"The Boston-Newsletter," published in 1704, published weekly under the editorship of Post Master John Campbell. His successor, William Brooker, wished to continue the newsletter, but Campbell refused to release the name. Brooker went around him by titling his paper "The Boston Gazette." The first issue appeared on 1719. When Philip Musgrave became post master, he continued the Gazette's publishing.
In 1721, James Franklin, the man who provided the printing for "The Boston-Newsletter," launched a third paper for the Boston area called "The New England Courrant." It earned a place in history when James's younger brother Benjamin Franklin wrote a series of letters to the paper under the pseudonym Silas Do Good. "The New England Courrant" would be published with Ben Franklin's name listed as publisher when James was sent to prison for his constant criticisms of the government.
Significance
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Colonial newspapers played a significant role in the founding of the United States. The advent of the printing press in the early 1700s allowed for typesetters to create multiple copies of their issues without the call for hand printed leaflets. Papers and newsletters continued to spread throughout the colonies with editorials and letters to the editors complaining of unfair taxation, government abuse and rallying calls for assembly.
During the time period leading up to and during the Revolutionary War, letters published in colonial newspapers reflected discussions between George Washington and British representatives looking for a peaceful resolution to the colonists' disputes with the British government. Washington's words came to public attention in 1754 when his journals were published, detailing activities of the French-Indian War, including French forts ranging the frontier and the activities and battles fought between Washington's troops and the French-Indian forces.
It would be the first time in American history when men and women at home learned the scope of a distant war and how it might affect their lives. Washington's popularity grew and the people trusted the young Washington. When he was chosen to lead the colonial army in the Revolutionary War, many Americans experienced a surge of patriotism. They knew Washington and already felt personal involvement in the struggle.
Function
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Colonial newspapers provided information to the populace in a more modern fashion than the town criers, word-of-mouth or hand-printed leaflets. Newspapers quickly grew to be competitive, but many printers felt it was their duty to provide the facts as quickly and succinctly as possible. Newspapers could create personal connections between distant communities, allowing the population of Boston to feel as close to George Washington as the population of Richmond.
When the Constitution was written, delegating three estates of government--judicial, executive and legislative--many of the framers believed the newspapers would represent the fourth estate: the people. The advent of the newspaper would continue to provide the populace with all the news, reviews, letters, editorials, commentary and more as the young country grew.
Time Frame
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The first colonial paper was published in 1690. By 1721, three newspapers called Boston home. By 1776, newspapers played a major part in the lives of the colonists. Newspapers provided the only recourse for colonists to vent their frustrations, learn the news and discuss what they could do.
Features
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A typical colonial newspaper ("Virginia Gazette," "Boston Gazette" and "New England Courrant") published letters from citizens detailing personal views on events. New laws, passed by Parliament, were announced in newspapers. Editors and printers would voice their own opinions. When the Stamp Act was announced, for example, the "Pennsylvania Journal" framed the announcement in thick black lines that were typically reserved for death announcements. The Stamp Act taxed all paper used in the colonies, including that used to make newspapers.
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