Sparks, Jared (1789-1866), was an American historian and biographer who was one of the first people to formally study the Revolutionary War in America (1775-1783). He collected and edited the letters of some of the most important Americans of the revolutionary period. In his works, Sparks tried to avoid giving offense and creating controversy. Instead, he tended to praise and honor the lives of his subjects. His works include the 12-volume Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (1829-1830), the 12-volume Writings of George Washington (1834-1837), and the 10-volume Works of Benjamin Franklin (1836-1840). He also edited The Library of American Biography (1834-1838, 1844-1847), a collection of biographies of historical figures.
Sparks was born in Willington, Connecticut. He graduated from Harvard College (now Harvard University) in 1815 and studied at Harvard Divinity School from 1817 to 1819. From 1819 to 1823, he served as a Unitarian minister in Baltimore. From 1824 to 1830, Sparks published and edited the North American Review, which he made into an important literary journal. In 1839, he became professor of history at Harvard. Sparks served as president of Harvard from 1849 to 1853.
