Daniel Defoe was born Daniel Foe in the year 1660 in London. He was the son of candle merchant, James Foe, and mother Mary Foe, who were both dissenters also known as Presbyterians. His mother died when he was just 10 years old. He was then sent from Boarding school to be educated at the Morton Academy where he received a very good education. He was first schooled for the Presbyterian Ministry but later decided to go into Business. His first business was as a hosiery merchant around 1685, which gave him many opportunities to travel through Western Europe. A year later he married Mary T

uffey and also joined the army against Roman Catholic King James II. Defoe took an active part in the rebellions against the King. The rebellion to dethrone the king proved unsuccessful and meanwhile by 1692, Defoe had gone bankrupt. He owed a sum of 17,000 pounds and would never be free of debt. However, despite his debt, his life would make a turn for the better from 1695 to 1700. He acquired control of a tile and brick factory, obtained a government post, and during this time he also began writing. He first wrote "An Essay upon Projects" which was a striking essay on the matters of public concern. Especially noteworthy during the next several years was the satiric poem " The True Born Englishman." Written in 1701 this was an attack on beliefs in racial and national superiority, and became the best -selling poem ever at that time. The next year he anonymously wrote a tract "The shortest way with the Dissenters," which satires religious intolerance. When it was found that it was Defoe who had written the tract, he was arrested and sent to

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