Pennsylvania GazetteRevolutionary War Newspapers


As the lone formal source for news in its day, newspapers held an important place in early American history. During the American Revolution, newspapers passed along news of monumental victories and crushing defeats. Revolutionary War newspapers were not only sources of news, but satire and editorials. Once the Americans had won their independence from Britain, the founders struggled with how newspapers should be regulated. Even after passage of the Bill of Rights, the freedom of speech was a hotly contested issue.

Some of the more prominent pre-Revolutionary War newspapers included The New England Courant, The Pennsylvania Gazette (right), The South Carolina Gazette, and The Virginia Gazette.  As the American Revolution gained momentum, newspapers such as The Massachusetts Spy, The Salem Gazette, and the Philadelphia Evening Post gained stature and became trusted news sources. 

Philadelphia Declaration of Independence 1776 Newspaper

Philadelphia Declaration of Independence 1776 Newspaper

$3,975.00
1776 newspaper DECLARATION of INDEPENDENCE EarlyPrintng

1776 newspaper DECLARATION of INDEPENDENCE EarlyPrintng

$3,500.00
BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL Revolutionary War 1775 Newspaper

BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL Revolutionary War 1775 Newspaper

$3,450.00
Yorktown George Washington Cornwallis 1781 Newspaper

Yorktown George Washington Cornwallis 1781 Newspaper

$2,675.00
THE CRISIS Thomas Paine Revolutionary War1777 Newspaper

THE CRISIS Thomas Paine Revolutionary War1777 Newspaper

$1,850.00
Lexington and Concord Revolutionary War 1775 Newspaper

Lexington and Concord Revolutionary War 1775 Newspaper

$1,795.00

Revolutionary War newspapers were critical to the overall success of the American cause.  As the war spread throughout the colonies, newspapers became a powerful voice that helped unite the people.  They carried editorials, satires, and stories of patriotic heroism from the battlefield.

Newspapers from the Revolutionary War make an outstanding collectible. They make excellent display artifacts and allow collectors to see the world through the eyes of the Revolutionaries. Major newspapers from significant cities - Philadelphia, Boston, New York City - carry a premium, as do papers carrying a major story.


Popular Revolutionary War Newspapers


The Philadelphia Gazette - after being purchased by Benjamin Franklin in 1729, The Philadelphia Gazette became one of the most popular newspapers in America and remains a popular choice with collectors today. 

Philadelphia Evening Post - on July 6th, 1776, the Evening Post was the first Early American newspaper to print the Declaration of Independence.  Other newspapers didn't even mention the historic document until weeks later.