Cotton Mather

Resources about Cotton Mather

1. Harper, George W. "New England dynasty." Christian History 13.1 (1994): 20. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Mesa Community College Library, Mesa, AZ.  3 June 2007.

< http://ezp.mc.maricopa.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=9403147557&site=ehost-live >.

This short essay introduces us to the Mather family, through four generations.  From the information of each prior generation we are able to understand better the influences that would shape Cotton Mather, one of the most important of early American Puritan writers.  Cotton Mather is famed in history for his involvement in the Salem Witch Trials, but his contribution to society at the time was far more significant.  Mather was an author of tremendous output, with his book publications in the hundreds.  Though he wrote on nearly any topic from the scientific to the spiritual, his body of works collectively is a very important tool by which we as readers can gain real insight into the culture of American Puritans.  Harper points out, though, that Mather’s style, overly complex and disjointed, probably did more to push America into secularism than they did to further the cause of Puritanism.  Cotton Mather’s influence on the culture of the time was powerful and significant, and his death brought an end to a powerful historical dynasty. 

Knowing a bit about the family and predecessors of Cotton Mather helps us understand more about the man, which aids our understanding of his written works.  Though Mather may have documented nearly all of his philosophies and observations, without reading hundreds of volumes of his work it would be difficult to understand the importance of his contributions.  An introductory work like this gives us a solid foundation from which to inspect his writing.  This essay was written by a Doctoral professor of church history and makes no assertions that are not easily verifiable.  As a basic listing of the accomplishments and influences of the Calvin family, it appears to be a credible source.