Which influential Massachusetts minister wrote many highly read religious works during the colonial period?

The correct answer is Cotton Mather, who was a prominent New England minister, author, and pamphleteer during the colonial period. He was known for his extensive writings that contributed to religious thought and practice at the time. Mather's works included influential books and sermons that addressed topics such as theology, morality, and the role of religion in society. His most famous work, "Wonders of the Invisible World," defended the Salem witch trials and highlighted his involvement in New England's religious and intellectual life. This makes him a central figure in the history of colonial America, particularly in the context of Puritanism and religious revivalism.

In contrast, George Whitefield was also an important religious figure during this period, known for his role in the Great Awakening and his charismatic preaching, but his influence was more focused on the revivalist movement rather than the extensive literary contributions of Mather. Samuel Adams was primarily a political leader and one of the Founding Fathers, with a focus on independence and colonial rights rather than religious writing. William Penn was a Quaker leader and founder of Pennsylvania, known for his writings on religious freedom, but he did not produce the same volume of religious works as Mather during the colonial period.