"The Columbiad: A Poem" by Joel Barlow is an epic poem published in 1807. This ambitious work reimagines Barlow's earlier poem about Columbus into a sweeping vision of American and world history. The poem traces humanity's progress toward rational liberty and democracy, culminating in a utopian world council. Once compared to Homer and Milton, it sparked controversy for its secular worldview and political idealism, achieving initial popularity before fading into obscurity as tastes changed. (This is an automatically generated summary.)