.jpg) ANew York City statue ofBenjamin Franklin holding a copy ofThe Pennsylvania Gazette | |
| Founder(s) | Samuel Keimer Benjamin Franklin in 1729, who bought and reoriented the publication into a 'news only' newspaper |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1728; 297 years ago (1728) (asThe Universal Instructor in all Arts and Sciences: and Pennsylvania Gazette) |
| Ceased publication | 1800 (1800) |
| Political alignment | Non partisan |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, U.S. |
The Pennsylvania Gazette was one of theUnited States' most prominent newspapers from 1728 until 1800. In the years leading up to theAmerican Revolution, the newspaper served as a voice for colonial opposition toBritish colonial rule, especially to theStamp Act and theTownshend Acts. The newspaper was headquartered inPhiladelphia.
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The newspaper was first published in 1728 bySamuel Keimer and was the second newspaper to be published in the colonialProvince of Pennsylvania under the nameThe Universal Instructor in all Arts and Sciences: and Pennsylvania Gazette, a reference to Keimer's intention to print out a page ofEphraim Chambers'Cyclopaedia, or Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences in each edition.[1]
On October 2, 1729,Samuel Keimer, the owner ofThe Gazette, fell into debt and before fleeing toBarbados sold the newspaper toBenjamin Franklin and his partnerHugh Meredith,[2][3][4][5] who shortened its name, as well as dropping Keimer's grandiose plan to print out theCyclopaedia.[1] Franklin not only printed the paper but also often contributed pieces to the paper underaliases. His newspaper soon became the most successful in the colonies.[3]
On December 28, 1732, Franklin announced inThe Gazette that he had just printed and published the first edition ofThe Poor Richard, also known asPoor Richard's Almanack, by Richard Saunders, Philomath.[6]
On August 6, 1741, Franklin published an editorial following the death ofAndrew Hamilton, a lawyer and public figure in Philadelphia and friend of Franklin. The editorial praised the man highly and showed Franklin had held the man in high esteem.[7]
On October 19, 1752,[8] Franklin published a third-person account of his pioneeringkite experiment inThe Pennsylvania Gazette, without mentioning that he himself had performed it.[9]
While the purpose of the publication was primarily for classified ads, merchants and individuals listed notices of employment, lost and found goods and items for sale, it also reprinted foreign news. Most entries involved stories of travel.[10] The gazette also published advertisements forrunaway slaves andindentured servants.[11]
Among other firsts byThe Pennsylvania Gazette, the newspaper was the first to publish thepolitical cartoonJoin, or Die, authored by Franklin.[12] The cartoon resurfaced later in the 18th century as a symbol in support of theAmerican Revolution.
The paper ceased publication in 1800, ten years after Franklin's death.[13] It is claimed that the publication later reemerged as theSaturday Evening Post in 1821.[14]
There are three known copies of the original issue, which are held by theHistorical Society of Pennsylvania and theLibrary Company of Philadelphia, both in Philadelphia, and theWisconsin State Historical Society at theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison inMadison, Wisconsin.[1]
The Pennsylvania Gazette moniker is used by an unrelated bi-monthly alumni magazine of theUniversity of Pennsylvania, anIvy League university that Franklin founded and served at as one of its first trustees.
