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Period: 1500 to
American Literature
Span of Literature from the first arrival of settlers to modern day. -
Jun 13, 1500
Native American Myths
When the first Europeans arrived to the American continent, Native Americans were at their peak. Native Americans did not have a written language and instead passed down stories through oral tradition. Through oral tradition, Native American culture and religious beliefs were passed down from generation to generation, and we even read and study a few of them today. -
Period: Jun 14, 1500 to
Native Americans
Before the European explorers arrived in America, millions of Native Americans lived there already. In fact, as many people lived in the Americas as lived in Europe at that time. The Native Americans had built diverse communities, established trading networks, and were building working cities when the Europeans arrived. -
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Early American Literature
Writers during this time wrote about the experiences they had on their long journeys landing in the Americas and their lives living on the continent. They wrote about their culture, beliefs, and way of life. -
The Sky Tree
"The Sky Tree" is a creation myth of the Hurons that portrays the journey of a woman who tried to heal her husband, but instead sent the tree that is the food source of the people who live in the land she originates from to the earth. When she decided to follow the tree, the animals brought up soil from the bottom of the ocean and placed on the turtles back to make the earth we all live on today. -
Puritans come to New England
Puritans land at Plymouth, MA. The Puritans brought along many of their values and traditions to the new world and believed that they were chosen by God to create a new order in America. They believed that humans were sinful in nature and that only through the Bible could they rid themselves of that sin. Puritan literature also reflected this and was very religious in order to help make God's words more understandable through the plain style they used. -
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Puritanism
The Puritans wished to spread their religion to others and share the word of God. They expressed the importance of hard work and responsibility, but they had a deep intolerance for any religion other their own. This intolerance led to events such as the Salem witchcraft trials where almost 20 innocent people died from public execution. Puritans also wrote in a very plain and simple style so everyone could understand and follow them. -
Anne Bradstreet's House Burns
After this extremly tragic event, Anne wrote the poem "Here Follow Some Verses upon the Burning of Our House, July 10, 1666." The speaker expresses that losing her worldly possessions is a sin, because she needs to focus on her true home in heaven. The speaker has comfort in the thoughts that God has a place for her in heaven. She does not get angry at God after this diaster happened, instead she prays for God's help. -
"The Crucible" by Arthur Miller
Born in New York city in 1915, Arthur Miller was a very talented man who wrote many plays. One of his most remarkable plays was "The Crucible". Set in 1692, The Crucible talks about the witch hunt that accused about 200 people of witchcraft and executed almost 20 innocent people. These people were accused by a group of girls for associating with the devil. The girls did it for attention but everyone believed them, leading to the execution of innocent people. -
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American Romanticism
American Romanticism was a literary movement that focused on the importance of emotions, nature, and the imagination of the mind. Writers of this time believed that if you want to find yourself you must look to nature. There were also Fireside Poets who were a group of New England poets that wrote ‘morally uplifting and romantically engaging poetry'. This time period also included the "Brooding" Romantics who were writers that wrote in a gothic and negative manner. -
The Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase took place in 1803 when Thomas Jefferson bought a large piece of land from France that doubled the size of America and gave the people of America new opportunities, socially and economically. Many Americans moved and settled there for land gain and money. This purchase gave Americans a large number of opportunities they did not have. -
"The Devil and Tom Walker" by Washington Irving
"The Devil and Tom Walker" is a story written by Washington Irving about a man named Tom Walker who met the devil. The devil offers Tom a deal of great treasure for his soul in return. He first declines, but later agrees to the deal. This eventually led to his downfall because of the greed and selfishness he acquired throughout the story. This short story includes nature and supernatural aspects, which are characteristics of American Romanticism. -
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 forced Native Americans who have lived there for many generations to relocate west. Indians had no choice other than to move as the whites continued invading and conquering their land. There were Native Americans who refused to leave and they were forced to leave, in a horrendous and often inhuman way. -
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Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism is a philosophy that emphasizes the belief that nature reveals your spiritual truth. Writers during this time wrote and expressed the importance of finding yourself through nature rather than materialistic things. Transcendentalists also stressed the significance of living a simple life and rely on yourself rather than the world itself. -
"Self-Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Self-Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson is a piece of literature written during the Transcendentalism time period. It expresses the importance of listening to yourself instead of what society tells you. The main message shown throughout this piece of literature is that you should always focus on your own ideas and instincts, not what the world is telling you. -
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Romanticism to Realism
Because of the Civil War, the ideas of Romanticism were no longer portrayed in America. Writers began a transition to Realism. Realism expressed the reality of life, which during these times was intense and ugly. The United States was heavily divided and people had opposing views and ideas during this time, which was shown through writing. Although this was a short period of time, it has greatly impacted literature forever and is still used today. -
"I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman
"I Hear America Singing" written by Walt Whitman is a poem from Whitman's collection of poems: "Leaves of Grass". This poem is a celebration of hard working Americans. Walt uses 'singing' as a metaphor for these hard-working individuals. Different occupations are shown throughout the poem, which expresses the diversity of America. Parallelism is used by Whitman as he introduces each worker and “singing” into the poem. For example “The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam”. -
"The Emancipation Proclamation"
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War's third year. This document made all slaves in the south free: "all persons held as slaves within any state or designated part of a state,....shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free." Confederate states greatly opposed this document, as they wanted their slaves to continue working. Many slaves joined the Union to fight against the states who wanted rights to own them. -
Lincoln Delivers the Gettysburg Address Dedicating a Battlefield
President Abraham Lincoln delivers the "Gettysburg Address" to the American people at the official dedication for the National Cemetery of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, on the site of one of the most brutal battles of the Civil War. This speech became one of the most famous and important speeches in American history. In this speech, he expressed the principles of human equality written in the Declaration of Independence, which have been changed with the existence of slavery. -
The Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad
The transcontinental railroad was a rail line from the east to the west of the United States. This railroad greatly impacted the economy because goods were made and transported in a more efficient way. Products were also made much faster and cheaper. Construction on this project began from two ends and met at a point in the middle. A golden spike was nailed into the railroad as a final spike to complete the railroad. -
"Chicago" by Carl Sandburg
In the poem "Chicago", Sandburg is expressing his city as an intense, proud, hard-working, non-glamorous place through the use of epithets. He describes the city of Chicago as dangerous, but reinforces how proud he is my using the image of laughter. Sandburg also uses apostrophe in this poem by speaking and defending his city. He says “here is a tall bold slugger set vivid against the little soft cities.” The poem represents modernism because he believes and views Chicago differently the most. -
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Modernism
As the "The Great War" ended, the era of Modernism arose. Poetry reflected the change in American life to industrialization and began to challenge conventional ideas. Modernist writers expressed that society was wrong and encouraged people to be unique and have their own views. The phrase "Make it new" by Ezra Pound became a new and popular theme of this time period. This theme inspired many writers to convey ideas of isolation through their writing. -
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World War I
Known as the "Great War", this war was unlike any war fought before. It lasted 4 years, included 32 countries, and killed over 20 million people. WWI had a great impact on literature, as writers such as Wilfred Owen wrote in a new patriotic theme that through poetry expressed war life. Also, it ended the ideas of romantic views of nature, and shifted into modernism. Soldiers also wrote letters to their families back home, which is a form of communication we still use today. -
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The Harlem Renaissance
In 1916, millions of black farmers migrated to the north with hopes of new opportunities. This was called The Great Migration. Many of these African American farmers settled in Harlem, New York City. Harlem became the center of African American culture, art, and literature. Organizations like The Urban League and NAACP promoted and supported African Americans and they published journals which published their writings The Harlem Renaissance came to an end when the Great Depression hit. -
"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
This novel begins when the narrator, Nick receives advice from his father, “whenever you feel like criticizing someone, anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages you’ve had”. This advice causes the narrator to question the purpose and reason for it. Nick lives next to Jay Gatsby who often has big parties, and Nick forms a relationship with him. He learns the passion between Gatsby and Daisy, and this novel explains the consequences love endures. -
"Acquainted With the Night" by Robert Frost
"Acquainted With the Night" by Robert Frost is a modern poem that uses repetition and strong diction. He says “I have been acquainted with the night. I have walked out in rain and back in rain. I have outwalked the furthest city light.” These lines show repetition of the words ‘I have’, which shows he’s done this many times. The tone is very sad and depressed and he uses strong diction to ensure that the reader feels the emotion. Modernism uses free verse, which is demonstrated in this poem. -
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The Great Depression
This event devastated America when the stock market crashed. The Great Depression was the worst economic time period in the modern world. Panic and poverty surrounded the country. Farmers could no longer afford to grow their crops, and were forced to leave them in the fields while people starved. In 1930, terrible droughts in the plains brought extremely high winds and dust that killed people and crops. This was called the “Dust Bowl” and caused many to move to cities in search of work. -
"Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck
"Of Mice and Men" is a novel written by John Steinbeck in 1937. The story takes place in California and is about two workers searching for work during the devastating Great Depression. Steinbeck conveys the idea that dreams shouldn't be dreamed and the people of that time struggled to live up to their American Dream. This novel shows real challenges the characters face to meet their dreams.
