1607-1765
1607 - Jamestown is settled 1765 The Stamp Act starts the American Revolution
Settled by the Pilgrims (Puritans) in 1620 Leader was William Bradford Operated under the Mayflower Compact This meant that they had social, religious, and economic freedom, but maintained their ties to Britain.
Settled by PURITANS John Winthrop is their leader Operated under the Arabella Covenant- (Freedom from British control). Membership in church required for voting.
People fleeing religious freedom - Puritans Indentured Servants Slaves Criminals Debtors Those looking for a new start or money Adventurers
- Puritans were a Christian sect that believed that worship and the Church could be simplified in order to more closely resemble biblical models. - Puritans were persecuted in Europe for beliefs and fled to New World, settling in what became New England. Puritans became pilgrims people who make a long journey for a religious reason. Puritans were pilgrims, but not all pilgrims are Puritans.
Total Depravity- because of Adam s fall everyone is born sinful (This is the concept of Original Sin) Unconditional Election- God saves those he wishes, only a few are selected for salvation (Concept of Predestination) Limited Atonement- Jesus died for the chosen only, not for everyone. Irresistible Grace- God s grace is freely given, it cannot be earned or denied. Perseverance of the Saints- those elected by God have full power to interpret the will of God. MANIFEST DESTINY- City on a hill we are to set the example for the rest of the world.
The Puritan lifestyle was demanding, with little free time. Creativity and individuality were discouraged. The Puritans wanted to be controlled by God and everything that happened to them was the fate of God. Strict Puritan code was intolerant of transgression. Any show of emotion. Such as excitement, fear, or anger was discouraged. Disobedience was severely punished.
Children rarely played. Toys and games because Puritans saw these activities as sinful distractions. People were expected to work hard and repress their emotions or opinions. Individual differences were frowned upon. Even the dark, somber Puritan dress was dictated by the church. They believed that all sins from sleeping in church to stealing food should be punished.
In January of 1692, a group of girls in Salem Village, MA began to exhibit strange behavior, such as blasphemous screaming, convulsive seizures, trance-like states. Physicians concluded that only the influence of Satan could be responsible for the girls afflictions Pressured to identify the source of their affliction, the girls named three women as witches. 140 people were accused of practicing witchcraft in Salem, including a 4 year old girl and a man in his 80s Twenty accused witches were executed, fifteen women and five men. A dog and a pair of cats were also executed. There was even a book by writer Cotton Mather that described witchcraft and how to determine who is was a witch.
Journals/Diaries memoirs : Autobiographical writings, personal narratives. Capturing certain highlights or meaningful moments. Can show emotion, be contemplative. Can show bias Historical documents: Legal documents, treaties, agreements Letters: Written by conquistadors and other settlers Sermons: Speeches by church leaders Poetry: Written in puritan style The Bible
- Puritans used Bible as a model for writing; there were direct connections between Biblical events and their lives. - Puritans used writing to explore their inner and outer lives for signs of God - Diaries and histories were most common forms of Puritan expression and writing (now published as memoirs)
- Puritans favored a plain style similar to the Geneva Bible. Plain style plain way of writing with clarity of expression and no figures of speech Has archaic writing words suggestive of an earlier time period - Writing was for education; education was necessary to understand the Bible
1590-1657 Of Plymouth Plantation Described hardships of journey to New World; unshakeable belief in God. Plain Style of writing - few figures of speech or metaphors.
1636-1678 A Narrative of Captivity Story of capture by Native Americans; endured many hardships Saw her story as reflection of Bible stories of hardship- used allusions to Biblical stories.
1612-1672 The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America By a Gentlewoman in Those Parts Published in England without her knowledge. Explores religion and personal relationship with God. Difference - Use of metaphor in writing.
1642-1729 The Poetical Works of Edward Taylor Differed from other Puritan writers - use of metaphor in writing. Explored how his identity was shaped by God s Grace.
1703-1758 Fire and brimstone imagery. Helped bring about the Great Awakening. Tyrannical pastor - extreme and strict - humans lowly sinners. The last Puritan (Elements of Literature, Fifth Course, 77 ).
The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play based upon the events in 1692, which led to the Salem Witch Trials. The play was written in the early 1950s during the time of McCarthyism, when the US government blacklisted accused communists. The play has even been made into a movie. The Crucible is commonly studied along with Puritan literature.
As you read colonial literature, it is important that you are familiar with certain literary analysis terms: Voice Tone Bias Figurative Language Point of View Purpose Hyperbole Persuasive Language Logical Fallacies
Voice is the author's way the author makes his or her writing unique and which conveys the author's attitude, personality, and character. Tone is the author s emotional attitude towards the subject he/she is writing about. It will be an emotion word.
Bias - is defined as a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment. Bias can thus be found in content through an examination of the information the writer included or excluded, and it can also be found in tone through an examination of the language used. Identifying bias thus involves reading between the lines and distinguishing between objective and subjective ideas
Use of figurative language (imagery, metaphors, similes, personification, sensory details) in order to create a particular tone and present a specific point of view Point of view refers to the author s attitude or opinion on the subject that he/she is writing
Purpose - An author s purpose is the reason an author decides to write about a specific topic. Then, once a topic is selected, the author must decide whether his purpose for writing is to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain his ideas to the reader. The author s purpose may be indicated through bias.