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A Nation is Born (1750-1800)

A Nation is Born (1750-1800). Junior English Unit 2. Historical background: The age of reason. Writers valued reason over faith Believed in the power of reason and science to further human progress. Toward a Clash of Arms. Revolution proceeded by French and Indian War

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A Nation is Born (1750-1800)

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  1. A Nation is Born (1750-1800) Junior English Unit 2

  2. Historical background:The age of reason • Writers valued reason over faith • Believed in the power of reason and science to further human progress

  3. Toward a Clash of Arms • Revolution proceeded by French and Indian War • England vs France over control of North America • French gave up claims to North American Territory • Brittan needed to increase revenue to pay for war debt • Stamp Act • Colonists forced to buy and affix stamps to 54 items • Colonists burned stamp, beat distributers, destroyed shops • Act repealed

  4. Other Acts • Townshend • Taxed paper, paint, glass, lead, tea • Colonists boycotted • Parliament dissolved legislature • Boston Massacre • British troops fired into mob, killed 5 • Repealed act

  5. Tea Act • Continued to tax tea • Boston tea party • Bostonians dressed as Mohawks dumped tea • Coercive Acts/Intolerable Acts • Punishment for tea party • Shut down port of Boston • Forbade meetings other than town meetings • British troops could live in homes

  6. First Continental Congress • Held in Philadelphia • Led to British appointment of Thomas Gage to Governor of Mass.

  7. “The Shot Heard Round the World” • 700 British meet 70 militia men • Shot fired • Sparked fight • 8 Americans killed • Battle of Bunker Hill • 1000 British killed or wounded

  8. 2nd Continental Congress • Named George Washington commander in chief of official American army

  9. Fall of 1777 • British were surrounded • 5700 forced to surrender • Governor of France formally recognizes independence of United States

  10. October 19, 1781 • General Washington captured 8000 men under Cornwallis • British surrender

  11. A New Nation • Articles of Confederation • Establish a “league of friendship” • Did not work • Constitution • Replaced articles • Full of compromises • Added Bill of Rights for those worried about centralized power

  12. New Presidents • George Washington • Commander in chief during war • John Adams • Signer of Declaration of Independence • Thomas Jefferson • Writer of Declaration, hero of enlightenment

  13. Literature of the period:A time of crisis • Writing moves from private to public • By war time – 30 newspapers • Inauguration of Washington – 40 magazines • Almanacs were popular • Provided forum of expression • Focused on relations with Great Brittan and nature of government • Writing of importance focused on politics

  14. Politics as Literature • Writers and speakers reshaped nation and world • James Otis • Defended colonial rights • “taxation without representation is tyranny” • Patrick Henry • Speech against Stamp Act considered treason • Speech at Virginia Convention expressed rising sentiment for independence

  15. Thomas Paine • Pamphlet Common Sense • sold 100,000 copies in 3 months • Thomas Jefferson • Declaration of Independence • Most influential political statement ever made • Constitution of the United States • Hoped to last for 1 generation • Hamilton called it “weak and worthless fabric”

  16. Hamilton, Madison, Jay • The Federalist Papers • Three letters to newspaper to encourage ratification of Constitution • Authoritative statements on the principals of American government

  17. The Cultural Scene • Verse began to appear in some newspapers • Broadside ballads • Single sheet of paper • Dealt with current topic • “The Dying Redcoat” • Written by wounded British sergeant • Realizes too late he sympathizes with Americans

  18. Philip Freneau • “Indian Burial Ground” • Earliest American Lyric poet • Joel Barlow • “The Hasty Pudding” • Mock tribute to cornmeal mush • Phillis Wheatley • Slave in Boston • Poems published in England • Michel-Guillaume Crevecoeur • Owned plantation in New York • Letters from an American Farmer • Benjamin Franklin • Poor Richard’s Almanac • Autobiography • One of the finest works in all languages

  19. Culture and Art • Theatres built • Plays pale imitations of dramas in Brittan • The Prince of Parthia • first play written by an American born author • The Contrast • Royall Tyler featured Americans in plays • Victory of honest Americans over deceitful foreigners • Colleges established • Painters began to work • Music produced • William Billings – The New England Psalm-Singer

  20. American Literature at Day Break • Early 1800’s small body of literature • No novels or major plays • Colonial age ended with narrow volume of memorable literature

  21. Development of American English • Noah Webster and the American Language • Background • General Washington talks with young schoolmaster during 1787 Constitutional Convention • America’s Schoolmaster • Noah Webster • Published The Blue-Backed Speller • More widely read than any other book, other than the Bible • Webster and the American Dictionary • Created first dictionaries • Believe United States should have its own version of English • Traveled through East and South • New words: applesauce, bullfrog, handy

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