Colonial Period

Early American Literature

Our Banner in the SkyFrederic Edwin Church (1826-1900)

Early American Literature*

The earliest American Literature was composed by Native Americans.

Much of Native American Literature was passed down orally.

Native American tales were often mythological and/or folktales, such as Trickster tales.

(*You already know all of this!)

Exploration in the Americas

While he was not the first to “discover” the Americas, Christopher Columbus’ arrival in 1492 did lead to a massive exploration of the area we now know as the United States.

The Spanish, French, British and others all vied for a claim in this new region and battled the indigenous peoples and one another for the land and natural resources.

Exploration Literature

Once explorers began to travel to the New World, they chronicled their experiences in the form of diaries and letters home.

Often, the diaries and letters were propaganda designed to increase settlers’ interest in the land.

British Colonization

1607—Jamestown is settled.

1616—Smallpox epidemic kills thousands of Native Americans.

1619—African slavery in America begins.*

1630—Puritan migration from England brings 900 colonists to America.

(*Slavery in America existed before African slavery.)

The Puritans

The term “Puritan” was applied to two groups of people who believed that: They should

separate themselves from the “corrupt” Church of England

- or -

The Church of England needed reform

Puritan Beliefs

God chose certain few for salvation.

Faith alone was not enough.

Behavior affected salvation—if you acted in a holy manner, it was assumed you were saved.

Punishment for sins was considered a proper response to disobedience.

What the Puritans Did

Established settlements in Massachusetts, including Plymouth and Boston.

Influenced America’s system of laws and morals.

Wrote in “plain style”—writing unadorned with figurative language.

Salem Witch Trials• In 1692, Salem, MA.

experienced the witchcraft hysteria, which had been plaguing Europe for some time.

• Before the Salem Witch Trials ended, 185 people would be accused of the sin of witchcraft.

• Of those accused, 20 were executed.

• Arthur Miller wrotean account of the trials called The Crucible.

Puritan Literature

Histories: William Bradford’s Of Plymouth Plantation

Poetry: Anne Bradstreet* and Edward Taylor

Sermons: Jonathan Edwards*

Biographies: Mary Rowlandson’s* kidnapping account

Tracts: Increase Mather, Cotton Mather(*We will read these as a class!)

The Scarlet Letter*

Written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1850.

Hawthorne descended from Salem Witch Trials judge John Hathorne (N. Hawthorne added the “w” for clarification in pronunciation).

A sense of guilt over the actions of his ancestors compelled him to write many times on Puritan themes.

The Scarlet Letter is set in the mid-1600’s, during the Puritan era in Boston.

(*We will read this as a class!)