Early American Writing Explorers, English III Mrs. Rahman

Historical Context; The Meeting of Two Worlds Earliest American writers concentrated on describing and trying to make sense of: challenging new environment (no inns, no taverns, no city) unfamiliar people (Native Americans) Through diaries, letters, reports back home these writers recorded history of first intersection of European settlers’ lives and Native Americans’

Historical Context; The Meeting of Two Worlds Europeans failed to note, or consider, that MILLIONS of people were living in the Americas prior to settlers’ arrival Native Americans had well-established communities Were usually friendly towards Europeans, until forced off their land Two early American writers who chronicled Native American and European views of each other: William Wood, from the Massachusetts Bay Colony William Bradford, governor of Plymouth Plantation

Historical Context; From Colony to Colony Jamestown, first permanent colony est. in 1607 English colonies stretched along Atlantic coast by 1733 Increasingly self-reliant Local self-rule (governing and economy) First colonies thought of themselves as English Supported England by exporting raw materials home, by importing Britain’s manufactured goods Did NOT have representatives in Parliament Britain supported colonies by protecting its territory French and Indian War (1759-1763)

Historical Context; From Colony to Colony Break with England Crown’s attempt to tax colonists after long, costly war “No taxation without representation” Britain lost more than their costly war monies by losing the American colonies Colonial authors protested British control Newspapers, pamphlets, speeches (Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry) Calls to support independence from British tyranny Founding Fathers: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson Declaration of Independence, 1776 US Constitution ratified 1788

Historical Narratives Accounts of real-life historical experiences Written by either a person who experienced the events OR someone who has studied or observed them directly

Primary sources Materials written by people who were either participants in OR observers of the events written about

Primary sources, Examples Letters Diaries Journals Speeches Autobiographies Interviews

Secondary sources Records of events written by people who were NOT directly involved EXAMPLES: Biographies Histories

Slave Narrative The slave narrative (story) is an American literary genre Portrays the daily life of slaves as written by the slaves themselves after gaining their freedom EXAMPLE: The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, or Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, or The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

Determining…Historical Narrative, Primary source, Secondary Source, or Slave Narrative? Document’s origin The perspective and motives of the writer Noting sensory details that depict people or places Identifying customs and values of the time period