Mercy Otis Warren's Enlightenment: An Atlantic Perspective

           Mercy Otis Warren's Enlightenment: An Atlantic Perspective

Recently I am reading Mercy Otis Warren's History and I am totally attracted by her work and life. Now I am considering to do a paper on Mercy Warren's enlightenment, if I can finish it this semester, I guess, I can submit it for your course at the end of this semester.

 In her History, Mercy Warren mentioned a lot on John Adams, which caused them to argue with each other and upseted John Adams deeply, although they finally conciliated with each other and became good friends again. Warren's points of view towards the political issues during pre-revolutionary and revolutionary periods were greatly influenced by John Adams couple, her husband, as well as her father colonel Otis, her brother James Otis and Massachusetts local politics at that time. Plus, she wrote a lot of letters to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and other politicians, which finally shaped her views on colonial America history, American Revolution and American politics. But as far as I am concerned, Mercy Warren's enlightenment could never be easy like this. At least, her views on history and politics at that time were also influenced from the England. 

So far as I know, Catharine Macaulay, a Whig female historian who harshly criticized David Hume's conservative History and Edmund Burke's Reflection, greatly illuminated Mercy Warren. Late historians say Mercy Warren finally treated Macaulay as her model and wrote her own historical work, namely, History. I have read Adams- Warren Correspondence Letters at New York Public Library, which helped me to confirm that the British politics and British political thinkers, especially Macaulay, Hume and others, also played very important roles in shaping Warren's world view.

 Unlike David Ramsay, a Federalist historian who wrote books on American Revolution, George Washington and the History of the South Carolina, Mercy Warren was a totally anti-Federalist and her views on colonial America and American history were totally different. Partly because Mery Warren was a sensitive woman, partly because her husband's political career was not successful, or partly because some of her sons and close friends were died in late 18th century and in early 19th century.

 As I have mentioned to you earlier last semester, I wanted to do my dissertation on David Ramsay, which, I think, could greatly help me to understand American history from the perspective of David Ramsay's eye. I have continued my reading on Ramsay, but when I read Mercy Warren's books and compare their books with each other, I find it is very interesting and I am really enjoy reading their books.

 Right now, if I go on my exploring of Warren's enlightenment and write a paper on it from an Atlantic perspective, which has been advocated by Bailyn, Pocock and other historians, I think, that will be very interesting, although I know some historians have already done some research on Warren. I actually do not know what's the suitable topic for my final dissertation, but I think, at present, if I work on Warren and Ramsay and write my own dissertation on them (compare their ideas from their work, discuss Penn. and Mass. politics and explore their enlightenment ...... ), that will be very helpful for me to understand colonial and early America history.
 
I write to you, just want to consult your advice on these topics. You are an expert in this field and I am glad to hear suggestions from you. My spoken English and writing English is basically OK, but it is still a little hard for me to express my ideas in an academic way with my poor spoken English. Therefore, I write this email to you and hope you can offer me some help.

Have a nice Labor Day!