Unit 1: Elements of Literature

 American Indians pre-date European exploration  (European infiltration; first “literature” of the New World appears)  “Literature” is comprised of journals, diaries, poetry, and narrative captivities)

 No written language  A rich oral tradition  Morality tales and life-lessons passed down from generation to generation  Absence of written language caused “contamination” of tales when Indians and whites interacted  Whites believed that Indians should either be forced to become Christians OR be wiped out.

 Puritans left England in the 1600s after being physically tortured (noses and ears sliced off)  Settled in Holland, but left when their children began acquiring “Dutch” language and customs  Headed to the New World in two ships: the Mayflower and the Speedwell  Speedwell leaked badly and returned to port  The Mayflower mast broke, but was repaired by with an enormous screw that was on board

 Fraught with peril: many were ill  One passenger died and one crew member died  One child was born: Oceanus (lived only about a year)

 Landed at Plymouth Rock in November 1620  Created the Mayflower Compact (signed while on board ship) which outlined how they were to be governed. This document was echoed in the Constitution years later.  Founded Plymouth Plantation  The moral, ethical, and religious beliefs of the Puritans shaped the American culture. To this day, people who are industrious and thrifty are seen as exhibiting the “Puritan ethic.”

 Came to the New World as a religious “pilgrimage,” but they also came as a bold business venture  Puritans viewed wealth as a sign of God’s favor  People in power often held harsh and uncompromising views  Puritans believed that the Bible provided the model for their lives  Puritans favored a “plain” style of writing to bring in new converts

 In 1692, about 150 people in Salem, Massachusetts were accused of witchcraft  Eventually, 20 people were executed, and one person was “pressed” to death  In the 1950s, Arthur Miller’s masterpiece, The Crucible, appears on stage, using the Salem Witch Trials as a way to condemn the “Red Scare”