Happiness was a preoccupation for many in the Anglophone world of the 1770s. However, what did it mean for the individuals—from noted authors such as Thomas Jefferson and Phillis Wheatley to far more obscure debaters, voyagers, and letter-writers of this era—who used it? This question, deceptively simple, opens up new ways of approaching this era. This lecture will grapple with the concept of happiness, puzzling out what it meant to a wide range of people across a broader landscape.
Please contact us by Wednesday, May 1 to request accommodations such as ASL interpretation or other services for your full participation in this event. To request these accommodations or for more information, contact Holly Thornhill at library_events@virginia.edu / 434-242-6702.
