American Writers of the 1800s Quiz

Answer: Jack London

Jack London is the pen name of John Griffith Chaney.

London had only an eighth-grade education but loved writing. His writing career began in 1893 when his mother pushed him to write for a local newspaper contest and share adventures from a sealing voyage he took at age 17. Jack won the contest, beating out many college writers from local universities. The experience opened his eyes to many possibilities and he began writing short stories.

London focused many of his short stories and novels on the Alaskan Klondike, where many miners had gone to search for gold. When he was in his twenties, Jack London borrowed money from his sister to join the gold rush, convinced that he would strike it rich. Jack and his companions never struck it rich with gold, but Jack returned to California with tales of dog sleds, gold miners, and adventure. "The Call of the Wild", "White Fang", and "The Son of the Wolf: Tales of the Far North", are some of his most well-known works featuring Alaskan adventures.

Jack became one of the highest-paid writers in the United States during his life, writing over 50 books.

"The Call of the Wild" was considered to be his most widely read and published novel. A mixed-breed dog, Buck, was stolen from his home and shipped to the Alaskan territory. He was abused and beaten by traders before being sold as a sled dog to government couriers. Buck soon adapted to the wild and became a valuable sled dog. Buck survived multiple abusive owners before being rescued by John Thornton. When his master was killed by Native Americans, Buck joined a pack of wolves. The Native Americans nicknamed him "ghost dog" because he frequently returned to the site of his murdered master to grieve.

Although most of his years of adventure-seeking inspired his writings, London spent the last two decades of his life dealing with many health and financial issues. In 1916 he passed away at his California ranch, due to kidney complications.

(Information from "Biography: Jack London", "Famous Authors: Jack London", "Smithsonian Magazine: The Short, Frantic, Rags-to-Riches Life of Jack London")

Answer: Mark Twain

Mark Twain is the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens. He was nicknamed by William Faulkner as "the father of American literature". He wrote many novels and American tales centered around the Mississippi River, from the 1870s to his death in 1910. His classic "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" has been nicknamed the "Great American Novel".

Twain was inspired to write "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and its sequel "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", based on his childhood in Hannibal, Missouri. The town had a small population of fewer than 1,000 people and was a river town next to the Mississippi.

Twain had a childhood very similar to his most famous literary characters Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. During Twain's childhood, he witnessed riverboats, observed the horrors of slavery, and experienced poverty. His father was a storekeeper, lawyer, and judge.

Twain was inspired to tell stories by his mother, who loved telling stories to her children. His father passed away unexpectedly, leaving his family very poor. Twain's mother struggled to make ends meet until her children could help support the family financially.

Later in his life, Twain was a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River. His novels and writings were inspired by many of his adventures. His riverboat career was cut short by the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.

When the Civil War broke out, Twain headed out West to search for gold. He wanted to strike it rich to bring his family out of poverty. When his search for gold failed, he started writing for newspapers. His funny wit and pen name "Mark Twain" became instantly popular. The experience convinced him to start writing novels.

His writing talent was the true treasure that Twain discovered. His short stories and novels made him a celebrity around the world. Although he never became extremely wealthy, he became respected and won several awards during the last two decades of his life.

Twain died in 1910 at the age of 74.

(Information from "Biography: Mark Twain", "Mark Twain Museum", and "History Channel: Mark Twain")

Answer: Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin was a children's author, novelist, and short-story writer.

Choplin began writing after her husband died in 1882. Most of her novels were set in Louisiana, where she had lived with her husband for many years. She became known for her novels that focused on the lives of intelligent women that struggled with society's view of marriage, relationships, duties, religion, and education.

Her most well-known work "The Awakening", was widely criticized when it was first publicized; it explored many topics that were considered distasteful to society at the time. The "Awakening" focused on a young mother who abandoned her family to explore her independence and sexuality. After she befriended an attractive young woman on vacation, it caused her to lose interest in her marriage, her children, her religion, and her duties. She started seeking out things she enjoyed from her childhood such as music and found peace in another relationship. When her relationship with a man failed because he discovered she was married, she returned home to discover her husband gone. With nothing left, she committed suicide.

After Chopin died in 1904, many of her works were forgotten. In the 1950s, her works gained popularity with feminist movements and experienced a revival. Scholars recognized "The Awakening" as a classical work of fiction.

(Information from "Biography: Kate Chopin", "The Kate Chopin International Society", and "The Famous People: Kate Chopin")

Answer: Stephen Crane

Stephen Crane was the last of 14 children. His father was a Methodist Episcopal minister and his mother was a woman's suffrage author. He was raised by his older sister Agnes.

His literary career began in the 1890s in New York. Crane was inspired by the downtrodden districts, street life, and poverty. His first novel, "Maggie", was initially rejected by publishers because it described a young girl's encounters with prostitution, abuse, and poverty in great detail. Crane published the book out of his own resources in 1893 and was left penniless when the book did not take off in sales

Crane published "The Red Badge of Courage" in 1895. Crane himself had never been in war combat but did thorough research. He focused on the emotions of war and the war scenes with great detail. The book inspired him to take on a new career as a war correspondent and report on the conflicts in Cuba in 1897.

Crane never made it to Cuba because the ship he was traveling on sank. He rerouted his adventures to Greece and reported on the Greco-Turkish War in 1898.

Although he continued to write novels and short stories, Crane's health and finances suffered as a war correspondent. He suffered several illnesses including malaria and yellow fever, which took a toll on his overall immune system. In 1900, he contracted tuberculosis and died at the age of 28.

(Information from "Biography: Stephen Crane", "The Poetry Foundation: Stephen Crane", and "Famous Authors: Stephen Crane")

Answer: Louisa May Alcott

Louisa's father, Bronson Alcott, was an educator who believed learning should be fun for all children. Like the characters in her novel "Little Women", Louisa was one of four daughters and was close to her sisters. All the girls were taught reading and writing from a young age. Louisa also studied under philosopher Henry David Thoreau, and authors that included Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Although Louisa and her sisters received an excellent education, their families suffered many financial struggles. The girls frequently took on odd jobs to alleviate the financial hardships. Louisa turned to her writing as an escape. Her first book of short stories was published in 1854.

When the Civil War started in 1861, Louisa became a nurse in a Union hospital. Her assignment was cut short when she contracted typhoid fever. From the experience, she wrote the novel, "Hospital Sketches".

After the war and during her health recovery, Louisa wrote many more novels. Her publisher asked her to create a book for women and young girls. Louisa chose to create a novel based on her experiences from her childhood. Her most popular novel, "Little Women", was born in 1868.


(Information from "National Women's History Museum: Louisa May Alcott", "Historynet: Louisa May Alcott", "Biography: Louisa May Alcott")

Answer: Herman Melville

Herman Melville was born into a wealthy family in 1819. His father was a New York City merchant who made his fortune on imports. In 1830, Herman's father moved the family to Albany to invest in fur trading. The business move was unsuccessful and in 1832, his father died soon after going bankrupt.

Herman's brother took over the family business and Herman's mother supported the family with a small amount of support from various relatives. Herman had to leave school at the age of 12 and go to work to support his family. During his childhood, he had a love for classical literature and began writing short stories.

Melville became a sailor in 1839. His seafaring career inspired many of his writings and stories. In 1841, he joined a whaling ship, the Acushnet. On the ship's journey, he was captured by cannibals when he and a crew member went ashore. He was rescued by another whaling ship, the Lucy Ann. On the way home, he was jailed for his association with a mutiny attempt. He eventually returned home on the USS United States. His adventures inspired many novels, including his most famous work, "Moby Dick".

Melville's writings did not bring him any fame or fortune during his lifetime. Although many of his sea adventure novels became classics, Melville did not get to witness his success. In 1857, he gave up writing novels and turned his attention to a career as a customs inspector in New York City.

Melville died of a heart attack while writing his last work on September 28, 1891. His last novel "Billy Budd" was published after his death in 1924.


(Information from "Academy of American Poets", "Famous Authors: Herman Melville", and "Biography: Herman Melville")

Answer: Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe was known for his dark, horror stories, poems, and novels.

As a young boy, he never knew his father or his mother. His father was a British actor who left the family early in Poe's life. His mother, a British actress, died of tuberculous when Poe was three years old. Poe was separated from his siblings and sent to live with a wealthy tobacco merchant and his wife who lived in Richmond, Virginia.

Poe turned to poetry to cope with his home life. He excelled in school and his adopted father had high hopes that Poe would take over the family business. Poe had a deep desire to be a writer and frequently got into trouble for using the back of newspapers, assignments, or any spare piece of paper to write poems.

When Poe went to college, he got into trouble when he turned to gambling to cover the costs that his family could not afford. He was deepened in debt, while his fiance at home became engaged to another man. Heartbroken he moved to Boston.

Poe joined the army in 1827, shortly after publishing his first book. During his military service, his adopted mom died of tuberculous before he could make it home. Poe's father helped him get into West Point, but broke ties with Poe when he remarried quickly after his wife's death. Poe was kicked out of West Point for his erratic behavior, most of it spawning from arguments with his adopted father.

Poe's writing started to take a dark twist after his adopted mother died and his adopted father died leaving him out of the will. He became a newspaper critic that was very vicious and blunt. His aggressive writing style strained his relationship with many publishers and peers.

In 1845, Poe published the "Raven" and became a literary success. Although the poem was very popular, it drew harsh criticism from other authors such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who viewed Poe as dark and grotesque. Poe openly accused Longfellow of plagiarism which started a backlash against both authors. (Boston College: Poe's Quarrel with Boston Writers)

In 1836, Poe married the love of his life, Virginia. She was the inspiration for many of his love stories. In 1847, Poe was devastated when she died of tuberculosis at the age of 24, the same age as his mother.

Poe never recovered from his wife's death. Overwhelmed by grief, financial struggles, pressure from critics, and feelings of failure, Poe turned to alcohol. Although his stories were very popular, they were very dark. Many of them reflected on death, loneliness, and depression.

Poe's final days were very private and unknown. On October 3, he was found in Baltimore in great distress and taken to Washington College Hospital. The writer's final words were "Lord help my soul." Doctors determined his cause of death was related to congestion of the brain, but it was speculated that Poe suffered from epilepsy and poisoning.

(Information from "Boston College: Poe's Quarrel with Boston Writers", "Biography: Edgar Allan Poe", and "Edgar Allan Poe Society: Text- Mr. Longfellow and Other Plagiarists By Edgar Allan Poe"

Answer: Harriet Beecher Stowe

It is said when Abraham Lincoln was introduced to Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1862, he remarked, "So you are the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war."

Harriet Beecher Stowe rose to fame in 1851 with her book "Uncle Tom's Cabin". Although President Lincoln's comment was made with good humor, Harriet Stowe's book played a large part in influencing people to turn against slavery. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" became the second most sold book of the 19th century. It was the only book at the time to outsell The Bible.

"Uncle Tom's Cabin" highlighted many of the horrors of slavery in graphic detail. Tom saved the life of a young girl and was thanked by her father. Her father made a promise to free all the slaves but died before it could be completed. Tom's new owner was extremely vile and cruel. He whipped Tom to death for not telling where other slaves escaped to.

"Uncle Tom's Cabin" sold 300,000 copies in its first year. Over time it was translated into multiple languages. It was later adapted into a theatrical play and performed on many stages. When critics challenged the accuracy of the book, Stowe published another book, "Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin", which included testimonies from notable former slaves such as Frederick Douglass.

Stowe used her fame to speak openly about the slave trade and encourage people to join the abolitionist movement. She remained active in the abolitionist and civil rights cause until she died in 1896.

(Information from the "National Women's History Museum: Harriet Beecher Stowe", "Ohio State University: The little woman who wrote the book that started this great war", and "History Channel: Uncle Tom's Cabin is Published")

Answer: Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804, in the middle of Salem Massachusetts. His ancestry and early life played a deep role in his writing on religion, morals, and love.

Hawthorne's early ancestor, William Hathorne, immigrated to New England in 1630 and became a judge in Salem, Massachusetts. (Nathaniel Hawthorne later added a "w" to his name to distance himself from his ancestry) Hathorne was a very cruel judge that was involved in the Salem Witch trials and hangings. Unlike other judges that repented for their actions, Hathorne believed it was God's will. Hawthorne shared his disdain for some of this philosophy in his book the "Scarlet Letter".

Hawthorne's father was a sea captain that died of disease while at sea. Hawthorn's family moved in with his wealthy uncles while he was a small child. During a childhood leg injury, he fell in love with reading and writing.

With the help of his uncles, he attended Bowdoin College. At school, he became good friends with his classmates Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and future president Franklin Pierce.

After graduation, Hawthorne became a surveyor and moved back to Salem in 1846. In 1850, Hawthorne wrote "The Scarlet Letter", which became one of the first mass-produced publications in the United States. The wide distribution and the popularity of the book made Hawthorne famous.

When Hawthorne moved to Lenox, Massachusetts in 1850, he became friends with another famous author, Herman Melville. The two formed a very close friendship and inspired one another with stories. During his time in Lenox, Hawthorne wrote the book "The House of Seven Gables".

In the 1852 election, Hawthorne helped his former college friend, Franklin Pierce, with his campaign. As a reward, Pierce appointed Hawthorne to serve as American Counsel to Britain. During his time living overseas, Hawthorne published, "Our Old Home".

Upon his return to the United States, Hawthorne had several health problems and never regained his writing productivity. He refused to seek medical attention although many of his friends shared concerns. He died on May 19, 1864.

(Information from "Biography: Nathaniel Hawthorne", "Salem Witch Museum: John Hathorne", "Berkshire Museum: Hawthorne Master of Massachusetts Misery")

Answer: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born to a prominent family in Portland, Maine, on February 27, 1807. His father was a lawyer and had high hopes that his son would continue in his footsteps. He invested in sending Henry to private schools and giving him the best education available.

At Bowdoin University, Henry Longfellow made friends with the future writer, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and the future president, Franklin Pierce. Upon graduation, he was offered a teaching position if he spent time researching more languages.

Longfellow traveled to Europe to research languages and developed a love for other civilizations. Due to language studies being new in the United States, he published a textbook with his research. His work earned him a professorship at Harvard University.

Due to budget cuts, Longfellow covered many teaching position needs at Harvard. He wrote his own textbooks and used his writing skills to help cover expenses. He used poetry as a teaching aid to help students with learning.

His published poetry works grew in popularity. He expanded his poems to include popular topics such as slavery, history, and Native Americans. "Paul Revere" and "The Song of Hiawatha" became his most notable historical works because of his story-telling style.

While Longfellow enjoyed fame and honors, he also struggled with great sorrow. His first wife died in childbirth before he began his teaching position at Harvard. He found love again and married his second wife, Fanny, in 1843. In 1861, tragedy struck again when Fanny was killed in a house fire. The same year, the Civil War broke out and his son ran off to join the army without his permission.

After the deaths of his wife and son, Longfellow immersed himself in his work. He developed severe stomach pains caused by acute peritonitis. On March 24, 1882, he died surrounded by family and friends. At the time of his death, he was one of the most successful and well-known authors in the United States, with an estate worth an estimated $356,000.

(Information from "Biography: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow", "Harvard Library: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow", "Auburn University: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow", "Academy of American Poets: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow")