ExclusiveMichael Wigglesworth: The Best-Selling Puritan Poet Who Shaped Early America
Before the American Revolution… before the Enlightenment reshaped political thought… one book defined early New England.
In this episode of American Legends, Tiffany Brannan explores the life and legacy of Michael Wigglesworth — Puritan minister, Harvard scholar, physician, and author of The Day of Doom, the best-selling book in colonial America.
Published in 1662, The Day of Doom became the most widely read work in the New World for over a century. Memorized by children, recited in homes, and quoted in churches, it shaped the theology and worldview of generations of early Americans.
Born in Yorkshire, England, Wigglesworth immigrated to Massachusetts as a child. He later studied and taught at Harvard, served as a pastor, and ministered to his community both spiritually and physically. Though deeply admired for his kindness and humility, his writings reveal a man wrestling with doubt, sin, repentance, and the fear of judgment.
His dramatic depiction of the Last Judgment reflects the strict Calvinist theology of the Puritans — a worldview built on accountability, divine providence, and spiritual discipline. Yet beneath the powerful language of judgment lies a profound message of grace: “Get apart in Christ, and make the Judge thy friend.”
Understanding Michael Wigglesworth helps us better understand:
Puritan theology and culture
Early American printing and literature
The spiritual foundations of New England
The moral worldview that preceded the Revolution
Harvard in the 17th century
The influence of Calvinism in colonial America
To understand a people, we must read their words. Wigglesworth’s poetry offers a powerful window into the spiritual intensity that shaped early American civilization.
Join us as we discover the man behind the most influential book of early colonial America.
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