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Early American/Crucible
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The establishment of Jamestown
Jamestown was established as the first colony in the New World. It was established in 1608, which embraced many of the beliefs from this time period. The main beliefs from this time period were that explorers seeking gold and converting people to Christianity. It was also a time of religious reform for people to escape persecution. -
Native American "literature"
The Native Americans did not write anything down but instead entrusted stories to the younger generation with memory and experience. It is called oral tradition which was a big part of Native American culture and how they told stories. This in it's own can be considered a major story. Most of their literature were stories about their gods that helped teach a lesson so people could use it in their own lives. Much of the stories did not survive as most of their population was killed off. -
Johnathan Edwards
Edwards was one of the early Puritan writers who wrote about how God had all the power and could kill them in a second. This was one of the main literary themes for the Puritans was about God and how we have wronged Him, but he still gives a chance to live. Edwards most famous literary work was "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", which Edward warned us that God has been holding us over the Hellfire and if he let his hand slip we would all burn for an eternity. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian war was a war caused by France teaming up with Native Americans to kick them out of the New World. In turn the British teamed up with a Native American tribe and defeated the French. -
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Romanticism
Romanticism was about finding the beauty of the individual. Writers throughout this time period were trying to find the complexity of themselves and learn more about human nature as a whole. They struggled to make sense of society so they wrote about it. -
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution changed America from a agricultural country to a more industrious one. Many people left their farms to go find jobs at factories. Writers reacted to all the chaos by trying to turn to the simplicity of nature instead of the chaotic revolution. -
William Cullen Bryant
Bryant wrote one of the first poems to take the step towards Romanticism literature it was called "Thanatopsis". Bryant followed the major trends of English writers by writing about nature which was what "Thanatopsis" was about. The theme of Romantic literature was to write about nature and simplicity but also celebrating the individual. -
Slavery
From 1790-1860 the agricultural production increased greatly to the point where the enslaved number of people was growing at an alarming rate. The Romantic writers started to write about the abolition of slavery and people formed groups, spoke at conventions and much more. Eventually their actions were heard when the Emancipation Proclamation was announced. -
James Fenimore Cooper
Cooper wrote the first original American novel. His book was called "The Leatherstocking Tales" and it set a basis for all the other truly American novels to come. These early Romantic writers were pioneers for the future of this literature. -
Walt Whitman
Whitman wrote about poems from a sad plight of view which was realistic. Most of the literature written during this time was realistic and looked to the straight facts and nothing else. It wanted to portray life as it really is and not something fake. Whitman wrote many different poems that showed, but Whitman mostly used free verse in his most famous book "Leaves of Grass". -
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Realism
Realism is denoted as showing the reality of life especially to those in the middle class. It goes against Romanticism and instead of studying these documents, they are looking at life straight and the reality around them. This arose during the Civil War era and fueled the war to happen in the first place. -
Emily Dickinson
Dickinson was also a famous literary figure during the Realism times. She was a woman which put even more of an disadvantage on her thought according to others. Dickinson and Whitman were 2 different writers, as Dickinson wrote in a shy and reclusive matter. She was not fully appreciated until she died, but her poems helped break out this type of literature to the world. -
The Start of the Civil War
When Abraham Lincoln was elected and wanted to help put an end to slavery this angered the Southern states so they seceded into the Confederate States of America which started the Civil War. The Romantic Hero vibe was thrown into many people who came to fight for the South and helped to fuel men of all ages to sign up to fight. -
The End of the Civil War
When the Confederates general Robert E. Lee finally surrendered to the Union general Ulysses S. Grant, approximately 618,000 men had died within the war against slavery. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse. -
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Modernism
Modernism was a time during the Harlem Renaissance and as idea shifted during a economic depression and a world war. Traditional values shifted out of view and people all around America searched for the new truth in a ever changing world. -
World War I
This was one of the most influential forces for writers in the early 20th century. The war started in 1914 and ended in 1918, in which 20 million people died. Old ideals were destroyed and new ideas brought to light which showed many different literary figures to arise. The war signaled an end to idealism and opened to many other different ideas. -
Edgar Lee Masters
Masters was one of the first poets during the modern age. During this time most of the literature was based around how their was rapid industrialization and urbanization which made the Americans feel that the social order around them was crumbling. The literary work looked at the individuality during this time and how we responded to the crisis. Masters is famous for his work "Spoon River Anthology" in which he talks about his concerns about shifting to an industrialized society. -
The Roaring Twenties
Many people who wanted to escape the war life looked to entertainment as an escape. During this time many people started to spend money on leisure activities because of rising incomes. Many young people started to rebel against the old ways and experimented with new clothes and music styles -
Modernist Writers
Modernist writers arose during this time as a direct response to the social and intellectual forces shaping them. Most of the writers lived in Europe and has WWI affect them in a way which they expressed in their writings. Many writers including Ezra Pound found their own voice and encouraged others to break free of the old style of writing to find their own individualistic style.
