American Literature Exam 1 Quotes

The Iroquois Creation Story

Among the ancients there were two worlds in existence. The lower world was in great darkness;—the possession of the great monster; but the upper world was inhabited by mankind; and there was a woman conceived and would have the twin born

The World Encompassed by Sir Francis Drake

Their griefs we could not but take pity on them, and to our power desire to help them: but that (if it pleased God to open their eyes) they might understand we were but men and no gods, we used ordinary means, as lotions, emplasters, and unguents, most fitly (as far as our skills could guess) agreeing to the nature of their griefs, beseeching God, if it made for his glory, to give cure to their diseases by these means

Pawhatan's Discourse of Peace and War

What will it avail you to take that by force you will quickly have by love, or to destroy them that provide you food? What can you get by war, when we can hide our provisions and fly to the woods? Whereby you must famish by wronging us your friends

King Philip's Speech

Brothers, these people from the unknown world will cut down our groves, spoil our hunting and planting grounds, and drive us and our children from the graves of our fathers, and our council fires, and enslave our women and children

A Model of Christian Charity

Thirdly, that everyman might have need of other, and form hence they might be all knit more nearly together in the bonds of brotherly affection. From hence it appears plainly that no man is made no more honorable than another or more wealthy, etc., out of any particular and singular respect to himself, but for the glory of his Creator and the common good of the creature, man

"Nehemias Americanus" from Magnalia Christi Americana

Our New England shall tell and boast of her Winthrop, a lawgiver as patient as Lycurgus, but not admitting any of his criminal disorders; as devout as Numa, but not liable to any of his heathenish madness; a governor in whom the excellencies of Christianity made a most improving addition unto the virtues, wherein even without those he would have made a parallel for the great men of Greece, or of Rome, which the pen of Plutarch has eternized

How Father Isaac Jogues Was Taken by the Iroquois, and What He Suffered on His First Entrance into Their Country

But these things seemed light to me in comparison with an inward sadness that I felt at the sight if our first and most ardent Huron Christians. I had expected them to be the pillars of that rising church, and I saw them become the victims of death

Catherine Tegahkouita: An Iroquois Virgin

Thus New France, like the capital of Old France, beheld the glory of a poor Indian girl and of a shepherdess [Ste. Genevieve] shining above that of so many apostolic men who were martyrs and other saints of all conditions of life

A Narrative of the Lord's Wonderful Dealings with John Marrant

At this instant the king's eldest daughter cae into the chamber, a person about 19 years of age, and stood at my right hand. I had a Bible in my hand, which she took out of it, and having opened it, she kissed it; and seemed much delighted with it

Short Narrative of My Life

So I am ready to Say, they have used me thus, because I Can't Influence the Indians so well as other missionaries; but I can assure them I have endeavoured to teach them as well as I know how;—but I must Say, 'I believe it is because I am a poor Indian'. I Can't help that God has made me So; I did not make my self so

A Sermon at the Execution of Moses Paul, an Indian

O poor Moses, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart, and thou shalt be saved eternally. Come just as you are, with all your sins and abominations, with all your blood-guiltiness, with all your condemnation, and lay hold of the hope set before you this day. This is the last day of salvation with your soul; you will be beyond the bounds of mercy in a few minutes more

What Is an American

"[America] is not composed, as in Europe, of great lords who possess everything, and of a herd of people who have nothing. Here is no aristocratical families, no courts, no kings, no bishops, no ecclesiastical dominion, no invisible power giving to a few a very visible one; no great manufacturers employing thousands, no great refinements of luxury

Description of Charles Town; Thoughts on Slavery; on Physical Evil; a Melancholy Scene

They told me that the laws of self-preservation rendered such executions necessary; and supported the doctrine of slavery with the argument generally made use of to justify the practice; with the repetition of which I shall not trouble you at present

Common Sense

As Much hath been said of the advantages of reconciliation, which, like an agreeable dream, hath passed away and left us as we were, it is but right that we should examine the contrary side of the argument, and inquire into some of the many material inquiries which these colonies sustain, and always will sustain, by being connected with and dependent on Great Britain

The Crisis, No. 1

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in the crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman

The Autobiography of Thomas Jefferson

The pusillanimous idea that we had friends in England worth keeping terms with, still haunted the minds of many. For this reason, those passages which conveyed censures on the people of England were struck out, lest they should give them offense. The clause too, reprobating the enslaving the inhabitants of Africa, was struck out in complaisance to South Carolina and Georgia, who had never attempted to restrain the importation of slaves, and who, on the contrary, still wished to continue it

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavas Vassa, the African, Written by Himself

One day they had taken a number of fishes; and when they had killed and satisfied themselves with as many as they thought fit, to our astonishment who were on deck, rather than give any of them to us to eat, as we expected, they tossed the remaining fish into the sea again, although we begged and prayed for some as well as we could, but in vain; and some of my countrymen, being pressed by hunger, took an opportunity, when they thought no one saw them, of trying to get a little privately; but were discovered, and the attempt procured them some very severe floggings

On Being Brought from Africa to America

Twas mercy brought me from my pagan land,

Taught my benighted soul to understand

...

Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,

May be refined, and join the angelic train.

His Excellency Gen. Washington

Proceed, great chief, with virtue on thy side,

Thy every action let the goddess guide.

A crown, a mansion, and a throne that chine,

With gold unfading, WASHINGTON! be thine