Post on 01-Jan-2016
Sources
1 Native Americanpopulation = approximately 300 million, 300+ separate indigenous cultures, 800 languages spoken
mostly oral literature - written lit. doesn’t really appear until colonization occurs
Sources2 Travel writings of explorers
Spanish, Italian, French, English Columbus (1492) Hispaniola Florentine Amerigo Vespucci (S. American coast 1499)
First to publish idea that a new continent had been found - lands were credited to him “America”
Sir Walter Raleigh Roanoke Island, NC (1580’s)= Lost colony - disease, Native American attacks, food shortages, hurricane???
Spaniards explore Florida and the Southwest
Explorers’ Writings Observations recorded by explorers to New World.
Explorers use their journals to raise funds for further exploration.• Cabeza de Vaca provides firsthand accounts of
native life and culture.
Historical Background Native Americans were displaced across the
continent because of the colonists When Europeans came, so did much slaughter
and disease Between 1492 and 1617, Native American population was
reduced 10% of original numbers
Sources
3 Religious Groups
Puritans of New England
1620- Plymouth, Mass. (102)
1630 - Mass. Bay Colony
1633 - Maryland
1636 - Rhode Island
1681 - Pennsylvania
Why leave England? Henry VIII established the Anglican Church,
separated from the Roman Catholic Church control (1534)
Mary I (1556) returns country to Catholicism Elizabeth I (1558) breaks with Rome again James I (1603) moves country back again
To make things brief: Because of the separation of various monarchs from Roman Catholic control, many “protest” religions developed = Protestantism
Religious Indifference Puritans want:
Catholic influence gone To get back to basics To follow only the Christian Bible To destroy the influence of educated priesthood To ban Catholic sacraments/rituals/pagan holidays Ban altars/images/priesthood/covenants
Colonization - Jamestown - 1607 Pilgrims = Separatists moved to Holland in 1608 to practice pure
and unspotted Christianity First British permanent colony= Jamestown, VA - 1607 led by
Captain John Smith Eventually sailed to the colonies with permission from king - agree
to catch fish, dry them, and ship them back to England Purpose- commercial (trade & farming) Many die from famine and disease 1612- tobacco started growing 1619- African slaves brought
Colonization - Plymouth - 1620 Puritans and Pilgrims land at Plymouth, Mass.,
1620 Mayflower (102 passengers) Leader - William Bradford (Puritan) They were supposed to land in VA (under jurisdiction of
London Co. Mayflower Compact- majority rule Many died; Native Americans helped them raise corn and
catch fish Wampanoag leader - Massasoit signed peace treaty with
colonists
Separatists(Pilgrims) and Non-separatists (Puritans) Puritans & pilgrims were members of the Church
of England Puritans – want to purify, not break from Church
of England However, some think Church (and by its
connection with the government of England) is beyond fixing = Separatists
Topics of Colonial American literature
Their voyage to the new land, adapting themselves to unfamiliar climates and crops, dealing with Indians.
They wrote in diaries and in journals. They wrote letters and contracts and government charters and religious and political statements. They wrote about the land which stretched before them. All seemed possible through hard-work and faith.
Pilgrims / Mayflower Passengers Presented plans to British merchants - VA
Co. - got 7,000 pounds to purchase supplies, seeds for crops, tools, and to hire a ship to carry them across the Atlantic
Pilgrims / Mayflower Passengers
Nov. 21st- dropped anchor in Provincetown, MA
Dec. 21st - after an exploratory voyage along Cape Cod, landed & founded Plymouth Colony
William Bradford Of Plymouth Plantation Describes the impact of expanding Europe
on primitive America Helped plant the colony Plymouth in 1620 Governed for 30 years
Holland voyage; voyage of America; founding of Plymouth; slow growth of colony; Indian relations
Plymouth First 2 years- tough; developed economic
system = “The Common Course and Condition” - share whatever you produce (unfair); Result- shortages
Bradford’s plan- larger families get more land; do what you wish
1623- 60 more settlers arrived
Of Plymouth Plantation Written 1630; published 1856 Why did Bradford write?
Posterity Spiritual Reflection Private
Mayflower Compact - first recorded document of colonial self-govt.
Divine Intervention - Ch. 9 Haughty sailor’s death Fixing the main’s beam Winds Dangerous shoals and roaring breakers
First Impressions of New World- Ch. 9 No friends; no inns; barbarians showed little kindness; Winter; Only saw a hideous and desolate
wilderness Full of thickets
What would they be looking for in establishing a new settlement? 1st expedition - on foot, followed Indians, found
river, Indian food, returned for shallop 2nd expedition - return to river in shallop, find
Indian corn/beans, but not a deep harbor 3rd expedition - by shallop- storm forced them to
an island; end of declaring this was the best place they could find
Chapter 11 Sickness and disease take over; “The
Chosen” were not infected Some sailors wouldn’t help comrades Sailors acknowledge Christian people /actions Indians steal Samoset / Squanto / Massasoit- peace treaty
Puritans of Mass. Bay Colony Required by law to attend church (no religious
freedom) Laws restricted games, drinking, strolling, and
dancing on Sabbath Day Lawbreakers help up to public ridicule in stocks or
on pillory Believed education was essential to read and
understand the Bible and God’s teachings
1630- Mass. Bay Colony 900 colonists settled with the aid of Plymouth and
Native American neighbors Charted by King Charles - Puritans - those who
sought to purify or reform the church of England but did NOT want to separate
Governor John Winthrop wanted to create a “city upon a hill”
Colony was a theocracy - government by a god
Puritans of Mass. Bay Colony Arrive with food, clothing, tools, livestock Colonists included educated ministers,
wealthy merchants, landowners, farmers, artisans
Lived under watchful eye and scrutiny of church and colony leadership
PURITANS Dedicated to self determination, independence and
freedom, strong tradition of preaching, and thus education Sermons were most popular literary form Mass Bay Colony became cultural center of colonies
Harvard 1636 Colonial Press 1638-9 at Cambridge First printed book 1640 First colonial newspaper published in Boston 1690