Sign In

- Or use -
Forgot Password Create Account
Description

Rare Amos Doolittle Engraved Time Line Combining American and Ecclesiastical History

Fascinating early American broadside, celebrating the divine combination of American and Biblical History.

Timeline chart of the history of Christianity, with tree-like column at center (representing the schisms of the Church), and images of Adam and Eve and a temple at top. The map also includes a timeline of world and national history to the right, including George Washington's birthday and the founding of Yale College.  

The American history portion begins with The discoveries of America by Columbus, Vespucci and Cabot.  Leaping ahead to the 17th Century, the settlement of Virginia, New York, New Jersey, New England, Pennsylvania and other colonies are noted, as is Penn's charter.  In the 18th Century, Washington's birth and the continued colonial settlements are noted, as is the American Revolution, Lexington, Bunker Hill, American Independence, Peace, the Constitution and the French Revolution.

The timeline was created by David Sherman Rowland (1719-1794), a minister of the First (Congregational) Church in Windsor, Connecticut, with a colorful past who was forced to flea his ministry in Providence Rhode island "because of his inflammatory exhortations on freedom and taxation.”  Publication of the time line was arranged by his sons.  The time line was advertised in the New-Hampshire Gazette for June 17, 1800 and later in the Courier of New Hampshire for July 5, 1800, which described a run of 500 copies, available by subscription of $2.00 per copy.

"The central stream of Christianity becomes murky with 'the dark shades of error' during the Middle Ages, with only a thin, clear channel of dissent running through. During the Protestant Reformation, several dissenting channels separate from and then rejoin the main stream of Christianity" (Rosenberg & Graton, Cartographies of Time, page 148).

Rarity

The broadside is quite rare on the market.

Condition Description
Two sheets, joined. Several tears, expertly repaired.