1. American Literature
Colonial Period

2. Key Facts:
1607 the first permanent English colony at Jamestown, Virginia was est.
Conditions were extremely difficult and by the end of the first winter, over half of the colonists had died.

3. Pilgrims vs. Puritans
Pilgrims – this group was highly critical of the Church of England. They had given up trying to purify it from within, and they chose instead to withdraw from the Church and sail to North America.
Puritans- religious reformers who did not separate from the Church of England. They wanted to reform the church from within and hoped in America they could create a community that was guided by all aspects of the Bible.

4. Key Facts cont’d:
Captain John Smith took over leadership of the colony and conditions began to improve.
“He that will not work, shall not eat”
1620 Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth, Mass.

5. Key Facts cont’d:
The Pilgrims created a settlement at Plymouth, Mass., but it never grew. Eventually it was absorbed by the larger Mass. Bay Colony settled by the Puritans.
The Puritan colony was set up as a theocracy.
Their religion was called Calvinism.

6. Key Facts cont’d Total Innate Depravity Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement
Irresistible Grace
Perseverance of the saints

7. Puritan Ethic The “elect” cannot take their salvation for granted.
Puritans were constantly searching their souls for signs of grace.
They felt they could only accomplish good through continual hard work and self discipline.
Puritans did not believe in self improvement – God was in control of their lives

8. Puritan Literature
Plain Style – clear statements are the highest goal. A clever style would be a sign of vanity and not in accordance with God’s will.
Types of Literature: sermons, diaries journals, narratives, poetry
* Fiction and drama were not allowed*

9. Writers: Anne Bradstreet William Bradford John Smith Cotton Mather
Jonathan Edwards
Mary Rowlandson
William Byrd
Jonathan Edwards
Captain John Smith

10. The Great Awakening 1720s
Early 1700s Puritanism was declining as more liberal Protestant congregations attracted followers.
The Great Awakenings were a series of revivals designed to “revive” the Puritan religion.
There were thousands of conversions, but it did little to strengthen the Puritan religion.