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William Bradford
Early rebel, natural leader, saved many documents, documented challenges in the colonies
History of Plymouth Plantation info
Daily struggles of the pilgrims, attitudes towards the natives who helped them survive, detailed the hardships of being a pilgrim
Romanticism
Themes of individualism and nature unified the writings of this movement, despite the dramatic differences in the writer's focus and style. Don't fear god, emotion over reason.
Transcendentalism
There is an ideal spiritual state which transcends the physical and empirical. A loose collection of eclectic ideas about literature, philosophy, social reform, and the general style of American culture. Each person has different meanings of transcendentalism.
Gothic romanticism
Less optimistic, prone to sin and self destruction, believe nature is a deep spiritual force and is sinister. Natural world is dark, mysterious, and decaying. man is evil and hellish. Shows individuals failing in their attempts to make a change for the better.
Puritanism
Religion of early America, wanted to get rid of fancy stuff. Basic belief is man is essentially evil, except "grace". "Grace" is indicated by wealth. All believed in predestination. Shame culture, and the worst people were publicly shamed.
Three types of style
High, middle, low
What are the 3 parts of an argument?
Claim, support, and counter argument
John Smith
Military leader, founded Jamestown, focused on survival, Jamestown thrived under his leadership.
The Journal of John Smith context
Early America, 1607, colonial, journal
The Journal of John Smith info
Pocahontas saves him (put in final version 7 years after original), purpose: to get people to come to America
History of Plymouth Plantation context
Written is 1630, covered settlement until 1647, journal
Ann Bradstreet
First notable American poet, grew up Puritan, it is unique that she was educated enough to be a poet, wrote about her life and her household duties
The Author to Her Book info
Compares her writing to a child. Convinced her work is awful.
The Author to Her Book context
Mid-1600s, Puritan America, written by a woman, poem.
On the Burning of Her house info
She wrote it to express the traumatic loss of her home and most of her possessions. She expands the understanding that God had taken them away in order for her family to live a more pious life.
On the Burning of Her house context
July 10, 1666, poem. Puritan America
Ben Franklin
Self taught, only 2 years formal education, friend to all mankind, owned a printing business
The Autobiography of Ben Franklin info
Plan to achieve moral perfection, shows his faith in reason, order, and capability of mankind
The Autobiography of Ben Franklin context
Autobiography, written in 1790.
Notes Concerning Savages info
Early advocate for the abolition of slavery, views on "indians". Thinks the natives have advances societies.
Notes Concerning Savages context
Early advocate for the abolition of slavery
Anne Hutchinson
Religious reformer, mentor and minister was John Cotton, she preached his sermons as well as her own, challenged the authority of the church and government over individuals
The Examination of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson, at the Court of Newton, November 1637 info
Interview regarding Hutchinson preaching sermons that challenged the authority of the church and government. She is excommunicated. She defends her actions throughout the interview, she also asks questions back to her interviewer, John Winthrop
The Examination of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson, at the Court of Newton, November 1637 context
1637, interview transcript.
Jonathan Edwards
Minister, delivered sermons with depiction of hell and damnation, he helped trigger the great awakenings
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God info
Wrath of God, appeal to fear, lots about God's anger and wrath
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God context
Sermon, delivered in Enfield, Connecticut, delivered on July 8th, 1741, Jonathan Edwards' most famous sermon
Arthur Miller
Explored family relations, mortality, and personal responsibility. wrote the Crucible (most famous work is Death of a Salesman). Questioned about communism, admitted he attended a few meetings years earlier, but refused to give up any others, for his refusal, he was cited for contempt of Congress, this incident provided inspiration for the Crucible
The Crucible context
Written in 1953, play
The Crucible info
Setting is 1692, warn against mass hysteria, crucible= a container that can withstand heat, crucible in this text means a severe test that puts great stress upon people, revealing weakness and strength.
Stephen Crane
Never went to war, died in 1900 at age 28, did not take formal education seriously.
The Red Badge of Courage info
Themes of confidence and control. Didn't stress the use of names to make the book realistic, the first literary novel to present war without heroics. Another theme is the illusion of control and confidence.
The Red Badge of Courage context
Published in 1895, novel, first war novel by an American
The Veteran info
About Henry Fleming's tranquil life after returning from the war being disrupted when he is summoned to a final act of valor, running into a burning barn to save some horses.
The Veteran context
1896, short story
Washington Irving
Produced satirical articles for newspapers, had Dutch roots, used humor and sentimentalism, often drew on the landscape of upstate New York
The Devil and Tom Walker info
Set in 1727, in Boston. Tom Walker meets the devil while taking a shortcut home to meet his wife, makes a deal. Then later in life, worries about eternal damnation, so he becomes a churchgoing/bible carrying man. He is found dead with chips and shavings in his chest.
The Devil and Tom Walker context
1824, short story
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow info
Ichabod Crane is a school teacher obsessed with eating and living comfortably. He loves scary stories, and part of this selection talks about his run in with the local spook, the Headless Horseman.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow context
1820, short story
William Cullen Bryant
Born in Massachusetts, considered a child prodigy as well as a fine poet. Journalist and editor until death.
Thanatopsis info
Meditates on nature and death, anticipates the transcendental beliefs of Walden, death is not to be feared.
Thanatopsis context
1817, poem.
On the Right to Strike info
People have the right to protest
On the Right to Strike context
1835, essay.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
A poet, minister, essayist, and lecturer, father of transcendentalism.
Nature info
People can discover their own truth, humans interpret nature through their experiences, believe in the self.
Nature context
Novel, 1836
Henry David Thoreau
Friends with Emerson, lived with Emerson for 2 years on Walden pond. Observed and wrote about the world around him.
Walden info
Thoreau's life on Walden pond, alone and living in a cabin he built himself.
Walden context
Novel, 1854
Civil disobedience info
Resist the government, don't let the government control people too much, government is rarely useful, talks about when he was put in jail for not paying taxes.
Civil disobedience context
Essay, 1849
Edgar Allan Poe
One of the best known American authors. Wrote macabre tales, literary criticism, poetry, and detective fiction. Became an editor of a literary magazine.
The Purloined Letter context
Short story, 1844
The Purloined Letter info
A letter is stolen (from the queen's boudoir) Mr. D stole the letter, but then Dupin switches it with a letter of no importance. Dupin solved the crime with careful logic and reasoning.
The Raven info
A poem about a man who lost his love and is visited by a raven, and goes crazy.
The Raven Context
Poem, 1845
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Gothic romanticism, evil side prevails, born is Salem, Massachusetts, had a wife. Used themes of guilt, sin redemption, obsession/fear about the future.
The minister's black veil info
A minister wears a black veil to cover up his secret sin of having a relationship with a now dead girl. He wears the veil and keeps his silence until he is dead. People begin to view him differently with the veil on.
The minister's black veil context
Short story, 1836
The Scarlet letter info
Hester Prynne has an affair with Dimmesdale, they don't know where her husband is so they don't know if it is adultery or not. Roger Chillingworth is her husband, Pearl is her daughter. She never gives up Dimmesdale's name. Roger figures it out and seeks revenge on Dimmesdale.
The Scarlet letter context
Novel, 1850
Patrick Henry
"Orator of Liberty", made a name for himself with speeches supporting american democracy, an opponent of British rule. "If this be treason, make the most of it".
Speech to the Second Virginia Convention context
1775, to delegates from Virginia, speech
Speech to the Second Virginia Convention info
Called for military preparedness, give me liberty or give me death, directly addressed the president, convince people to fight for peace.
