Final answer:
The major historical event that inspired authors during the colonial and early national period was the American Revolution, which promoted unity, liberty, and a cultural identity. The Enlightenment and the Great Awakening also shaped societal attitudes that were influential in American literature and thinking.
Step-by-step explanation:
The major historical event that inspired authors during the colonial and early national period was the American Revolution. This event was considered by historians like George Bancroft a radical event that unified the colonists in their quest for liberty against British rule, and it fueled a rich period of literary and intellectual development through the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening. Authorial inspiration also came from the collective colonial experiences in establishing governments, protesting, and writing, as well as the influence of philosophies and experiences from other nations.
In addition to the American Revolution, the Enlightenment philosophers' ideas and the social changes from the Great Awakening were significant in shaping societal attitudes towards liberty, education, and distrust of institutionalized authority. These influences fostered a practical and innovative mindset in the American people that was reflected in the literature of the time.
While some historians emphasize that the American Revolution focused on maintaining the status quo of a democratic society, others recognize it as a tumultuous social change pushing for greater democracy and equality. Regardless of the perspective, the Revolution and the Enlightenment were pivotal in establishing a distinctive American literary and cultural identity that would evolve over the ensuing centuries.