Boston in the Enlightenment

The atlas holds 10 people and 32 moments here, from 1706 to 1812. The most recorded lives are John Adams, Phillis Wheatley and John Quincy Adams.

Notable people

  1. Alexander Hamilton

    in 1772

    1 moment here

    American statesman, lawyer, revolutionary officer, constitutional convention delegate, and first U.S. secretary of the treasury.…

  2. Benjamin Franklin

    in 1706

    1 moment here

    American printer, scientist, civic leader, colonial agent, revolutionary statesman, and diplomat.…

  3. Edgar Allan Poe

    in 1809

    1 moment here

    American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic whose work helped shape Gothic fiction, detective fiction, and early science fiction.…

  4. George Washington

    from 1775 to 1789

    2 moments here

    George Washington was a Virginia surveyor, planter, military commander, revolutionary leader, constitutional statesman, and the first president of…

  5. John Adams

    from 1735 to 1801

    11 moments here

    American lawyer, revolutionary leader, diplomat, first vice president of the United States, and second U.S. president.…

  6. John Quincy Adams

    from 1767 to 1801

    4 moments here

    John Quincy Adams was an American diplomat, secretary of state, sixth president of the United States, and Massachusetts representative.…

  7. Phillis Wheatley

    from 1761 to 1784

    8 moments here

    Phillis Wheatley Peters was a poet born in West Africa, enslaved in Boston as a child, and the author of Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and…

  8. Ralph Waldo Emerson

    from 1803 to 1812

    2 moments here

    American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, Unitarian minister, poet, abolitionist, and leading figure in Transcendentalism.…

  9. Simón Bolívar

    in 1807

    1 moment here

    Venezuelan military and political leader known as El Libertador. Bolívar led revolutionary campaigns that helped secure the independence of…

  10. Thomas Jefferson

    in 1784

    1 moment here

    Thomas Jefferson was an American lawyer, Virginia political leader, diplomat, secretary of state, vice president, and third president of the United…

Moments

  1. 1706 Birth on Milk Street Benjamin Franklin
  2. 1735 Birth on the Adams family farm John Adams
  3. 1751 Entered Harvard College John Adams
  4. 1761 Residence in the Wheatley household Phillis Wheatley
  5. 1761 Arrival in Boston Harbor Phillis Wheatley
  6. 1767 Birth at the Adams birthplace John Quincy Adams
  7. 1768 Boston residence on Brattle Street John Adams
  8. 1768 Moved family to Boston John Adams
  9. 1771 Moved family back to Braintree John Adams
  10. 1771 Baptism at Old South Meeting House Phillis Wheatley
  11. 1772 Authorship examination in Boston Phillis Wheatley
  12. 1772 Returned household to Boston John Adams
  13. 1772 Arrival in Boston Alexander Hamilton
  14. 1773 Return to Boston after London journey Phillis Wheatley
  15. 1774 Returned to the Braintree farm John Adams
  16. 1775 Occupies Cambridge headquarters George Washington
  17. 1776 Return to Boston Phillis Wheatley
  18. 1776 Returned home after peace conference John Adams
  19. 1778 Marriage to John Peters Phillis Wheatley
  20. 1779 Returned from first French mission John Adams
  21. 1784 At Boston before Atlantic departure Thomas Jefferson
  22. 1784 Death in Boston Phillis Wheatley
  23. 1785 Arrival in Cambridge after return to Massachusetts John Quincy Adams
  24. 1789 Visits churches in Boston George Washington
  25. 1790 Opening a Boston law practice John Quincy Adams
  26. 1799 Stayed at Peacefield during peace crisis John Adams
  27. 1801 Returned to Peacefield full-time John Adams
  28. 1801 Return to Boston after Prussian service John Quincy Adams
  29. 1803 Birth in Boston Ralph Waldo Emerson
  30. 1807 Visits Boston Simón Bolívar
  31. 1809 Birth in Boston Edgar Allan Poe
  32. 1812 Begins Boston Latin School Ralph Waldo Emerson

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