Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Aitken, Robert (1735-1802) The Pennsylvania magazine, or, American monthly museum.

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC06466 Author/Creator: Aitken, Robert (1735-1802) Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Magazine Date: 1775-1776 Pagination: 18 issues ; 20 x 13 cm. Order a Copy

Nearly complete run, edited in part by Thomas Paine. Total of 13 issues from January to December 1775 (12 issues plus one supplement), January 1776, February 1776 (incomplete with facsimile cover) and March 1776. Two additional issues for April and May 1776 are supplied in photocopy facsimile. (There is one facsimile copy of February 1776.) The famous poem of slave Phillis Wheatley to George Washington is contained in the April 1776 issue (facsimile). Ex-lib marks of Enoch Pratt Library and Newburyport Library.

The Pennsylvania Magazine was edited from February 1775 to May 1776 by Thomas Paine. The magazine was conceived and founded by the Revolutionary printer, Robert Aitken, best known for his work as a printer for the Continental Congress. Paine was a major contributor as well as editor sometimes writing under the initials "A.B." The magazine chronicles month by month, Paine's sentiments both before and after writing Common Sense.

Aitken, Robert, 1735-1802
Paine, Thomas, 1737-1809

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources