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Unit 1 The Literature of Colonial America

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Before the colonists No single unified story with coherent

narrative Varied voices among one nation

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Sources2 Travel writings of explorers

Spanish, Italian, French, English Columbus (1492) Hispaniola Florentine Amerigo Vespucci (S. American coast 1499)

First to publish idea that a new continent had been found - lands were credited to him “America”

Sir Walter Raleigh Roanoke Island, NC (1580’s)= Lost colony - disease, Native American attacks, food shortages, hurricane???

Spaniards explore Florida and the Southwest

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Explorers’ Writings Observations recorded by explorers to New

World. Explorers use their journals to raise

funds for further exploration.

• Cabeza de Vaca provides firsthand accounts of native life and culture.

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Indians Rich, oral tradition (wrote myths, epics, songs, chants)

Focused on moral lessons and natural world Taught Europeans survival skills Early on, outnumbered Europeans

Spoke many languages Native Americans were displaced across the continent

because of the colonists When Europeans came, so did much slaughter and disease

Between 1492 and 1617, Native American population was reduced 10% of original numbers

http://www.mce.k12tn.net/indians/blueprint/conflict2.htm

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Why Colonists left England-1607 -Jamestown To start a new life - it was a business

venture!! 1607- Jamestown

Purpose- commercial (trade & farming) Many die from famine and disease 1612- tobacco started growing 1619- African slaves brought

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Purpose of Puritans Spiritual- displeased with the Church of

England- treasonous to go against the Church because it was also going against the king- beheaded

Traveled with pilgrims too - not all came to America because of religious persecution, but for a new life and opportunity

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Puritans Self-reliant Industrious & hard-

working Disciplined Practical Sought spiritual freedom Influenced to live by the

Bible Relied on Bible for

explanation of events

Believed each human life was valued as a journey to salvation

Believed wealth was a sign of God’s favor - they tried to attain it

Wrote in simple, plain style

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1620- Plymouth Puritans and Pilgrims land at Plymouth, Mass., 1620

Mayflower (102 passengers) Leader - William Bradford (Puritan) They were supposed to land in VA (under jurisdiction of

London Co. Mayflower Compact- majority rule Many died; Native Americans helped them raise corn and catch

fish Wampanoag leader - Massasoit signed peace treaty with

colonists

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Mayflower Compact The Compact is often described as America's first

constitution, but it is not a constitution in the sense of being a fundamental framework of government.

41 Male passengers on the Mayflower formed into a ““civil body politiccivil body politic””, signed a compact promising to write and obey ""just and equal lawsjust and equal laws ... for the general good of the colony."

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Mayflower Compact• The compact brought an element of democracy to

America and was an example of the practice of self-governmentself-government in the colonies.

• All the colonies practiced some form of self-self-governmentgovernment

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Historical Background 1607 Jamestown Colony, in Virginia. 1620   Plymouth Colony 1630    Massachusetts Bay Colony

 

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1. Captain John Smith: (1580—1631) The First American Writer—Primarily an adventurer, explorer, and trader. 2. New England Literature: a literature of

ideas: John Cotton: the first major intellectual spokesman of The

Massachusetts Bay Colony. “The Patriarch of New England”

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2. The First American Writer-- Captain John Smith: (1580—1631) Primarily an adventurer, explorer, and trader. Main works:----A True Relation of such Occurrences and

Accidents of Note as Hath Happened in Virginia Since the First Planting of That Colony (1608)

----A Map of Virginia: with a Description of the Country (1612)

----Description of New England, (1616)----General History of Virginia (1624)

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(1) Anne Hutchinson: (1591-1643)She refused to worship God in the manner demanded

by the Puritan Church, She was banished from Massachusetts Bay in 1638.

(2) Roger Williams: (1603—1683) exile to Rhode Island. He begins the history of religious toleration in America, and the history of the separation of church and state.

A Key into the Language of America.

3. New England Literature: A literature of ideas:

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New England Literature:(3) John Cotton: The first major intellectual spokesman of The

Massachusetts Bay Colony. “The Patriarch of New England”(4) Anne Hutchinson: She refused to worship God in the manner demanded by

the Puritan Church, which controlled the government of Massachusetts Bay Colony. She believed that a person comes to know God through his or her own conscience, not by simply obeying the strict rules of the Puritan Church. She was banished from Massachusetts Bay in 1638.

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New England Literature:(5) Roger Williams: (1603—1683) He went to Massachusetts Colonies in 1631, exile to

Rhode Island. He begins the history of religious toleration in America, and the history of the separation of church and state.

He was interested in the Indian language. His main work: A Key into the Language of America.(6) Cotton Mather: (1663—1728) a clergyman. He wrote more than 450 works..

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New England Literature: (7) Edward Taylor: (1642—1729): The best of the

Puritan poets. He came from England and attended Harvard. His poems were not published when he was alive. The manuscripts were found in 1937.

(8) William Bradford (1590—1657): Born in Yorkshire England. His father, a farmer, died

when William was not yet one year old. He was on the Mayflower and singed the “Mayflower Compact”. .first governor of Plymouth: The History of Plymouth Plantation (1856)

“Of Plymouth Plantation” (1620-1647) in two volumes.

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New England Literature:(9) Anne Bradstreet: (1612—1672) Her father and her husband were governors of

Massachusetts. The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America.

(1650) “Upon the Burning of Our House” (on July

10th, 1666): God rewarded good and punished bad. Every natural and human event as a message from God

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New England Literature: (10) John Winthrop: (1588—1649) The first governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony: The

History of New England (1826) In 1630, he addressed the immigrants: “the eyes of the world were upon you, and that they would be an example for all, a city upon a hill.”

(11) Jonathan Edwards (1702—1758) The son of a powerful minister. He came to accept and

rely wholly upon God, and gained “ an inward sweet delight in God and divine things.” The sole minister of North Hampton for twenty years. He was well-known as a powerful and strong preacher.

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”

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4. Topics of colonial American literature:

Their voyage to the new land, adapting themselves to unfamiliar climates and crops, dealing with Indians.

They wrote in diaries and in journals. They wrote letters and contracts and government charters and religious and political statements. They wrote about the land which stretched before them. All seemed possible through hard-work and faith.

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5. Puritans:

Those settlers who originally were devout members of the Church of England. They wished to “purify” the rituals and to lessen the authority of bishops. They relied on the Bible. Not only did they argue by quoting the Bible, but they saw their whole situation in Biblical terms, and therefore all events, however small, were created by God, or else the Devil. The writing, therefore, held the sermon as one of its highest forms.