Resources about Cotton Mather

1. Faithful, George. "Cotton Mather's Scientific Method for Prayer." Theology & Science 7.2 (2009): 175-187. Academic Search Premier EBSCO. Web. 14 June 2010.
This article discusses Cotton Mather and his contributions to the Puritan time era. Mather was equally known for his views in science, as well as, in religion. He applied the same amount of spiritual fervor for his faith to his work in the scientific fields. This article was taken from the online database EBSCO which is known for its scholarly peer-reviewed sources.


2. Smolinski, Reiner. "How to Go to Heaven, or How Heaven Goes? Natural Science and Interpretation in Cotton Mather's ‘Biblia Americana’ (1693-1728)." 81.2 (2008): 278-329. Academic Search Premier EBSCO. Web. 14 June 2010.
This article was found using EBSCO, a database highly credited for its scholarly peer-reviewed articles. In this article, the author discusses Cotton Mather and some of his works. The author chooses to focus on the writings “Biblia Americana,” “The Christian Philosopher,” and “Curiosa Americana” (Smolinski). It reviews the biblical teachings found in each of these pieces and how Mather’s scientific viewpoints are intertwined with it.


3. Wendell, Barrett. “Cotton Mather: The Puritan Priest.” New York: Dodd, Mead, and Co., 1891. Google Books. 14 June 2010.
In this Google Book, the author talks about Cotton Mather and the life that he lived. He reflects on all aspects of the legacy that Mather left behind by examining everything from his beliefs to his publications. The author speaks of Mather as a kind of literary hero and throughout the course of the book, tries to delve deeper into why Cotton Mather was a man worth remembering. This was found using Google Books, a trusted and reliable source.


4. Lucas, Paul R. "The Life and Times of Cotton Mather (Book Review)." American Historical Review. 90. (1985): 478-79. Academic Search Premier EBSCO. Web. 25 June 2009.
The purpose of this article is to discuss the things that made people dislike Mather and the Puritanism lifestyle he represented. However, to be fair, it also looks at Mather as an individual and not just the critiques of him. He is important to know as an author because he was a great leader of the Puritan time period. His works exemplify the changes in what he found important and reflect his change in maturity. This source helped in understanding Mather’s writing style. Additionally, it clarified why the character of his work was so unique to him. This source is credible because it was written by a professor from Indiana University. The article was found using a well-known database, EBSCO, that contains scholarly peer-reviewed articles.


5. Harper, George W. "New England Dynasty." Christian History 13.1 (1994): 20. Academic Search Premier EBSCO. Web. 3 June 2007.
This short essay introduces us to the Mather family through four generations. From the information of each prior generation, we are able to better understand 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 hundreds of book publications. Though he wrote on topics ranging 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 that is overly complex and disjointed, did more to push America into secularism than 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.

6. "Cotton Mather." Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2nd ed. 17. (1998). Gale Research. Web. 3 June 2008.
Cotton Mather was born in Boston, MA, a third generation Mather in New England. Durng the time when Puritanism's rigorous devotion to the church was diminishing, Mather was prominent as a writer and scholar. Mather is renowned for his theological and scientific approaches towards the Salem Witch trials. Because of the timeline, this website is helpful in understanding the progression and changes in the Puritan lifestyle. It is also evident that Mather, as an author, fits into this literary period and encompass the beliefs on which this lifestyle was founded. Because the material is broken down into sections and focuses on multiple aspects and periods, it helps the reader to better understand where this figure is coming from and how it must have affected his writings and teachings. This is website is updated by authorized personnel and was found in a credible database system, Gale.

"Cotton Mather." CinemaElectronica. Web. 13 June 2010.

Texts by Mather:

• The last Days Of Increase Mather From "Memoirs of Remarkables in the Life and the Death of the Ever-Memorable Dr. Increase Mather"
• Magnalia Christ Americana

"Cotton Mather." YouTube- Broadcast Yourself. Web. 13 June 2010.

Relevant Literary Period(s):

• Puritanism

Relevant Literary Themes:

• Identity: Mather's beliefs motivate his writing
• Self-Confidence: Mather's voice and opinions of what people should do are often included in his writings
• The American Dream: some of Mather's writings are about education and family

Relevant Literary Terms:

• Setting: includes brief history about the current or past time period
• Tone/Style: uses a "lecturing" tone when speaking about religious subjects
• Word Choice: includes phrases from different languages in his writing

**Google Map and Timeline information taken from:
“Cotton Mather.” NNDB. 2010. Web. 14 June 2010.