9. Early American Writing
Early writers focused on describing and trying to make sense out of their challenging and new environment
Millions of people lived in the Americas before the arrival of the Europeans
First relationships between Native Americans and Europeans was cooperative, until the Europeans began to force them off their land

10. From a colony to a country
First colony – Jamestown (1607)
Loyal to England but not represented
Broke from England and declared “free and independent” in 1776
Founding fathers, Franklin, Jefferson, Hancock, etc. wrote Declaration of Independence
Adopted in 1788 – United States was born

11. Cultural influences Puritan beliefs and values directed people’s lives
Struggle with sin a daily mission
Felt humans were sinful; some “elect would be spared from hell

12. Ideas of the age Burst of intellectual energy – Enlightenment
Questioned who should hold power
“Give me liberty or give me death!”
Emphasized reason
The Great Awakening – fear that Puritan values were being lost
Called for people to rededicate themselves
Unified colonists and set new standards
Emphasized emotion

13. Early American Literature
Native American Experience
300 cultures, over 200 languages
One common activity – storytelling
Much oral tradition was lost to European diseases
Explorers and Early Settlers
Journals, diaries, letters and logs of first settlers (Christopher Columbus)
Settlers wrote home and described the landscape

14. The Puritan Tradition
Believed writing was a tool to help understand the Bible
Logic, clarity and order are emphasized in their style
Sermons warn the dangers of sinful ways

15. Puritan poets Anne Bradstreet Edward Taylor
Poetry is a means of exploring the relationship between the individual and God

16. Writers of the revolution
Focused energies on matters of government rather than religion
Publication of pamphlets –
Fueled the revolution
Reached thousands quickly
Thomas Paine
Wrote Common Sense
Argued that American had a special destiny to be a model to the rest of the world
Welcome people from around the world to its free society

17. Writing that launched a nation
Declaration of Independence
Argued that natural law would govern (people are born with rights and freedoms)
Government protects those freedoms

18. Other significant writers
Phillis Wheatley – wrote poems and letters about the rights of African-Americans
Abigail Adams – urged her husband, 2nd President, to include women’s rights in the founding documents