Jedidiah Morse
Jedidiah Morse was an influential American geographer, theologian, and author, born in Connecticut in 1761. He pursued his education at Yale during the tumultuous period of the American Revolution, later focusing on theology. At the age of twenty-three, he authored a geography book for his students, which marked the beginning of his extensive contributions to the field. In 1796, he published "The American Gazetteer," the first comprehensive geography of North America, featuring detailed maps and thousands of articles about various locations. Morse's work earned him the title of the "father of American geography."
In addition to his geographical pursuits, he served as a pastor in Charlestown, Massachusetts, where he championed orthodox Calvinism amid the rise of liberal Unitarianism. He was also a founding member of the Andover Theological Seminary. Later in life, Morse focused on Native American affairs, conducting a thorough study of different tribes for the Secretary of War, culminating in the publication of "A Report to the Secretary of War of the United States, on Indian Affairs" in 1822. He passed away in 1826, leaving behind a legacy that deeply influenced the understanding of geography and Native American cultures in the United States.
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Jedidiah Morse
Clergyman
- Born: August 23, 1761
- Birthplace: Woodstock, Connecticut
- Died: June 9, 1826
Biography
Jedidiah Morse was born in Connecticut in 1761. He was educated at Yale during the American Revolution. After graduating, Morse stayed at Yale to study theology.
When Morse was twenty-three, he wrote a geography book for his young students. For thirteen years after that, he gathered geographical data from geographers, mapmakers, and explorers. Then, in 1796, he finished the first comprehensive geography of North America, The American Gazetteer. It included several large, fold-out maps and seven thousand articles on many different places. He also produced a number of other geography text books and is often thought of the “father of American geography.”
A little before this publication, Morse was made pastor of a Congregational church in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He then turned his literary talent to supporting orthodox Calvinism during the time of rising liberal Unitarianism. He was also a founder of the Andover Theological Seminary.
At age fifty-nine, Morse turned his focus to the Native Americans. In 1820, he accepted an appointment from the Secretary of War to perform a large-scale study of Native Americans. For two years he traveled to many different tribes, describing each one. His work would bring insight to those groups for generations to come. In 1822, his work was published under the title A Report to the Secretary of War of the United States, on Indian Affairs. Morse died in 1826.