Exploration & Settlement Narratives

and Puritan Literature

• Columbus, De Vaca, & Cardenas

•John Smith & William Bradford

•Taylor, Bradstreet, & Edwards

Pilgrims and Puritans

• 1620 – the Mayflower • Puritans were critical of Church of England and

gave up trying to “purify” earning the additional title of Separatists (separating from church).

• landed and became Plymouth Colony• survived with the help of local Native

Americans• Eventually became part of the Massachusetts

Bay Colony to the north• Mass Bay Colony and Plymouth Colony

established as a Theocracy (a state under the immediate guidance of God.)

Puritan Belief System

• Humans exist solely for the glory of God• The Bible is the expression of God’s will• Predestination

• God has decided who will achieve salvation and who will not• Salvation cannot be taken for granted so Puritans searched

always for signs of grace

• Original Sin• We are born with Adam and Eve’s original sin on our soul and

must work to overcome it and achieve forgiveness

• Education • Education was necessary to be able to read the Bible

Puritan Life• Family Life: The family was very important to

the Puritans and most were farming families. The average Puritans lived longer than their counterparts in England, and many lived long enough to be grandparents, which was not common.

• Clothing: The Puritans wanted simplicity in their clothing and many times wore dark clothing.

• Homes: Early on, families lived in single room mud homes with thatched roofs.

• Food: They farmed and fished. A feast may include fish (fresh or salted), meats, and a stew with vegetables from their gardens. And, surprisingly, they would drink wine and ale, just not to excess.

• Female Roles: Women were not allowed to vote or make decisions in the church. They worked in the home and the garden.

• Male Roles/Jobs: Men who followed the church and were "chosen" were allowed to vote. A male might have the occupation of minister, cooper, hunter, miller, tanner, furrier, surveyor, farmer, etc.

• Education- mainly pushed reading, so children can read the Bible

• Church- attended church twice a week – All church members have to pay tithes and attend

church regularly

• Punishment -Those who did not follow God's laws would be punished. The punishment was harsh, such as hanging, public whippings, cutting off ears, boring holes in tongues, stockades, etc.

Complete Vocabulary

• Page 56

Bad Vacation!

• Have you ever been on a nightmare vacation?

Of Plymouth Plantation• William Bradford

– 13 years after Jamestown – led the Pilgrims to Massachusetts

– Left Yorkshire after King James’ persecution of the Puritans – became Separatists

– Elected as governor of Plymouth Plantation • Stayed gov. for 30 years• Started democratic process in America• Began writing in 1630 but wasn’t published until 1856

• Of Plymouth Plantation– Historical Narrative– Puritan Plain Style – simple b/c anything else

would be considered vanity and a celebration of the writer instead of God

– 3rd person – “they”…Why would he do this?

Read page 59 Sept 6…to “voyage.”

• What’s going on so far?

• Let’s see what they do about it…

Of Plymouth Plantation– Smooth sailing until serious storms battered the ship

and broke a main beam• Concerned that ship might not make it – debated whether to

turn back or keep going– Keep going and run risk of sinking – turn back and lose all

wages & they were half way there.

– Decide to keep going and use giant screw to raise the beam into place & caulk leaky spots

• Placed themselves in God’s hands– Storms forced them to drift (no direction)– John Howland was thrown overboard by wave

• “it pleased God” that Howland was able to grab hold of a rope as he headed overboard – he was saved

• Howland was a “profitable member” of the community later– Only one passenger died during the whole voyage

• Not all passengers were Pilgrims

• Landed at Cape Cod – “not a little joyful” – they were thrilled!

• Decided not to settle on Cape Cod, but wanted to find an entrance to the Hudson River.

• Unfortunately, dangerous reefs and sandbars made that impossible

• Landed at the Cape anyway• Fell to their knees & blessed God of Heaven – Pilgrims

would have given all credit for their safe voyage to God• Bradford takes a moment to remind us just how crappy

the conditions were for the Pilgrims– Horrible voyage– No friends there– No inns for food or lodging– No towns to seek help in– Indians ready to kill them– Landed in the winter – duh!!– Wild men & wild beasts– All they had was the love and grace of God

Of Plymouth Plantation

Names all the awful stuff, yet…

• Read “Besides, what could they see but… until the end of part 1.

• What do the settlers continue to do even though they are suffering?

Read• “But that which was the most sad and

lamentable was that in two of three months’ time, half of their company died, especially in January and February, begin the depth of winter, and wanting house and other comforts; being infected with the scurvy and other diseases, which this long voyage and their inaccommodate condition had brought upon them.”

Answer questions – text on page 61

• Who:

• What:

• Why:

• Main idea

• Book 2• People complained, fussed, and generally argued about

everything– Disputes were settled by Governor

• ½ of them died within the first few months they were here – starvation, scurvy, general weakness & illness– Not sufficient food or housing

• Only 6 or 7 healthy people at any one time– Those worked very hard to care for the others– True love & friendship for one another

• Sailors were no help when the Pilgrims fell ill– They refused to give even so much as the slightest gift of beer

• In a fitting twist of fate – the sailors began to fall ill as well– Changed the tune of the sailors – Pilgrims were offered

whatever the sailors had if it would help them– Sailors refused to help each other when they were at their illest– Many of the sailors had mistreated the Pilgrims and were

humbled by the Pilgrim’s efforts to help them

Of Plymouth Plantation

• Indians– Showed themselves but made no efforts to come close to the

Pilgrims or have any contact with them whatsoever– Stole the Pilgrims’ tools – out of pure curiosity

• English speaking Indian shows up (Samoset)– From the east where English ships came to fish– Provided info about neighboring tribes– Told them about Squanto – a native who had been to England

• Samoset returns with 5 more Indians with all the stolen tools – Prepared for the arrival of their chief – Massasoit

• Massasoit arrives and the two parties make a peace treaty – Squanto acts as intermediary– They exchange gifts and entertain the Indians before they set

out the treaty specifics

Of Plymouth Plantation

• Peace terms seem to favor the Pilgrims a bit1) Indians will not hurt Pilgrims2) Any Indian who did hurt a Pilgrim would be

punished by the Indians3) Neither should steal - if one does – the other

returns what was taken4) Both should act as allies against the others’

enemies5) Indians should make their allies aware of this peace

agreement6) Indians have to leave weapons behind when they

come to a meeting• Squanto continued to live with the Pilgrims

until the end of his life– Pilgrims saw him as a gift from God– Taught them how to plant, fish, hunt, & gather– He was one of the last of his kind having escaped

slavery to return to his native land

Of Plymouth Plantation

• The First Thanksgiving– Excellent harvests, hunting, and fishing– Turkey and duck (which were plentiful at first, but the

numbers slowly declined) • Gee, I wonder why?

– Plenty of corn & meal

• Tales of plenty were not exaggerated when they traveled across the sea to those in England

• Different motivations of writers – Both 1st hand accounts, but with different tone and

style– Smith – financial gain

• Seen in efforts to make himself and the colony look very good

– Bradford – sought religious freedoms• Seen b/c gave credit for all good things to God

Of Plymouth Plantation

Vocabulary of page 76

• Stanza – paragraph of a poem

• Hyperbole – an extreme exaggeration – I’ve been standing here all day.– I’m starving to death.– I’m so hungry that I could eat a horse.

Puritan Poetry “To My Dear and Loving Husband”

“Upon the Burning of our House”

• Puritan Plain Style– Spare, straightforward, & simple– Short words– Direct statements– References to ordinary everyday objects

• Poetry should serve God through useful or religious ideas– No emotion or sensory detail – vanity is

dangerous

Anne Bradstreet• Considered by many as America’s first

poet• Mrs. Bradstreet's work also serves as a

document of the struggles of a Puritan wife against the hardships of New England colonial life, and in some way is a testament to plight of the women of the age.  Anne's life was a constant struggle, from her difficult adaptation to the rigors of the new land, to her constant battle with illness. 

Bradstreet

• Her volume of poetry The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America ... received considerable favorable attention when it was first published in London in 1650.

“To My Dear and Loving Husband”

• Written for Simon Bradstreet when he was away on business.

• He would often be gone months at a time.

• “Absence makes the heart grow fonder…”– What does this mean?

“To My Dear and Loving Husband”Anne Bradstreet

• Uses parallel structure – repeated word, phrase, or style that lend flow to a piece - “If ever…”

• 1st stanza – Bradstreet celebrates the connection they have and almost taunts other women for not being as fortunate

• 2nd stanza – values love more than all riches and unquenchable except by his love for her

• 3rd stanza – heaven will reward them for their love if they live so that they can have eternal life

• Chief emotion – love and respect for her husband and their life together

1. Give an example of hyperbole from the poem.

2. How does this poem contain Puritan values?

3. Give an example of the extent of her love for her husband.

4. What does the last line mean?

5. How do you feel about her love? Do you believe it?

6. Do you believe that “…absence makes the heart grow fonder..” has anything to do with this?

“Upon the Burning of Our House, July 10, 1666”Anne Bradstreet

• Archaic spellings – old spellings of words– Neer, nois, dreadfull, etc..

• Speaker awoke to sound of “fire, fire…”• 1st thought is a prayer to God for strength

and not to leave her without relief• “blessed his name who gave & took” – it

all belonged to him to start with • Reference to Job 1:21”…The Lord gave,

and the Lord has taken away; blessed by the name of the Lord.”

• Not her place to grieve

“Upon the Burning of our House”Anne Bradstreet

• God left them “sufficient”

• Sees the ruins and remembers

• Expresses regrets over what she lost – not just things, but also event that will never be

• Scolds herself b/c she put faith in “stuff”

• Reminds herself her faith should be in heaven

The Great Awakening

• Early 1700’s Puritanism was declining• More liberal Protestant congregations became popular

• 1720 – The Great Awakening • was led by Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield• A revival bringing about a return to strict puritan beliefs

• Americans maintain many Puritan values• Frugality, hard work, & self-reliance• (We are also a bit prudish compared with Europe)

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”Jonathan Edwards

Edwards• “fire & brimstone” Puritan preacher• Began preaching as a child• Very thorough education (spoke several languages and

studied philosophy & science)• Began preaching career 1727 as assistant to grandfather

(minister of huge Puritan church)• 1730s-40s became a leader during the “Great

Awakening”• 1750 – fired b/c stances were too harsh and severe• Began to preach to Native Americans• “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” was

delivered in 1741 and caused a tremendous reaction in the congregation

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”Jonathan Edwards

• Sermon – speech given from a pulpit in a house of worship– Example of oratory – formal public speaking

• Usually persuasive• Appeals to the emotions• Addresses needs & concerns of a specific audience• Expressive & rhythmic language

• 2nd person – speaking directly to audience• Metaphor – comparison w/o using like or as• Simile – comparison using like, as, or than• Imagery – language that appeals to the 5 senses

to draw a mental picture• Edward’s purpose – to bring people to God

through fear of eternal damnation

• The message of “Sinners” was a familiar and important one for the Puritans. They couldn’t know whether they were truly converted, and they couldn’t make their conversion happen; the most they could do, as Edwards implied, was to make their conversion more likely by living a truly Christian life, characterized by both internal thought and external action.

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”Jonathan Edwards

• Addresses those “out of Christ” – those who have not accepted Jesus and God’s grace

• “Flames of the wrath of God”– Metaphor comparing God’s anger with flames– Lake of fire – strong image!

• God is the only thing between you & the pit– You think you have control over things like your heath

and self-preservation – HA! • “Spider’s web” – metaphor – all that you do

won’t stop you from falling into hell anymore than a spider’s web will stop a rock

• Black clouds of God’s wrath – imagery

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”Jonathan Edwards

• Wrath is “like great waters dammed” behind God’s hand – if he moves his hand his wrath will destroy you and send you straight to hell for eternity

• “bow of God’s wrath” is bent w/arrow pointed at your heart – Even if you live a good life, you will go to hell if

you haven’t been saved (given your life and faith to God)

• Brings up those who have gone before – punishment took them by surprise too

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”Jonathan Edwards

• “as one holds a spider” – Metaphor comparing sinners to spiders being held over a flame

• God sees sinners as hatefully as we see snakes

• Warning that earth bound sinners are no less hateful in God’s eyes than those already cast into Hell

• God will have no sympathy or compassion for you – he will only see “what strict justice requires”

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”Jonathan Edwards

• Takes a turn from terror to grace and mercy– “God stands ready to pity you” – this is a plea for the

unsaved to get that way!• God will use you as an example for all that his

power is without question• Points out the endlessness of God’s fury

– Forever is a long long time!• Trying to bring people to salvation

– “in the land of the living and in the house of God, and have an opportunity to obtain salvation”

• Tries to make the “natural men” jealous of the glory and comfort God’s love can bring

• “escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed”– Final warning to those who have not been saved

Exploration & Settlement Narratives and Puritan Lit Review

• Types of narratives– Sources– Bias

• Writer motivation• Plain Puritan Style• Extended Metaphor• Parallel Structure• Inverted sentence structure• Metaphor & simile