Early American Literature

1. Early American Literature Journey to the New World Struggle for Freedom and Identity

2. Early American Literature • Record of a people’s and nation’s beginnings • Related their Early American life experiences • Religious connections and influences • Political purposes

3. The Colonial Period ~ He shall make us a praise and glory that men shall say of succeeding plantations, “the Lord make it like that of New England.” For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us, so that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present Help form us, we shall be made a story and by-word through the world. - John Winthrop on the creation of the Massachusetts Bay Colony

4. Pilgrims or Puritans? • 1620-Pilgrims settled Plymouth, Mass for religious reasons (2nd permanent settlement) • Pilgrims were Puritans who wanted to separate from the Church of England • 1623- Massachusetts Bay Colony (3rd permanent settlement) • Settled by Puritans who wanted to establish a Christian colony to “purify” the Church of England, not separate from it.

5. Who are the Puritans? • Devout Christians who wanted to purify their lives and their church • Goal: to build a God-centered society • Believed God was all-powerful and man was born evil- only by the “grace” of God could they escape “Hell.” • Spent their entire lives in work and prayer striving to be pure ….aka Puritans!

6. Puritan Beliefs • Believed they were on a mission from God • Original sin- human beings are inherently evil • Personal salvation based on the grace of God • Predestination- only those people who are “elected” by God are saved and go to heaven • Bible- supreme authority on earth • Self- examination- always looking for evidence of their election • Puritan Society- (Christian Commonwealth) group ahead of individual • Puritan Ethic- strong work ethic in which Puritans believed material and social successes were favored by God, not in granting salvation, but in receiving blessings.

7. Puritans Prohibited • Bowling • Maypole dancing • Gambling • Attending plays • Hunting for sport • Celebrating holidays • Not attending church on Sunday

8. Characteristics of Puritan Writing • Practical • No Fiction • No Plays • Only religious poetry • Wrote in Plain Style • Wrote only to inform and teach, not to entertain

9. Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672)

10. Bradstreet’s Life • Born in 1612 in England • Grew up among educated aristocrats- had access to tutors and libraries. • Married Simon Bradstreet at 16 • Moved to Massachusetts at 18 where Simon was elected governor (governor’s wife) • Mother of 8 children

11. Bradstreet’s Writing and Impact • Celebrated as the first poet to compose English verse in America. • Sources of inspiration: • Shakespeare • Faith (Primary Inspiration • Poetry different from typical Puritan poetry • Focuses on the realities of life, but still views life in a spiritual context. • Majority of her poems written for her family and trace her spiritual progress toward greater acceptance of the Puritan faith. • Poems published secretly without her knowledge in England by her brother-in-law, John Woodbridge

12. “Upon the Burning of Our House” • Poem written following the devastating loss of the Bradstreet home in a fire. • Poem filled with inversions (words out of normal order • Inversions are common in early English poetry and usually used to accommodate for rhyme. • Poem portrays an internal debate, or dialogue between self and soul.

13. Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)

14. Edward’s Life and Writing • Born 80 years after the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth. • Lived between Puritan and Modern America. • Grandfather was a preacher, and Edwards was groomed for the position. • Attended Yale at 13 • His sermons helped bring about “Great Awakening”

15. Great Awakening • Religious revival that took place 100 years after Puritans arrived in America. (began when Puritan approach to religion was declining) • Puritans felt that their congregations had grown too complacent, or self-satisfied. • Revival sought to rekindle the fervor of the early American settlers.

16. “Sinners In the Hands of An Angry God” • Greatest and best known example of a popular type of sermon given to help sinners understand and feel the horror of their sinful state. • Preached sermon in Enfield, Massachusetts in July 1741 • Uses the power of persuasion to influence congregation to acceptChrist. • Describes the wretchedness of humans.

18. Revolutionary Period • American Enlightenment: age that believed there was no limit to what well-intended people could accomplish • Focuses on • Founding of the American nation • Development of distinct American character and philosophy • Emphasizes self-examination and self-improvement • Dominated by men for the Revolution

19. Age of Reason • Rationalism- belief that we can arrive at truth by using our reason instead of relying on faith or intuition. • Spurred on by the scientific method and developments and discoveries made in science. • Combined common sense with ideas from European thinkers

20. Literature in the Age of Reason • Rooted in reality • Concentrated on improvements: • Social • Political • Scientific • Practical • Centered around war: • Ridiculed British • Urged Americans to take action

21. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

22. Benjamin Franklin’s Life • Devoted to improvement of self and society • Classic American success story, a tale of the self-made man who rose from poverty to eminence through his own industry and intelligence. • Lobbyist/Ambassador in London for Colonies • Scientist and Inventor

23. Franklin’s Writing Career • Apprentice in brother’s print shop at 12 • Published series of essays in New England Courant at 16 under the name “Silence Dogood” • Opportunity to run brother’s print shop

24. Franklin’s Writing Career Cont. • Moved to Philadelphia at 17 and started print shop (Pennsylvania Gazette) • Poor Richard’s Almanack- book containing virtues that made him wealthy

25. Patrick Henry (1736-1799)

26. Henry’s Life • Born in Virginia • Grew up during the Great Awakening = attended many sermons • Self- taught lawyer • Called the “Son of Thunder” • Gift of public speaking helped spark the American Revolution

27. Speech to the Virginia Convention • Henry’s critical speech made: • March 23, 1775 • In response to and against the Stamp Act • When the colonies were reaching a breaking point • A correct prediction about the opening battle of the Revolutionary War.

28. Speech to VA Convention • Countering the arguments of opponents is essential to any persuasive speech or essay. How does Henry deal with the fact that the British have yielded somewhat to the Continental Congress’s petition? • What have the colonists already done to “avert the storm?” What must they do now? • What is Henry trying to convince his listeners to do? • Why should the colonists fight now? • What does Henry value more than hope? How is this in keeping with the Age of Reason? • What are the effect of the series of questions and answers in this passage? • What emotions does Henry appeal to with the last lines of his speech? • Why is Henry’s conclusion persuasive?

29. Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)

30. Jefferson’s Life • Born in Virginia • Attended William and Mary to study law • Political career began before he drafted the Declaration of Independence • Held various offices: governor of VA, secretary of state, vice president, and later president • Devoted later life to education, architecture, and construction • Died a few hours before the 4th of July- 50 years after the signing of the Declaration

31. Declaration of Independence • Created because Continental Congress voted to separate from Britain and form a new government • Committee formed to draft document including these new ideals. • Jefferson wrote document, and committee revised it • Adopted on July 4, 1776- Independence day

32. Thomas Paine (1737-1809)

33. Paine’s Life • Born in England • Occupations: corset maker, grocer, tobacconist, teacher, and tax collector • Came to America for a new start- worked as a journalist • Considered the most persuasive writer of the American Revolution. • Later life- participant and prisoner in the French Revolution

34. Crisis No. 1 • 1st in a series of pamphlets • Released in December 1776 when support for the war was wavering • Washington read to his troops to boost morale • Paine signed “Common Sense” instead of his name because his words, although encouraging and inspirational, were treasonous

35. Commercials for Products that Don’t Exist • To conclude our main study on the art of persuasion in writing and oratory, you will be using persuasive tactics and strategies to create a commercial for a product that does not exist. 1) Create a product that does not exist 2) Decide how you will present your product to persuade your classmates in 1 minute! 3) May use props, music (pre-approved), etc to help in your advertising. ***To be performed/advertised in class Friday after your quiz!