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I'm going with Declaration of Independence author Thomas Jefferson. If British when he started, American when he finished.
by spodek 5y ago
I'm going with Declaration of Independence author Thomas Jefferson. If British when he started, American when he finished.
- whoknew1122 5y agoAt that time, most Americans still saw themselves as British subjects. People weren't American once the Declaration was penned -- there was still a war to win. If the 'most influential American writer' means 'the one most important to the US becoming its own country', then the answer is Thomas Paine. His American Crisis papers buttressed the flagging revolutionary movement and made the common folk actually care. Before Paine's propaganda, the majority of colonists saw themselves as British subjects and the fight for independence was only really supported by the landed gentry. The American Crisis papers made the common folk care, and without them there likely isn't enough popular support to win the war. Paine > Jefferson as pertains to the American cause (and Paine > Jefferson as person).
- galaxyLogic 5y agoTom Paine no doubt is the most influential because even Bob Dylan sings about him: ... Just then Tom Paine, himself Came running from across the field Shouting at this lovely girl And commanding her to yield And as she was letting go her grip Up Tom Paine did run "I'm sorry, sir", he said to me "I'm sorry for what she's done"
- handrous 5y agoOuch. Dylan: America's tough-but-fair national psychoanalyst.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- dataviz1000 5y agoIn a sense we are comparing apples and oranges. How do we compare On Civil Disobedience? The book toppled the British without firing a single bullet. At this point we would have to consider different timelines altogether.