American Literature Review Flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts from Colonial to Modernist American Literature, designed in a fill-in-the-blank style.

In 1607, __ was founded as the first permanent English settlement in North America.

Jamestown, Virginia

Colonies were established mainly for __, __, and __.

economic gain, religious freedom, and trade

The New England Colonies were characterized by , , , , and __.

Puritan religious society, small farms, town meetings, shipbuilding, fishing

The Middle Colonies were characterized by __, __, and __.

religious and cultural diversity, large farms, trade hubs

The Southern Colonies were characterized by __, __, and __.

plantation economy, cash crops (tobacco, rice, indigo), reliance on enslaved African labor

Native American relations in the colonies were __.

Mixed—trade, cooperation, but also conflict (e.g., Powhatan Wars, King Philip’s War)

Development of self-government in the colonies included the and .

Virginia House of Burgesses (1619), New England town meetings

Religious influences in the colonies included and .

Puritanism shaped New England life; Maryland as a refuge for Catholics

Slavery and indentured servitude saw __.

Growing reliance on enslaved Africans, especially in the South

__ was the British economic policy controlling colonial trade to benefit the mother country.

British economic policy controlling colonial trade to benefit the mother country

The French and Indian War was a __.

Conflict between British and French over North American territory, with Native American alliances on both sides.

After the British victory in the French and Indian War, __.

France ceded most North American claims to Britain.

The French and Indian War resulted in __.

War debts led Britain to tax colonies, setting stage for colonial unrest.

The Proclamation of 1763 __.

Limited colonial westward expansion.

Examples of taxation without representation include the __, __, and __.

Stamp Act (1765), Townshend Acts (1767), Tea Act (1773)

Colonial protests included the and .

Boston Tea Party (1773), formation of Continental Congress

The road to revolution was characterized by __.

Rising tensions over rights, self-government, and British control.

The American Revolution started with the __.

Battles of Lexington and Concord (1775)

The __ was written by Thomas Jefferson, asserting colonies' right to self-rule.

Declaration of Independence (1776)

Help from __ was crucial for American victory in the Revolutionary War.

France and Spain

The __ officially ends the American Revolution, recognizing U.S. independence.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

The Articles of Confederation established a __.

Very weak central government.

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress __.

Could not tax or regulate trade effectively.

Problems with the Articles of Confederation included __, __, and __.

Economic turmoil, interstate disputes, inability to maintain order.

The Constitutional Convention __.

Drafted the U.S. Constitution to replace Articles of Confederation.

The U.S. Constitution created a stronger federal government with separation of powers: __, __, and __.

Executive (President), Legislative (Congress), Judicial (Supreme Court)

The U.S. Constitution included compromises like the and .

Great Compromise (bicameral legislature) and Three-Fifths Compromise

The Bill of Rights (1791) was added to __.

Protect individual freedoms.

George Washington's presidency __.

Established key precedents: two-term limit, formation of a Cabinet, neutrality in foreign wars.

During Washington's presidency, political parties emerged: __.

Federalists (Hamilton) vs. Democratic-Republicans (Jefferson)

Challenges during the early republic included __, __, and __.

Whiskey Rebellion (1794), conflicts with Native Americans, tensions with Britain and France

Thomas Jefferson’s presidency emphasized __.

Limited government and agrarianism.

The Louisiana Purchase (1803) __.

Doubled U.S. territory, opened westward expansion.

The War of 1812 against Britain __.

Reinforced American independence and nationalism.

The Era of Good Feelings was characterized by __.

Relative political unity under Democratic-Republicans after Federalists decline.

In the early 1800s, the __ begins, especially in New England (textile mills).

Early Industrial Revolution

Growth of transportation in the early 1800s included __.

Canals (Erie Canal), roads, steamboats

The Market Revolution was a __.

Shift from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture and industry.

Expansion of slavery in the Deep South was due to __.

Cotton gin invention (1793)

Rise of reform movements (__, __, __) begins in the 1820s.

Abolition, temperance, education

Jamestown was founded in __.

Virginia in 1607 by the Virginia Company

Early Jamestown faced __.

Severe challenges such as starvation, disease, and hostile relations with Native Americans.

__ became the main economic driver in Jamestown.

Tobacco cultivation

Jamestown is significant for __.

Being the first successful English colony

Plymouth was founded by __.

English Separatists, known as Pilgrims

The Mayflower Compact was __.

A document signed aboard the Mayflower establishing a self-governing colony based on majority rule

The First Thanksgiving was __.

A feast with the Wampanoag people to celebrate their successful harvest

Plymouth represents a key moment in American colonial history, __.

Symbolizing the pursuit of religious freedom and community building

The Mayflower is a symbol of the Pilgrims' desire for __.

Religious freedom and their commitment to creating a new society.

Puritans were __.

English Protestants who sought to “purify” the Church of England of Catholic practices

The Puritans' legacy is that __.

They had a significant influence on the development of American culture, especially in New England.

John Winthrop envisioned the Massachusetts Bay Colony as an example of __.

Christian charity and moral righteousness.

The phrase 'City upon a Hill' reflects the Puritans’ belief that their colony had a __.

Divine mission to set an example of a godly life

The 'City upon a Hill' idea influenced later American political thought, __.

Reinforcing the belief in the United States as a nation with a special role in the world, often associated with American exceptionalism

The Salem Witch Trials (1692) were __.

A series of witchcraft trials in colonial Massachusetts

The Salem Witch Trials are seen as a dark chapter in early American history, reflecting __.

The dangers of mob mentality and unchecked religious fervor

Salem has become symbolic of __.

Mass paranoia, injustice, and the intersection of religion and legal systems

The Main Theme of Supernatural and Witchcraft in Wonders of the Invisible World is that the __.

Text centers on the existence and danger of witches, portraying them as agents of the devil undermining the Puritan community.

The Main Theme of Divine Justice and Providence in Wonders of the Invisible World is that the __.

Salem witch trials are manifestations of God’s justice punishing sin and evil.

The Main Theme of Moral and Social Control in Wonders of the Invisible World is that the __.

Serves to reinforce strict Puritan codes of conduct, promoting conformity and obedience to religious and social laws.

The Main Theme of Faith vs. Skepticism in Wonders of the Invisible World is that the __.

Argues against doubters and critics of the trials, defending faith in supernatural explanations over emerging rationalist or skeptical perspectives.

The Main Theme of Fear of Evil and the Devil in Wonders of the Invisible World is that the __.

The pervasive anxiety about the devil’s power in everyday life and the need for vigilance to maintain spiritual purity.

The Main Theme of Community and Identity in Wonders of the Invisible World is that the __.

Collective identity is formed through shared belief in the invisible spiritual threats and the communal response to these threats.

Wonders of the Invisible World is a __.

Foundational text for understanding Puritan literature and the interplay between religion and early American identity.

Wonders of the Invisible World is a __.

Religious defense of controversial judicial actions, blending history, theology, and supernatural accounts

The prose in Wonders of the Invisible World combines sermonic urgency with detailed testimony, reflecting __.

Puritan rhetorical traditions that influenced American prose style

Wonders of the Invisible World is __.

Deeply rooted in the Puritan worldview, where religion governed every aspect of life and law.

Written shortly after the Salem witch trials (1692), Wonders of the Invisible World reflects a defensive mood aimed at __.

Justifying the trials to skeptical or critical audiences.

The era when Wonders of the Invisible World was written, was marked by __.

Social anxiety over moral decline, threats from within (witchcraft) and without (Native American conflicts, colonial instability)

Though rooted in superstition, Wonders of the Invisible World indirectly reveals tensions with the early __.

Emerging Enlightenment sceptism

Wonders of the Invisible World reflect how __.

Fear of invisible threats was used to maintain social cohesion and control in a fragile colonial society.

The mood of the period when Wonders of the Invisible World was written was __.

Intense, fearful, and anxious, driven by religious zeal and a sense of spiritual crisis. The community felt besieged by invisible evils requiring urgent action.

In Romanticism, an emphasis is placed on __.

Romantic literature values intense feelings and emotional experiences over reason and logic.

In Romanticism, __ is emphasized.

Nature is seen as a source of beauty, truth, and spiritual renewal.

In Romanticism, there is an Interst in __.

Fascination with medieval times, folklore, myths, and legends.

In Romanticism, there is a Focus on __.

Imagination is considered superior to reason; it allows escape from the ordinary and explores deeper truths.

In Romanticism, there is a Celebration of __.

Valued simplicity and innocence of ordinary people rather than the elite or aristocratic.

In Romanticism, there is Emphasis on __.

Interest in ghosts, spirits, and mysterious forces beyond human understanding.

In Romanticism, there is a Rebellion Against __.

Challenged traditional social conventions, authority, and classical rules of art and literature.

In Romanticism, there is an Exploration of __.

Focus on heroes who are complex, flawed, brooding, and often rebellious.

In Romanticism, there is a Focus on __.

Death is often a theme explored deeply, sometimes with fascination or melancholy.

In Rip Van Winkle, Rip’s 20-year sleep symbolizes __.

The rapid social and political changes in America—from colonial rule to independent nationhood

In Rip Van Winkle, Rip’s character embodies a __.

Desire to avoid the burdens of daily life, especially oppressive domestic and social expectations.

In Rip Van Winkle, the story contrasts __.

The calm, simpler colonial past with the more complex, democratic America after the Revolution

In Rip Van Winkle, The melancholy that comes with __.

Irreversible change and loss of the old world, raising questions about what progress means for personal and cultural memory.

Rip Van Winkle is a __.

Helped popularize the short story as a literary form in the U.S., blending entertainment with social critique.

Rip Van Winkle is important for __.

Introduced Romantic themes like nature’s mystery, individualism, and supernatural occurrences into American literature.

The character Rip Van Winkle became an archetype symbolizing __.

Retreat, resistance to change, and the common man’s experience in early America.

The story Rip Van Winkle reflects the unsettled nature of __.

Post-Revolutionary America

Rip Van Winkle reflects changes in __.

Governance and society where old aristocratic or colonial traditions were giving way to democratic ideals and new social dynamics.

Rip Van Winkle reflects Romanticism’s Early Influence because it __.

Emphasizes emotion, individual experience, and nature’s supernatural qualities, departing from strict Enlightenment rationalism.

The mood of the period of Rip Van Winkle is __.

Nostalgic and Melancholic

The tone of Rip Van Winkle is __.

Uses humor and lighthearted storytelling to explore deeper issues of identity, change, and social responsibility.

The period when Rip Van Winkle was written was feeling __.

Infused with a sense of mystery and the supernatural that reflects early American fascination with folklore and the unknown.

In Rip Van Winkle, His sleep—represents societal inertia or willful ignorance during periods of __.

upheaval—how individuals sometimes disengage from political or social change.

In Rip Van Winkle, Rip’s nagging wife symbolizes __.

Societal expectations and domestic roles that many men felt constrained by in this period.

In Rip Van Winkle, The Catskill Mountains symbolize __.

Timelessness and mystery, acting as a portal between the old and new worlds.

In Rip Van Winkle, Rip’s confusion after waking mirrors the __.

Confusion and adjustment America faced transitioning from British colony to republic.

American Romanticism grew as a response __.

to the Age of Reason (Enlightenment) and rigid Puritanism

American Romanticism emerged during a __.

time of nation-building, westward expansion, and social reform.