Unit One: American Literature in the Settlement Period

THE NEW WORLD

The New World

• 35,000-8,000 BC-Mongolian tribes cross Bering Land Bridge-migrate into N & S America

• Polynesian tribes cross Pacific on rafts-reach S. America

The Bering Sea

Native Americans

• Native Americans had diverse and advanced cultures

• Maya, Aztec, Toltec, Inca—all advanced cultures in C. and S. America

• Most cultures did not have written languages

• Cultures rich in myth and oral literature

Native American Oral Literature

• Oral tradition/oral literature

• Oral Lit-passed down by mouth

• Myths, chants, prayers, stories, histories

• Entertain, educate, pass on culture

Myths and Mythology• Traditional stories passed

down• Explain nature or human

nature• Teach moral/religious

lessons• Usually have gods and

goddesses• Contain supernatural• Old an modern • Mythology-collected

myths or beliefs

First Contact

• Vikings land in Newfoundland and Labrador

• Viking deep-sea fisherman and explorers

• First recorded contact-Leif Erikssen-c. 1000 AD

Marco Polo

• An explorer who followed his father’s trade route

• Route was overland to China

• Brought back silk, spices, exotic goods

• Opened up the West to the East

• Wrote about his travels• Made search for sea trade

route desirable

Christopher Columbus

• Set sail in 1492 • Sailed west in hopes of

finding trade route to China and the East Indies

• Landed on Hispaniola/Santo Domingo-1492

• Made two other expeditions-found no gold

Reasons for Exploration of the New World

• Far East trade route• Gold• Claim land/subjects for

the king• Adventure• Jobs (ships, fishing)• Fame and favor• Fountain of Youth/cure for

diseases/Paradise

Reasons for Settlement of the New World• Gold• Land-to claim for king and

for personal use• Opportunity-work, food,

ownership• Adventure• Money-making • Jobs• Escape from religious

persecution• Escape jail time• Fame

St. Augustine (FL)

• 1565• First permanent

settlement in the US• Spanish founded it• Near site of “Fountain of

Youth”• Colony and military

outpost• Protected Spanish gold

shipments fr. C. & S. America from pirates

Jamestown (VA)

• 1607• First permanent English

settlement in US• Founded by the London

Co.• Money-making venture• Captain John

Smith/Pocahantas• Tobacco-cash crop

Plymouth (MA)

• 1620• Established by Pilgrims

(Puritans)• Escape religious

persecution & cultural pollution in Europe & England

• “City on a Hill”• Example to the world on

how to live

Important Dates

1492-Columbus lands in NW

1565-Spanish est

St. Augustine

1585-Roanoke VA

“Lost Colony

1607-English est Jamestown

VA

1619-First African slaves

to US

1620-Puritans est Plymouth

MA

1630-Mass Bay Col-”Great Migration”3

1635-First public school in US in Boston

1636-Harvard Univ est in

Boston

1690-Slavery in all colonies

1692-Salem Witch Trials-20

die

1739-1745“Great

Awakening”

The Puritans

• One of many religious, Protestant sects

• Wanted to “purify”the Church of England

• Was the ruling party in England after Reformation

• Denounced after Restoration of monarchy

• Persecuted under “Bloody Mary”/ James I

Puritan Beliefs

• Plainness• Divine Mission• Bible-based laws• Grace• “Original Sin”• Physical purgation of

sin• Education for all

Puritan Beliefs

• Public confession of sin

• The “Elect”• Puritan Work Ethic• Devil Incarnate• Cleanliness• Democratic

government

Puritan Influence in America

• Writing-Plain Style• Work ethic• Sense of morality• Example to the world• Plainness-dress and

worship styles• Democracy

The Wilderness

• Major influence on life in colonies

• Forced colonists to be inventive/creative

• Lived closer to nature than Europeans

• Room to grow/resources• Hard to govern-law and

order

Differences Between Northern and Southern Settlement Styles

Northern• Poorer soil• Colder climate• Shorter growing season• Largely Puritans• Small land grants/small farms• Tight communities built around a “commons” area• Very interdependent

Southern• Better soil• Warmer climate• Longer growing season-cash crops• Largely Church of Eng• Large land grants-plantations-slave labor• Widely dispersed settlements• Very independent

Puritan Literature

• Plain style-simple words in clear order

(“smooth,clear, short)• God-centered• Spiritual

Autobiographies• Poetry• No plays or fiction

Pictures