1. 1600-1800

2. A huge part of Colonial Lit (and the history of the U.S.) is the concept of power. Who has it? Who doesn’t? Who SHOULD? Writers of the time often focused on this as well as what was important to them.

3. Who owns the land? What makes an explorer? Are people basically good? Who has the right to rule?

4. Been there thousands & thousands of years, not “discovered” 1 st colony = Jamestown 1607 By 1733, all along Atlantic Self-reliance & self-rule desire 1 st colonists = YEAH ENG! FR & Indian War 1759-1763, sent soldiers, help Tax = division Ben Franklin, T. Jefferson, = Dec of Ind & Constit.’n

5. RELIGION – most imp. Puritan settlers 1600s. Sought to purify Church of ENG, simpler way Chosen by God (manifest destiny) John Winthrop Valued hard work, thrift, responsibility = morally good Bad side = inflexible & intolerant. (Witch trials)

6. The Enlightenment (VIDEO!) The Enlightenment 1700s = burst of intellect. Energy in EUR Question everything, basically Pointed to gov’t by ppl. Amer’n colonists adopted Shaped by T. Jefferson, B. Franklin, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry = “give me liberty or give me death!” A Voice from the Times We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. — Thomas Jefferson from the Declaration of Independence

7. Worried Puritan (PUR) values being lost. Jonathan Edwards (preacher) – ppl need to recommit, new wave of enthusiasm Called “First Great Awakening” United colonists 2 = opposites (Enlight & Awak), but same result = QUESTION AUTHORITY

8. More than 300 diff. N.Am cultures w/diff customs, 200 lang’s No written language (Don’t Crush Your Bird!!) Oral traditions: stories told gener’n to gener’n Style: creation stories – how everything came to be, migration history, fairy tales, lyrics, chants, songs, etc. Many lost 90% of ppl

9. 1 st P. accounts Explorers – Christopher Columbus, vivid record 50 yrs later = Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, survivor of expedition. FR & Dutch = Samuel de Champlain Early settlers: letters, reports to friends/fam back home Colonial histories = less focus on descriptive, more on growth of colonies Capt. John Smith – VA & N. Eng William Bradford, John Winthrop Sr, Olaudah Equiano – captured f/African home (diff. viewpoint)

10. Puritan Wife Swap! Writing = useful to them Help u understand Bible Logic, clarity, reason = valued. Sermons & other writings Cotton Mather – witch trials Jonathan Edwards (both PUR) – sermons Scare the ba-jeezers out of you w/speeches “Fire & Brimstone” PUR poetry Anne Bradstreet Edward Taylor Deep faith, love of husband/kids, male-dominated

11. Pamphlets & Propaganda 1763-1783: 2,000 published Cause vs. Britain Common Sense by Thomas Paine T. Jefferson, pamphlets but his #1 = DEC of IND., natural law – ppl born w/rights & freedom B. Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, G. Washington Developed Constitution People: also non-politicians Former slave – Phillis Wheatley – poems/letters Abigail Adams (wife of John) – include rights of women