Platform Speech The American Revolution has had a huge impact on literature and how it is written today.

The war signals a time of reinvention which is accomplished through spoken and written work. And two key factors that helped, lead to this revolution of literature during this event are the writers from the colonial period, and the social and economic changes. During the colonial period there were several writers who were very influential in leading the way to a new way of writing and inspiring people during this traumatic event. Some of those writers are Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Philip Freneau, and Thomas Paine. Jefferson influenced future literature during the revolution by writing his book A Summary View of the Rights of British America where he tells the public that the Parliament has no authority in the colonies and that the only bond with England was their voluntary allegiance to the king. Hamilton helped by contributing articles and pamphlets that brought the cause to light for the public. Freneau who was already a well known poet and journalist, who later became the first professional American journalist, helped further literature because of his powerful skills as a propagandist and satirist. Paine helped start a market for writers with his pamphlet Common Sense where he offered the public simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense on the idea of Americans taking their independence back from England. He questioned the monarchy and the parliament in his pamphlet which helped spark a light in the public. His work became so popular that he sold 120, 000 copies in America alone. Not including the copies sold in European countries like England and France. This was an amazing feat for an American during a time when people felt that Americans were nowhere near as talented as the Europeans. These men were not the only writers during this time to help move literature forward; there was also the well known Benjamin Franklin. Franklin wrote the book Poor Richards Almanack where he had sayings like praising prudence, common sense, and honesty which became common proverbs in America. He also started a circulating library which helped get books to more Americans and increased readership. And he also helped set the standards for autobiographies because his is considered one of the finest in the world. These men opened doors for writers today by taking risks and talking about the various things that were going on during the war. They also helped write and implement important documents that America uses today. Because of the war the economy was suffering with so many people dying. This sparked a revolution in literature that led writers to change the topics of their earlier works, which talked about how great America was and listing all of the things you can find here. And instead their work became more gloomy and depressing. Writers started talking about death and the gruesomeness of the event. They also wrote about how people needed to fight for their right to be free. For example, in the speech, Speech in the Virginia Convention the author expressed his true feelings to Great Britain and demanded armed resistance by stating, "is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery... I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death." This quote illustrates that a form of life may be so valuable that it can be bought or sold, but as for Patrick Henry, he believes that if freedom is not acquired then he would rather die. In the letter, "Letter to the Rev. Samson Occom", the author releases her feelings to a reverend because of the exclusion towards her for the American Revolution benefits by writing, "And the chaos which has reigned so long, is

converting into beautiful order, and reveals more and more clearly the glorious dispensation of civil and religious liberty." In the book, "Common Sense", Paine argued for the American colonists to take their independence back from Great Britain by stating that, "The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country: but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of men and women." These quotes show a transformation in literate because they show how people who would not normally write, spoke up about how they were feeling about the war and what it was doing to America. This led to others writing down their feelings, which has helped us create the section non-fiction. It has also led to the rise in education of females. After the war an enlightened government realized that they would only succeed if the men in charge were well educated. This elevated the role of females because they all eventually had children and they were the primary teachers for the children. To properly instruct their sons in classical subjects, as well as the bible and republican virtues, a woman needed a proper education herself. This further education led women to write about their experiences which led the publishing market to respond by releasing novels written by, for and about women. Thanks to the many people and things that happened during the American Revolution literature has become what it is today. Literature is able to have the many genres and topics because the revolution forced people out of their comfort zones, so that they had to come up with new and inventive ways to talk about how they were feeling and what they felt should be done about it. The American Revolution was not the first war where people of a land were striving for independence, and it will not be the last; but it does mark a significant turning point in the literature of America.

Ford, Chris. "American Revolution Literature." ezine articles. ezine articles, 06 11 2010. Web. 18 Feb 2013. "American literature." Infoplease. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb 2013. "THOMAS PAINE'S INFLUENCE ON THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION." The Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. The Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, n.d. Web. 18 Feb 2013. "The Revolutionary Period 1765-1815." The Literature Network. The Literature Network, n.d. Web. 18 Feb 2013.