American Literature and Rhetoric Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering early American literary works, authors, writing styles, and rhetoric terms.

John Smith

Author of "The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Ilses" (1624).

John Winthrop

Author of "A Model of Christian Charity" (1630).

William Bradford

Author of "of Plymouth Plantation" (1630-50).

Mary Rowlandson

Author of "Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration" (1682).

Cotton Mather

Author of "Mangalia Christ America" (1702).

Jonathan Edwards

Author of "Sinners in the hands of an angry God" (1741).

Benjamin Franklin

Author of "Autobiography" (771-90).

John and Abigail Adams

Authors of "letters" (1774-83).

Phillis Wheatley

Author of "Poems on various subjects" (1773).

Thomas Paine

Author of "Common Sense" (1776).

J. Hector St. John Crevecoeur

Author of "Letters from an American Farmer" (11782).

Thomas Jefferson

Author of "Notes on the state of Virginia, The contrast" (1787).

Federalist Papers

Work associated with "papers" written in 1787-88.

Olaudah Equiano

Author of "The intresting horritave of the life of Olandanh Equiano" (1789).

Judith Sargent Murray

Author of "On the equality of Sexes" (1790).

Washington Irving

Author of "Rip Van Winkle" (1819).

Inflammatory

A style of writing meant to make people ungry.

Theme

An insight about human life that's revealed in literary work.

Diction

Creates tone, attitude, style, & meaning.

Tone

The writer's (or speaker's) implied attitude toward the subject and audience.

Effusive

Expressing strong positive emotions.

Earnest

Showing deep sincerity with intense purpose.

Ominous

Conveying some omen; serving as a sign for something.

Solemn

Very serious; formal; without humor or lightheartedness.

Pragmatic

Dealing with problems in sensible ways.

Indignant

Showing anger because of something unjust or unworthy.

Sinister

Threatening evil, or giving the impression that something harmful or tragic is about to happen.

Optimistic

Looking at the future in a positive & hopeful way.

Whimsical

Something playful, fanciful, or amusingly quirky.

Witty

Clever, inventing, amusing.

Melancholic

Expressing deep, thoughtful sadness.

Macabre

Concerned with death.

Bemused

To be confused or puzzled.

Foreboding

A strong feeling something bad is gorner happen.

Pretentions

Marked by extravagant show.