Honors English Midterm Exam Study Guide; Literature + Essay

Reservation

An area of land set aside for occupation by North American Natives

Terms for describing America’s indigenous people:

Indigenous people, Natives, First Nation People, (less appropriate) Indians

We’re Native Americans enslaved and if so, did they continue to be?

Native Americans were enslaved by colonizers beginning around 1492 when Columbus arrived, and ended around the mid 1800’s in some places due to NA population loss.

For what reason do most Native American tribes believe they were put on this earth?

Many Native people from North America believe that humans were put on earth by the Great Spirit

Sovereignty

The authority of a state to govern itself

How was the first Native American literature passed down through the generations?

Native literature and culture was spread through generations through word of mouth, often told by tribal elders

How did the Puritans get their name?

They wanted to ‘purify’ the Church of England of what they deemed unscriptural

Best word to describe the Puritan lifestyle

Devout

Who wrote *Of Plymouth Plantation?*

William Bradford

Hardships faced by Pilgrims on their way to the New World

Cramped quarters, rough seas, limited food and numbing cold

Definition of God’s ‘Divine Providence’

The idea that everything is under God's sovereign guidance and control, God's cares for his people as he guides them in their journey of faith through life.

Evidence of Puritan values in that work

Idea of divine providence used to motivate (‘it’s all I’m God’s hands; He wants what’s best for us’); language such as ‘thanks be to God’, ‘of God’; had high work ethics

Major difficulties when they arrived in Plymouth

Hunger, disease, and death; harsh climate and unstable food sources

Relationship between the colonists and the Native Americans

Mostly peaceful but tense; Natives taught the Pilgrims how to survive and farm; Pilgrims saw them as ‘heathens’ because of their beliefs and wanted to convert them; eventually competition for food/produce caused the Natives to struggle

Study the Characteristics of Puritan Literature handout that I have posted below. Be able to write about how those characteristics are present in *Of Plymouth Plantation* and *“Upon the Burning of our House”*. Be able to explain how the texts focus on God and the Bible or how they focus on inward reflection.

“Puritanism was a religious reform movement that arose within the Church of England in the late sixteenth century. Under siege from church and crown, it sent an offshoot in the third and fourth decades of the seventeenth century to the northern English colonies in the New World—a migration that laid the foundation for the religious, intellectual, and social order of New England. Puritanism, however, was not only a historically specific phenomenon coincident with the founding of New England; it was also a way of being in the world—a style of response to lived experience—that has reverberated through American life ever since.”

Emphasis on Inward Reflection

Many Puritan texts are in the form of diaries or personal narratives because there was a heavy focus on inward reflection. Through this self-reflection, the Puritans would often discover spiritual meaning in what might be considered simple coincidences.

Focus on God and the Bible

The Puritans’ writing reflected their religious beliefs, and the Bible was their inspiration. Calvinist in their theology, Puritans believed in the absolute sovereignty of God—the idea that God is in complete control of events and ultimately works all things out for a believer’s good. As a result, many of their writings dealt with these themes of God’s will and God’s master plan.

Hardships of Life in the Colonies

Puritan writing often dealt with those difficulties that the writers were facing. For instance, William Bradford’s Of Plymouth Plantation opens with the Pilgrims’ winter arrival in the Cape Cod wilderness. A search party explores the land and survives a surprise conflict with Native Americans. Conditions are dire, and many in the group starve or fall ill. Finally, the local native people help them find food and ways to survive.

Simple and Plain Style

Life is difficult for the Puritans, and they did not have or seek luxuries. Their writing style reflected their reality: They used plain language, opting for simpler words over fancy or flowery ones.

Symbolism of Everyday Events

Every event, no matter how trivial, could carry a divine message; each blessing or loss revealed God’s will and an opportunity for spiritual growth.

An Example of Inward Reflection:

Puritans stressed the importance of working hard, most importantly for the chance to be saved. Anne Bradstreet had lost her home to a fire, but remained faithful to God and reminded herself that this was all in His plan for her. At first, she thought the fire was a terrible occurrence. After reflecting on it, she changed her mindset from grieving her belongings to being motivated toward her afterlife in Heaven after she would be saved. After such a loss, she believed that her real ‘treasure’ was waiting for her above and that her earthly possessions were not important.

Example of emphasis on God and the Bible

In John Edwards’ Of Plymouth Plantation, he describes how God was a key aspect of life in the colony. To start, Puritanism is the reason why the Pilgrims made the journey in the first place. It was their main motivator and continued to be so. During the excerpts, Edwards thanks God for everything that happens in their favor, as the land was extremely difficult to settle. For example, many of the paragraphs contain phrases such as ‘sent by God, ‘of God’, and ‘thanks be to God’.