Journal #16 Summarize in your own words the most important information presented in “A Growing Nation.” Break it up into three parts: Explain how America was developing its own national identity during this time. Identify and briefly discuss the first important American writers—who they were, what they wrote and why they were important in the development of American literature. Explain your understanding of Romanticism based on the article.

THE BEGINNINGS OF AMERICAN LITERATURE

The “BIG IDEAS” When and in what ways did AMERICAN literature first begin to differentiate itself from European writing?

The “BIG IDEAS” How did early American literature begin to define what “American” means?

Who were the first influential writers of American literature? The “BIG IDEAS” Who were the first influential writers of American literature? What did they write? Why was their work important? How is it an example of romanticism?

3.0 Literary Response and Analysis 3.5 Analyze recognized works of American Literature representing a variety of genres and traditions: a. Trace the development of American literature from the Colonial period forward. b. Contrast the major periods, themes, styles, and trends, and describe how works by members of different cultures relate to one another in each period. c. Evaluate the philosophical, political, religious, and social influences of the historical period that shaped the characters, plots, and settings.

American Literary Periods (Movements) and their approximate time periods Puritan (1500’s – early 1700’s) Classicism/Rationalism (1700’s – early 1800’s) American Enlightenment / Age of Reason ROMANTICISM (1800’s-1860’s) Transcendentalism (1830’s-1850’s) REALISM (Post Civil War- 1900’s) NATURALISM (late 1800’s-early 1900’s) MODERNISM (Post WWI-1960’s)

3.0 Literary Response and Analysis 3.7 Analyze recognized works of literature from a variety of authors: a. Contrast the major literary forms, techniques, and characteristics of the major literary periods (i.e. Homeric Greek, medieval, romantic, neoclassic, modern). b. Relate literary works and authors to major themes and issues of their eras. c. Evaluate the philosophical, political, religious, and social influences of the historical period that shaped the characters, plots, and settings.

Romanticism Reaction (“revolt”) in literature, art, philosophy, religion and politics against the formality and rigidness of the preceding Rationalist period. “Literature depicting emotional matter in an imaginative form.”

Opposite of Rationalism. Romanticism Opposite of Rationalism.

Romanticism characterized by: Imagination, emotion, freedom from rules

Romanticism characterized by: Subjective ideas (as opposed to objective).

VOCABULARY subjective (adj) - open to individual interpretation objective (adj) – not open to interpretation; determined by fact; only one right or wrong idea/answer/action

Romanticism characterized by: Emphasis on individualism and the worth and quality of the individual life rather than life tied to society’s norms and expectations

Romanticism characterized by: Spontaneity and sharing of personal experiences

Romanticism characterized by: Patriotism and love of country

Romanticism characterized by: Belief that intuition is superior to reason

Romanticism characterized by: Inspiration from nature human connections to nature humans learning from nature love and respect for the uniqueness and beauty of the American landscape