New England produced many great literary works. In fact, more works were created in New England than all of the colonies combined. Most of these works were histories, [[sermon]]s, and personal journals and were written by ministers or inspired by religious beliefs. [[Cotton Mather]], a Boston minister published ''Magnalia Christi Americana'' (The Great Works of Christ in America, 1702), while revivalist Jonathan Edwards wrote his philosophical work, ''A Careful and Strict Enquiry Into...Notions of...Freedom of Will...'' (1754). Most music had a religious theme as well and was mainly the singing of [[Psalm]]s. Because of New England's deep religious beliefs, artistic works that were not very religious or too "worldly" were banned. These endeavors included drama and other types of plays.
==19th century==
Viewing themselves as the embodiment of America's national identity, New England's leaders celebrating their region's republican simplicity, educational attainment, economic prosperity, religious commitment, and social order. Not just the elite but at the popular level these themes appeared as images on pitchers, plates, gloves, and coverlets. Paintings in the picturesque style, as well as histories and travelogues, presented New England as a place where an orderly, but not over-refined society had emerged out of from the struggle with the "wilderness." The region's self -image of an idealized, republican New England became the basis of a regional consensus and was successfully deployed by groups as diverse as Democratic Republicans on the Maine frontier and ministers of the Massachusetts Standing Order.<ref>Stephanie Kermes, ''Creating an American Identity: New England, 1789–1825'' (2008)</ref>