South Carolina and Georgia: Rise and Progress of the Colonies (ePub)

Alexander Hewatt, an 18th-century writer and clergyman, is most commonly known for his pioneering work in the historiography of the American South. Hewatt was born in Scotland and later moved to America, where he became deeply integrated into the social and cultural tapestry of the colonial life. His seminal work, 'An Historical Account of the Rise and Progress of the Colonies of South Carolina and Georgia,' published in two volumes in 1779, is considered one of the first historical treatments of this region. Hewatt's narrative combines a comprehensive overview of the sociopolitical development of these colonies with a rich description of the topographical and ecological attributes that shaped their evolution. His educational background and theological training informed his interpretative lens, wherewith he imparted both a factual recount of historical events and a moralistic view of colonial actions and their consequences. Hewatt's contribution to early American historiography lays in his concerted effort to consolidate the scattered historical experiences of these nascent communities into a coherent intellectual framework. This work not only served as a historical record for posterity but also provided contemporary readers with an analytical perspective of the colonial enterprise. Expressive of the Enlightenment ideals of his time, Hewatt's writing style is reflective of the scholarly ethos, although colored by the prevailing biases of the colonial era. His work remains a critical primary source for historians studying the early American South and contributes essential insights into the formation of colonial American society.