ETHAN ALLEN: REASON

EARLY LIFE

• Born in Litchfield, Ct in 1738
• Was one of 8 children, very poor, very limited education
• Had natural intelligence, wanted to prove himself worthy of attention from superior intellectuals
• Always wanted to learn more, was never afraid of backlash from his opinions
• Always wanted to bring about issues concerning the oppressed

Early Life Ctd

• Father wanted him to go to Yale, but his death caused Allen to take over family landholdings
• went to New Hampshire Grants (Vermont) as a part of the Litchfield County militia during the seven years war

Life in Vermont, New York

• Acquired land in the area, became commander of Green Mountain Boys (militia designed to protect New Hampshire Grants)
• Easily captured Fort Ticonderoga, Crown Point with Benedict Arnold in 1775
• Captured later that year in attempt to seize Montreal
• taken prisoner of war, suffered cruel treatment for many years
• Vermont eventually gained independence, unable to join U.S due to ownerships claims from New York, New England

Post-War Printing

• was known as a deist, philosopher, and revolutionary
• was known to "rip old testaments and ridicule the new ones"
• attempted to publish his work based on the subject of how religion is treated in america
• gave a printer in Hartford rights to print it, but didn't have the courage (feared public outcry)
• eventually printed by Mr. Haswell of Bennington, Vt in 1784

Finally...

• Parts of the publication were consumed by a fire
• Fearing judgement from God, Mr. Haswell set remaining parts of publication on fire, joined Methodist connection
• Very few copies were circulated
• Died of apoplexy in 1789

Significance?

• Evidently free-spirited, an independent thinker
• Wanted to assist in foundation of American religious principles (deism)
• Balancing logic (scientific reasoning) and religion in a new nation during the rationalist era

CITATIONS