1. Historical Background
A Gathering of Voices: The Literature of Early America (Beginnings to 1750)
Historical Background

2. Native Americans Widely dispersed tribes
Differed greatly in government, social organization, language, customs, housing, etc.
Oral language only
History studied through artifacts and songs, myths, legends

3. Native Americans Usually greeted early European settlers as friends
Instructed new settlers on North American agriculture and woodcraft
Introduced corn, beans, squash, maple sugar, snowshoes, toboggans, canoes
Many more settlers would have perished without the aid of Native Americans

4. Pilgrims Mayflower sailed from England in 1620
Critical of Church of England
Separatists also known as Pilgrims
Settled in Plymouth, MA
Small colony later engulfed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony

5. Puritans Founders of Massachusetts Bay Colony
Wanted to reform the Church of England from within
Goal=to establish a “city upon a hill”—a model community guided by the Bible

6. Puritan Beliefs Humans exist for the glory of God.
Bible--the sole expression of God’s will.
Predestination—God has already decided who will achieve salvation BUT salvation cannot be taken for granted
Good can be accomplished only through hard work & self-discipline (the Puritan ethic)

7. Puritan Ideals
Hard work
Frugality
Self-improvement
Self-reliance

8. The Rise of the Protestant Movement
Puritanism declined in early 1700’s
More liberal Protestant churches gained a following
Around 1720—Great Awakening—religious revival—converted many to Protestant denominations but did not revive Puritanism

9. The Southern Region
Differed from New England in climate, crops, social organization, & religion
Coastal cities and large plantations (not small farms)

10. Plantation Life Large scale agricultural enterprise Center of commerce
Up to 1000 people might live/work on a single plantation
First black slaves=1619 in Virginia (before the Mayflower landed)
Plantation owners—members of Church of England

11. Plantation Life Plantation owners saw themselves as aristocrats
Shared work ethic and ideals of Puritans in many ways
Life was more social and elegant, however.
1750—Puritanism declining, plantation system peaking