Background
Timothy Pitkin (1766-1847) was an American statesman, economist, and historian. Pitkin was
born in Connecticut, and throughout his life was closely identified with the affairs of his
native state. He was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1790, 1792, and
from 1794 to 1805, serving as Clerk of the House from 1800 to 1802, and as Speaker from 1803
to 1805. In 1805, he was elected as a Federalist, to the Ninth United States Congress; he
retained the seat in the next six congresses. While in Congress, Pitkin did extensive
research on the economic impact of Republican foreign policy. The results of his research
were published in A Statistical View of the Commerce of the United States of America (1816).
A staunch Federalist and defender of the Congregational Church establishment, Pitkin was not
a candidate for re-nomination in 1818. Having taken part in the convention that framed the
new constitution of Connecticut, he resumed the practice of law and engaged in literary
work. In 1819, he was again elected to the State House of Representatives; he served until
1830. He continued to study history, economics, and theology, and in 1828 published A
Political and Civil History of the United States of America.
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