The document discusses the development of American literature through five authors: Benjamin Franklin, Philip Freneau, Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper, and William Cullen Bryant. It provides brief biographies of each author, noting Franklin was a printer, scientist, and statesman; Freneau was a patriotic poet of the American Revolution; Irving published "The Sketch Book" and had European influences; Cooper wrote frontier and sea novels; and Bryant became recognized as the finest American poet and influential newspaper editor.

1. Development of the
national American
literature
B. Franklin, Ph. Freneau, W. Irving, J.F.
Cooper, W.C. Bryant

2. Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin (1706-
1790), a printer and publisher
in Philadelphia, was a model
Enlightenment figure. He was
an author, scientist, inventor,
common-sense philosopher,
and a statesman and
diplomat in his later years,
during the colonies’ fight for
independence.

3. Philip Freneau
The leading poet of the early
republic was Philip Freneau
(1752-1832), a personal
friend of many important
leaders of the American
Revolution. Freneau’s early
poems were glowingly
patriotic, either celebrating
American victories or
commenting passionately
upon the issues facing the
new democracy.

4. Washington Irving
In 1819, Washington Irving
(1783-1859) published “The
Sketch Book of Geoffrey
Crayon, Gent”. Irving was
known in New York as part of
a circle of literary men-about-
town called “the
Knickerbocker Wits," but his
travels in Europe and his
friendship with major literary
figures abroad had given him
a more cosmopolitan
viewpoint.

5. James Fenimore Cooper
Only two years after The
Sketch Book, another
American writer began to
attract attention – James
Fenimore Cooper (1789-
1851). His books included a
series of frontier novels, such
as “The Last of the Mohican”
and “The Deerslayer”, and
several gripping sea novels.

6. William Cullen Bryant
William Cullen Bryant (1794-
1878) became recognized as
the finest American poet. His
most famous poem
“Thanatopsis” is a meditation
on the meaning of death. He
was also one of the most
influential newspaper editors
of his time and played a
leading role in public affairs
for almost 50 years.