1. American Literature: Beginnings and The Colonial Period

2. Native Americans  Oral tradition  Explored common themes, such as reverence for nature and the worship of many gods  Rich and diverse folklore

3. Effect of Colonialism on Native Americans  Near 90 % died due to exposure to European diseases  Land wars  Oppression

4. Literature of the Explorers letters, journals, and books emphasizing America’s abundant resources, the hospitality of the inhabitants, and the promise of unlimited wealth & gold Wanted to increase expeditions and funding

5. The Puritans Arrive  First group arrived in 1620— led by William Bradford  **In many respects, American character has been shaped by the moral, ethical, and religious convictions of the Puritans.

6. What is a Puritan?  Puritan refers to a number of Protestant groups that sought to “purify” the Church of England  Came to America because they suffered persecution in England—jailed, whipped, noses and ears cut

7. The Puritan Purpose wished to return to simpler forms of worship and church organization religion was a personal inner experience did not believe that clergy or government should act as intermediary between the individual and God

8. Puritan Beliefs: Sinners All?  Strong belief in Original Sin & the resulting damnation  Believed outward behavior indicated inner soul & its capacity to be saved  **Puritan Values Self-reliance Industriousness Temperance Simplicity

9. Puritan Politics  a covenant, or contract, between God and humanity  Mayflower Compact outlined a contract of government  Little room for compromise

10. Salem Witchcraft Trials  1691-1692  all started with daughter and niece of Rev. Parris— the two girls dabbled in witchcraft and became ill—blamed many people in town—150 were imprisoned, 19 killed  Mass hysteria and paranoia

11. The Bible in Puritan America  Trained to see life as a pilgrimage to salvation  Believed the Bible was the literal word of God  Great emphasis on education…to better read the Bible

12. Puritan Writing  Purpose of Puritan writing is to record the workings of God Allusions  Plain style  Diaries, Journals, etc.

13. Our Objectives  To understand the impact of Puritan beliefs on our modern culture  To understand Puritan writing as the origins of American literature  To analyze how personal beliefs impact the voice and purpose of a piece of literature  To examine elements of language that are manipulated for an audience