A Gathering of Voices Literature of Early America Beginnings to 1800 Unit 1 A Gathering of Voices Literature of Early America Beginnings to 1800

Snapshot of the Period In 1492 (Columbus) America was populated by several hundred Native American tribes Used Bering Land Bridge from Asia Spoke several different languages Referred to as “Indians” by Europeans By 1699 European colonies were spread along east coast and some as far west as New Mexico. In 1776, 13 colonies declared independence

Peoples of North America The map on page 3 shows Native American tribe locations and influx of settlers Spanish – Florida, California, Texas French – Maine and Gulf of Mexico Dutch – New York and Delaware English – Virginia, New England, Pennsylvania

Historical Beginnings First Americans – unknown arrival (possibly 12000+ years ago. Rich cultural presence Oral literature – myths, legends, songs First settlers learned agriculture and woodworking from natives Corn, squash, canoes First settlers probably wouldn’t have survived without help of natives

Pilgrims, Puritans, and Planters 1620 – Mayflower lands in Plymouth, Massachusetts Reformers who tried to purify Church of England Initially referred to as Puritans, but were called Pilgrims in the New World 1720 – Puritanism had declined, but Great Awakening brings new converts (only hard work and self-reliance though) Southern Colonies – different crops, climate, and religion Plantations 1619 – slaves first brought to Virginia

Creating a Nation Europeans wanted to create a “city upon a hill” – an ideal community founded on moral and religious values What would they think of modern times? Colonists were assisted by the Native Americans and created small farms and plantations The Enlightenment shocked Puritan beliefs – idea that people are basically good and can use reason to create a better society

New World Natural Environment Place of Wonder Long shores and sandy beaches with vast forests Mountain ranges and fertile valleys Lots of plants, fish, birds, and animals At one with the place Native Americans believed people belonged to the land Lands, waters, and animals were a part of the community

Colonists’ attitudes Dream vs. Reality Independent place and people Dream was to create a theocracy (community governed by religious principles) Reality was starving, cold, disease, and animals Independent place and people 18th C. Europeans had firm foothold in America Built towns, roads, and churches Worried less about survival and more about self-government

American Literature Native American – myths and legends People communicate with land, animals, and nature People and nature are in harmony Nature – in particular forests and wild places Played a large role in both physical and symbolic Place and Nation – living here turned Europeans into Americans

American literature Theme – central idea, message, or insight that a literary word reveals Wilderness – insights into the nature and meaning of the wilderness Community – central message that America was a unique combination of community and independence Individualism – self-reliance and individualism are fundamental American values

Roles of American writers Oral poet and historian – Native American – vital role in society (related history and honored heroes) Preacher and lawmaker – wanted to articulate the will of God (made audiences tremble with fear) Autobiographer – wanted to make reader question what should be learned and why something happened

Part 3 - Types of speeches Political – focuses on an issue relating to government or politics Address – formal speech that is prepared for a special occasion Sermon – speech usually based on a scriptural text and is intended to provide religious instruction

Persuasive techniques Persuasion – speech or writing that tries to get the audience to think or act in a certain way Persuasive techniques Logical appeal – builds a well-reasoned argument based on evidence, such as facts, statistics, or expert testimony Emotional appeal – attempts to arouse the audience’s feelings, often by using loaded words that convey strong connotations Ethical appeal – directed at the audience’s sense of morality or values

Rhetorical devices Rhetorical devices – patterns of words and ideas that create emphasis and stir the audience’s emotions Repetition – restating an idea using the same words Restatement – expressing the same idea using different words Parallelism – repeating a grammatical structure Antithesis – using strongly contrasting words, images, or ideas Rhetorical questions – asking questions for effect, not to get answers