The New-England Courant
Encyclopedia
The New-England Courant is one of the oldest and the first truly independent American
newspapers. It was founded in Boston
on August 7, 1721 by James Franklin
, Benjamin Franklin
's older brother. The newspaper participated in several controversies and was suppressed in 1727. Although Ben Franklin started in the newspaper as a typesetter, he later wrote over a dozen articles under the fictitious name
Silence Dogood
.
Beside political bravery, the Courant also made a number of innovations. It was the first American newspaper to use literary content and humorous essays. It was also the most expensive newspaper of that time, at 4 pence a copy. The print shop was located off Queen Street
in Dorset Alley and remains a tourist attraction.
was breaking out in Boston, home of The New England Courant. Since distraction rose due to the spread of the disease, the intellect of the city declined as well. The newspaper itself, however, saved James’s struggling printing business. Because of this, James Franklin’s younger brother, Benjamin Franklin, had to serve as his apprentice at the young age of 12. Benjamin’s apprenticeship included all sorts of odd jobs, including issuing pamphlets, linens and silks. This was until the publication of The New England Courant.
The newspapers that came off the presses before The New England Courant were badly done, without proper syntax and grammar. The language of the Courant set the tone for the next 100 years or more of American journalism. Despite its numerous outstanding reviews, the Courant was a simple newspaper, only a single sheet, printed on both sides, focusing mostly on shipping reports, snippets of information from neighboring towns, and letters from Europe. Its real substance was in letters to the editor from the Boston wits, poking fun at the city’s morals and manners.
During the peak of the Courants fame, the relationship between James and Benjamin Franklin suffered. Finally, in 1723, Benjamin Franklin left Boston for Philadelphia, where he later made great contributions to media history. On the other hand, many viewed the Courant’s content as “talking trash,” just like other newspapers during this time. Despite this negatively connotated reputation, The New England Courant stands as the basis of a humane and enduring society.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
newspapers. It was founded in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
on August 7, 1721 by James Franklin
James Franklin (printer)
James Franklin was an American colonial author, printer, newspaper publisher, and almanac publisher...
, Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
's older brother. The newspaper participated in several controversies and was suppressed in 1727. Although Ben Franklin started in the newspaper as a typesetter, he later wrote over a dozen articles under the fictitious name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Silence Dogood
Silence Dogood
Silence Dogood was a false persona used by Benjamin Franklin to get his work published.-History:As a teenager, Franklin worked as an apprentice in his older brother James' printing shop in Boston, where The New-England Courant was printed....
.
Beside political bravery, the Courant also made a number of innovations. It was the first American newspaper to use literary content and humorous essays. It was also the most expensive newspaper of that time, at 4 pence a copy. The print shop was located off Queen Street
Court Street (Boston, Massachusetts)
Court Street is located in the Financial District of Boston, Massachusetts. Prior to 1788, it was called Prison Lane and then Queen Street . In the 19th century it extended beyond its current length, to Bowdoin Square. In the 1960s most of Court Street was demolished to make way for the...
in Dorset Alley and remains a tourist attraction.
History
Although James Franklin’s friends advised him against doing so, on August 7, 1721, the first issue of The New England Courant was published. During time of publication, the smallpox epidemicNorth American smallpox epidemic
The 1775–1782 North American smallpox epidemic was a smallpox epidemic that spread across most of the continent of North America. The epidemic coincided with the years of the American Revolutionary War , which was gripping much of the continent from the colonies, western frontiers, and southern...
was breaking out in Boston, home of The New England Courant. Since distraction rose due to the spread of the disease, the intellect of the city declined as well. The newspaper itself, however, saved James’s struggling printing business. Because of this, James Franklin’s younger brother, Benjamin Franklin, had to serve as his apprentice at the young age of 12. Benjamin’s apprenticeship included all sorts of odd jobs, including issuing pamphlets, linens and silks. This was until the publication of The New England Courant.
The newspapers that came off the presses before The New England Courant were badly done, without proper syntax and grammar. The language of the Courant set the tone for the next 100 years or more of American journalism. Despite its numerous outstanding reviews, the Courant was a simple newspaper, only a single sheet, printed on both sides, focusing mostly on shipping reports, snippets of information from neighboring towns, and letters from Europe. Its real substance was in letters to the editor from the Boston wits, poking fun at the city’s morals and manners.
During the peak of the Courants fame, the relationship between James and Benjamin Franklin suffered. Finally, in 1723, Benjamin Franklin left Boston for Philadelphia, where he later made great contributions to media history. On the other hand, many viewed the Courant’s content as “talking trash,” just like other newspapers during this time. Despite this negatively connotated reputation, The New England Courant stands as the basis of a humane and enduring society.
Further reading
- Perry Miller. The New-England Courant: A Selection of Certain Issues (Boston: Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1956)
External links
- Brief history and scanned issues, from the Electric Ben Franklin.
- Colonial Newspapers and Magazines, 1704–1775, from Bartleby.comBartleby.comBartleby.com is an electronic text archive, headquartered in New York and named after Herman Melville's story "Bartleby the Scrivener". It was founded under the name "Project Bartleby" in January 1993 by Steven H. van Leeuwen as a personal, non-profit collection of classic literature on the website...
- The First Newspapers in America
- The letters of Silence Dogood