1. American Revolution 1750-1800

2. History A.England wanted control of government for colonies in New World. 1.Imposed several types of taxes to help pay for debts. B.Led to Revolutionary War, Boston Tea Party.

3. History C. (Americans) decided they needed to have a new government. 1.Humanity, reason and justice would prevail. 2.Colonies joined and created a document to present to England. First political cartoon by Ben Franklin in 1754. He was encouraging the American Colonies to unite.

4. History D. Creation of Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776. 1.America declared a new country -- at war with England. 2.British surrender to George Washington in 1781.

5. Boston Tea Party, 1773. Declaration of Independence signed, 1776. Ben Franklin convinced men to sign the Constitution, 1787. Revolu- tionary. War ended, 1781 A Timeline of History during the Revolutionary Period

6. Literature The Age of Reason

7. Literature – The Age of Reason A.Writing is based on practical nature, which urges social and political reform. 1.Pamphlets, essays, written speeches, letters and non-fiction written expectations for the new nation. 2.Emphasis is on reason over emotion. Society over nature.

8. Literature – The Age of Reason B. Notable Authors 1. Benjamin Franklin--- Autobiography --moral perfection

9. 2. Thomas Jefferson- Declaration of Independence

10. 3. Thomas Paine- pamphlet, Common Sense

11. Romantics 1800-1855

12. Romantics A.Colonies are now a nation, 23 states-expanding rapidly. 1.1803 Louisiana Purchase. 2.War of 1812 against Britain opened up more land a. By 1820, moving west and claiming land for civilization. b. Native Americans struggled to hold on to land.

13. Romantics: Literature A.Tired of reason and logic, the Romantics wished to examine inner feelings of individuals and their emotions. 1.Emphasis on the unique individual 2.Recognize personal intuition over reason 3.Importance of the common people, their lives and experiences.

14. Romantics broke into two categories: Transcendentalists American Gothic

15. Transcendentalists Definition: Stresses spiritual well- being achieved through intellectual activity (meditation) and a close relationship with nature.

16. Transcendentalists A.Beginners of the movement are Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. 1.Disgust for conformity and praised individuality. 2.Search for the inner self. 3.Respect intuition to guide people to a higher level of knowledge-supernatural forces. 4. Close relationship to nature. 5.Criticized material possessions and “get ahead” work ethic.

17. Transcendentalists B. Set up their own transcendentalist farm (Brook Farm) in Massachusetts 1840-1847. 1. Lived from the land, grew food, self-sufficient farm 2. Discussed thoughts and feelings about life with other members of their “ideal” society.

18. Transcendentalist Authors EMERSONTHOREAU

19. American Gothic Definition-Emphasis on the dark side of the individual. Not optimistic like transcendentalists. Interested in emotion, nature, the unusual, and the human capacity for evil.

20. American Gothic A.Edgar Allen Poe 1.Writing deals with the terror of the soul. Deterioration of the mind. 2.Growth of the horror story.

21. American Gothic B. Nathaniel Hawthorne, William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor 1.Writing examines the deterioration of the heart under conditions of fear, greed, vanity, mistrust, and betrayal.

22. Both categories are considered Romantics because of the focus on the individual and their reactions to the world in which they live.