Early America to 1750

Transcription

1 Early America to 1750

2 Objectives of the Unit Read, discuss, and write about early American literature Recall and interpret facts and extend the meaning of the selections React to critical opinions and observations Examine the selections in terms of literary forms and elements, including oral literature, persuasion, allusions, imagery, simile, and metaphors Write compositions that analyze literary elements Compare and contrast writers and their works

3 Unit Introduction Think about a new beginning At the beginning, there is no knowledge of how things are going to turn out Example- its like going out on a first date, you have this picture perfect idea of how things will go. You re full of hope, excitement, uncertainty, and even a little fear. The same is true during the development of the country No one imagined the country we have today

4 Emotional Connection Today, we share the same values: love, fear, family, etc. as people in any time period Free yourself from the 21 st century and what we know to see life as it might have been

5 Population Estimates , , ,207,000

6 America- a place of possibility To make a new life People that loved danger and adventure Poor Prisoners sent away from England To build a community Follow their own dreams Escape persecution Form a new government like they wanted it to be Assume leadership positions Get rich Farming

7 America- a place of possibility To establish a church Freedom of religion For this freedom, people were willing to leave England and all they knew and loved To gain fame and honor Explore in the name of England Expand England (the opposite of those escaping it)

8 American Literature from American Experiences Recurring theme: abundant, beautiful land First literature Oral literature of American Indians Journals of Christopher Columbus Journals of Pilgrims, Puritan ministers, wives and plantation owners Commonalities amongst writers Wrote when the new world was NEW Saw America as a place of endless and exciting opportunities

9 Pilgrims in Plymouth, MA Planned arrival for Jamestown (Virginia) Settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts instead 102 passengers (18 women; 84 men) Almost half (45) died the first winter (13 women; 27 men) Built 7 houses and 4 common buildings Founded Harvard in 1636 Thought of themselves as British subjects Never dreamed of a revolution Within the next few years, joined by more settlers from England- many of them Puritans escaping England

10 Puritans pkaw

11 Puritans Devout Christians (Wanted to purify their church) Left a church they disagreed with Wanted free practice of religion Believed in personal salvation Determined to create God-centered society /theocracy Ministers dominated government, religious outlook, and literature Life of work and prayer Saw success as sign of election, or special favor from God Saw souls a battleground between God and Satan

12 Writings first printing press in Cambridge, MA Bay Psalm Book Private Journals Public Writings (testimonials about prayer) Designed to improve themselves, not entertain Plain, clear writing Purpose: serve God and Community

13 The Puritans dominated early American Literature their influence on American letters and culture has been enormous Theology- the concepts of grace and salvation Social thinking- the vision of a utopia, or new Jerusalem (led here by God) Economics- the work ethic Politics- the democratic principles of the Mayflower Compact and New England town meetings

14 Life Theocracy: everything aimed at personal salvation and building a God-centered society Laws against anything that could keep people from God Bowling Maypole dancing Gambling Attending plays Raise children free from temptations of Old World Freedom of religion Ironically, did not grant to others

15 The Southern Colonies Jamestown, VA Captain John Smith Different development Puritans lived close together Southerners lived on farms and plantations Wealthy, educated owners Social and outgoing Valued sophistication and public service, nature, and society Southern literature Reflected excitement in discovering New World Read literature of England because they saw themselves as an extension of England

16 Differences Contrast Worldly, witty Southerners versus intense, selfexamining Puritans in the North This important difference continues to build throughout our history

17 Mrs. French s Vacation Summer 2012

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26 American Indians Oral Tradition: the process of passing literature by word of mouth A literature that is timeless, created by no one author It was the responsibility of the tribal poet to remember the tribe s history, its line of leaders, its victories, its gods and rituals

27 Calling One s Own At A Glance The singer calls for his love to awaken and describes her in terms of the natural world Lyric Poetry The imploring, repeated command to awake dramatizes the speaker s passionate intensity and the yearning quality of his love song Reflection What do the images that describe love indicate about the Ojibwa s relationship to nature?

28 Ojibwa Traditional "Toward calm and shady places I am walking on the Earth." EAGLE FLAG Ojibwa Prayer Oh Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds And whose breath gives life to everyone, Hear me. I come to you as one of your many children; I am weak... I am small... I need your wisdom and your strength. Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunsets. Make my hands respect the things you have made, and make my ears sharp so I may hear your voice. Make me wise, so that I may understand what you have taught my people and the lessons you have hidden in each leaf and each rock. I ask for wisdom and strength, Not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself. Make me ever ready to come before you with clean hands and a straight eye, So as life fades away as a fading sunset, My spirit may come to you without shame.

29 Reflection They lived in harmony with nature and saw themselves as an integral part of the natural world

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31 Timed Writing Pretend you are writing an article to persuade people to move to Clinton, MO Discuss all the positives Be sure to be specific and paint a picture in your readers minds 5 minutes: write until I call time

32 John Smith Virginians know that Captain John Smith was one of the first American heroes. But because he was a proud and boastful man, it is difficult to know which parts of his life are fact and which are fiction. What many people may not know is that Smith's adventures started even before Jamestown.

33 Letter After reading Smith s A Description of New England, you have decided to make the journey and start a new life in the NEW WORLD! Write a letter to convince a family member, loved one, or friend to make the long journey with you. You must use at least 3 specific examples from Smith s Description to support your appeal. Be persuasive.

34 William Bradford

35 M A Y F L O W E R

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37 Life on The Mayflower

38 The Arrival in The NEW WORLD

39 Building from SCRATCH

40 Getting SETTLED In

41 Winters in The NEW WORLD

42 Jonathan Edwards Leading figure in the Great Awakening, a fervent revival of religious feeling that swept America from Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God - most famous literary monument to Great Awakening

43 A Natural Paradise What common theme can we associate with all early American writers and nature? Native Americans/early pioneers: They lived close to the land Explorers: They were awed by nature s abundance Edwards: He found spiritual joy in nature s wonders