“Do Now” Activity

Power 12 Vocabulary

In your own words, define the Power 12 vocabulary words. Please use a dictionary

to help formulate your definitions.For each word, create a sentence that will help

you to understand what the word means.

Quiz will be Sept. 15

Introduction to American Literature

English 11

Eras of American literatureKNOW THIS LIST

• Colonialism & Puritanism: 1620-1720• The Revolutionary Period: 1720-1820• Romanticism: 1820-1845• Transcendentalism: 1840-1855• Realism 1865-1895• Naturalism: 1895-1920• Modernism: 1920-1945• Post Modernism: 1945- present

Read pages 2-13 and take notes using Cornell Notes format

Objectives of Lecture/notes-What you should know.

• Understand the history of the New World in the context of other historical events.

• Historical background of the Native Americans.

• Characteristics of the Pilgrims/Puritans and Southern planters.

• History of early American Literature.

Introduction to American Literature

• Voices in literature developed with the nation’s history.

• Early works do not feature fiction; rather, they are primarily non-fiction works.

Why do we need to understand American history to read

American literature?

• 1607- John Smith and group of settlers arrive at Jamestown– more than 100 years after Columbus– motivated by desires for profit and glory for

England (Gold, God, Glory)

– colony was almost destroyed by disease and starvation

• First settlers encountered the Native American population.

• Native American literature was entirely oral.• Native American oral heritage influences

American literature.

• Native Americans

– between 12,000 and 70,000 years ago.

– usually friendly to early Europeans, giving them maize, beans, squash, maple sugar, snowshoes, toboggans, etc.

– Often helped Europeans to survive

Who else was there?

• There were two groups of early American settlers. While they had similar purposes, their motives were often different.

• The two groups were:– SOUTHERN PLANTERS– NORTHERN PURITANS

Southern Planters vs. Northern Puritans

– Climate– Crops– social organization,

(ESPECIALLY SLAVERY)

– religion and religious beliefs

• The Southern Planters– prosperous coastal cities, dependent on cash

crop of tobacco and cotton– plantation system and smaller farmers– plantation system depended on slavery

(beginning 1619)– plantation owners often belonged to

Church of England, regarded

themselves as aristocrats and

Renaissance men

Southern Planters

• Only a few notable authors appeared prior to 1750

• those who were educated wrote, but only material of a practical nature. This was with good reason. They were settlers to make money, not to create art.

• Southerners did not oppose fiction or drama, and the first theater was in Williamsburg

Southern Planters

• Many planters spent hours each day writing letters

• most important figure in literary history of early south is William Byrd, who wrote “The History of the Dividing Line”

PURITANS

• Puritans first arrived in 1620 on Mayflower at Plymouth, Mass.

• Critical of the Church of England• wanted to break away from the

perceived corruptness of religious

system in England

Also known as Separatists

• Known as Separatists because of their rejection of Church of England

• Characterized by their austere beliefs and lifestyles

• Survived because of the help of the Native Americans

Mass. Bay Colony

• Massachusetts Bay Colony also founded by religious reformers.

• MBC did not break away from Church of England.

• Adopted concept of “City on

a Hill”- community guided in all

aspects by the Bible

Influence of Religion

• Religion affected everything the Pilgrims, and Puritans did.

• Preached plain, unadorned Christianity.• Belief system

» human beings exist to glorify God.» Bible is the expression of God’s will.» Predestination- some are saved, others are

damned.» believed in concept of original sin.

Puritan Writing

• Typical Puritan writings include– theological studies- man’s relationship w/God– hymns– histories– biographies– and autobiographies– purpose of all this writing was spiritual insight

and self examination. They felt fiction and drama were sinful, and produced neither.

Puritan Writing, cont.

• However, Puritans did write poetry, as vehicle of spiritual expression– were not interested in poetry’s structure– only interested in its message of holiness– several excellent poets, namely Anne

Bradstreet and Edward Taylor

• Puritans were a highly literate community• founded Harvard in 1636 to train ministers• started free public education (you can thank

them for being here right now!)

Puritan Plain StyleKNOW THIS!

• Puritans had a clear theory of literary style.– Plain style of writing– clear statement is the highest goal– ornate or clever writing was a sign of vanity

and the devil– everything had to be in accordance with

God’s will

Three strands that form early American literature

– Puritan literature- preoccupied with sin, and salvation

– Southern Planters- recorded

information about their crops

and their busy social lives– Native American oral tradition, which

is primarily viewed as folklore, but

that had important impact.

Closing Activity

On an index card list the 3 most important

people/places/events regarding the development of

American literature.

Introducing Oneself Through Symbols

Signs vs. Symbols

Signs

• Signs are images that point to something else

• Little or no intrinsic meaning

• Images which are asSIGNed agreed upon meanings

What is a symbol?A symbol is a person, a place, an

animal, or an object that suggests a meaning larger than itself.

Choose the Monopoly marker that you associate

with and explain your choice in writing.

Choose your symbol