In 1798, there was a young Republican publicist named Benjamin Franklin Bache, the editor of the Philadelphia Aurora, who was known as "Lightning Rod, Junior" because he was the grandson of Benjamin Franklin and was known for his shocking phraseology. Impetuous, harsh, narrow-minded and d...

Aaron Burr Jr. (1757-1836), American politician, Revolutionary War hero, adventurer, and the third Vice-President of the United States is one of the most enigmatic characters in the early American history. His distinguished ancestry1, unquestioned courage, and brilliant mind saw him rise quickly to ...

Among the many comments received about the early selections collected in The Heath Anthology of American Literature, the plaintive comment, even from early Americanists, about the number of so-called new writers represented there strikes me as most honest and forthright. Indeed, more than a few coll...