Which colonial clergyman and Pennsylvania resident served in the Continental Army and later in the U.S. House and Senate?

• A. James Otis
• B. Mercy Otis Warren
• C. Jonathan Trumbull Sr
• D. John Peter Muhlenberg

Answer: (D)

A clergyman who actively joined the fight for independence and then moved into national politics shows up in early American history. John Peter Muhlenberg fits this pattern: a colonial Lutheran minister from Pennsylvania who answered the call of liberty by serving in the Continental Army, rising to leadership, and after the war moving into politics to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. House and later the U.S. Senate. A well-known anecdote about him—discarding his clerical gown to reveal a military uniform and recruit soldiers—highlights the transition from pulpit to battlefield. The other figures listed were influential in different regions or roles and did not have this combination of religious leadership, military service, and later federal legislative service from Pennsylvania.