American Literature History
Colonial Period (1600–1765)
The Colonial Period was defined historically by the founding of Jamestown, the arrival of the Pilgrims and Puritans, and the First Great Awakening. Literature was predominantly historical, practical, and religious in nature.
The Tenth Muse, Lately Sprung Up in America by Anne Bradstreet: A foundational collection of poetry exploring faith, family, and colonial life, notable as the first published book of poetry by an author living in the American colonies.
Poor Richard's Almanack by Benjamin Franklin: A popular annual publication containing weather forecasts, practical advice, household hints, and famous aphorisms emphasizing hard work and thrift.
Puritanism Movement: A religious movement aiming to purify the Church of England and foster a direct relationship with God, characterized by writing focused on simplicity, predestination, and deep spirituality.
"To My Dear and Loving Husband" by Anne Bradstreet: A poem expressing deep, spiritual, and earthly love within the bounds of Puritan devotion.
"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards: A famous Great Awakening sermon delivering a stark warning about the terrors of hell and the necessity of religious repentance.
Revolutionary Age (1765–1790)
The Revolutionary Age coincided with the American Revolution, the Enlightenment, and the formal creation of the United States government. Literature focused on political writing, reason and inquiry, individualism, and the pursuit of liberty.
Writings of the Founding Fathers: Political speeches, essays, and foundational documents (such as Thomas Paine's Common Sense or Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence) designed to advocate for independence, liberty, and the principles of democratic self-governance.
The Early National Period (1775–1828)
The Early National Period saw the growth of the newly established United States, the development of a distinct American identity, and rising sectionalism over the issue of slavery. Literature saw the initial emergence of the American novel, identity narratives, and slave narratives.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving: An iconic early American short story following the superstitious schoolmaster Ichabod Crane and his encounter with the Headless Horseman in a Dutch enclave of New York.
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah Equiano: A seminal autobiography detailing Equiano's capture in Africa, the horrors of the Middle Passage, his experiences under slavery, and his eventual purchase of freedom, which fueled the abolitionist movement.
American Romantic Period (1828–1865)
The American Romantic Period was marked by rapid westward expansion and a push for American cultural independence from Britain. Literature emphasized individualism, finding truth in nature, emotion, and imagination.
"Because I could not stop for Death" by Emily Dickinson: A reflective poem personifying Death as a courteous gentleman taking the narrator on a carriage ride toward eternity.
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville: An epic novel detailing Captain Ahab's obsessive and destructive quest for vengeance against the giant white whale.
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman: A revolutionary poetry collection celebrating democracy, nature, the individual soul, and the broader American experience.
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne: A psychological novel set in 17th-century Puritan Boston exploring the guilt, sin, and social stigma surrounding Hester Prynne after she conceives a child out of wedlock.
Transcendentalism Movement: A literary movement embracing idealism and nature while rejecting materialism.
Walden by Henry David Thoreau: A transcendentalist work chronicling Thoreau's two-year experiment in simple, self-sufficient living at Walden Pond.
Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson: An essay urging individuals to trust their intuition and maintain personal independence over social conformity.
Dark Romanticism / Gothic Writing: A movement taking a pessimistic approach to human nature, focusing on sin, villainy, hopelessness, horror, and the supernatural.
"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe: A gothic short story detailing an unhinged narrator's murder of an old man and the overwhelming guilt that leads to his confession.
The Realistic Period (1865–1900)
The Realistic Period emerged following the American Civil War, Reconstruction, Industrialism, and the Progressive Movement. Literature turned toward realistic depictions of ordinary American life, social issues, psychological dilemmas, and regional writing.
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane: A realistic Civil War novel exploring the psychological turmoil, fear, and heroism of a young Union soldier named Henry Fleming.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain: A landmark regional novel following Huck Finn and the runaway slave Jim as they navigate the Mississippi River, critiquing racial prejudice and societal hypocrisy.
The Naturalist Period (1900–1914)
The Naturalist Period was influenced by Darwin's theory of evolution, the Women's Suffrage movement, and rapid scientific advancements. Literature presented a grim, pessimistic view of life, depicting characters controlled by environment, heredity, and a lack of free will.
The Call of the Wild by Jack London: A novel depicting Buck, a domesticated dog who is stolen and sold into the harsh Klondike Gold Rush, adapting to survival and embracing his primitive instincts.
The Awakening by Kate Chopin: A controversial early feminist novel exploring Edna Pontellier's struggle between her personal desires and societal expectations in late 19th-century New Orleans.
American Modernist Period (1914–1945)
The American Modernist Period was shaped by World War I, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and rapid urbanization. Literature explored the loss of the American Dream, breaks from traditional forms, individualism, and deep disillusionment.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: A novel set in the Jazz Age detailing Jay Gatsby's tragic obsession with Daisy Buchanan and the critique of the decaying American Dream.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: A poignant novella exploring the companionship, struggles, and shattered dreams of two displaced migrant workers, George and Lennie, during the Great Depression.
Harlem Renaissance Movement: A cultural movement where African American writers in Harlem celebrated new ideas, freedoms, and artistic experimentation to redefine racial stereotypes.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston: A novel following Janie Crawford's journey toward independence, self-discovery, and love in the American South.
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison: A novel detailing an unnamed Black narrator's psychological journey through social hypocrisy and systemic racism, exploring themes of identity and societal invisibility.
Contemporary Period or Postmodernism (1945–Present)
The Contemporary / Postmodern Period developed amidst late 20th-century wars, rapid technological advances, mass media, consumerism, and civil disobedience. Literature features playfulness, randomness, satire, parody, cultural diversity, and the pursuit of identity.
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut: A satirical, non-linear anti-war novel following Billy Pilgrim's experiences during the firebombing of Dresden and his time-traveling delusions.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood: A dystopian novel set in the totalitarian Republic of Gilead, exploring themes of oppression, gender roles, and subversion.
Post-Colonialism Movement: Literature created by authors from formerly colonized territories examining identity and historical legacy.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe: A novel depicting Okonkwo, an Igbo leader, and the devastating impact of British colonialism and Christian missionaries on traditional Nigerian society.
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie: A novel using magical realism to chronicle India's transition from British colonialism to independence through children born at the exact moment of independence.
Chicana/Chicano Literature Movement: An authentic exploration of the Mexican-American experience written by Mexican-American authors.
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros: A coming-of-age novel told through vignettes following Esperanza Cordero growing up in a Latino neighborhood in Chicago.
The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea: A historical fiction novel chronicling the life of Teresita Urrea, a saintly young Mexican-American healer set against late 19th-century political unrest.