Unit 1: A Gathering of voices
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Transcript of Unit 1: A Gathering of voices
UNIT 1:A GATHERING OF VOICES
Literature of Early AmericaBeginnings to 1750
John WinthropGovernor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
“We shall be as a City upon a Hill, the eyes of all people are upon us; so that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken and so cause him to withdraw his present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world.”
So…why should we study American Literature?
Because it’s more than just studying about major American writers.
It’s more than just reading about major literary movements that shaped this nation.
It’s even more than just learning how history and cultural events shaped the writers of the past.
It’s about….
Learning how you feel, how you react, and how you respond to the literary, historical, and cultural movements of yesterday….
It’s about learning how take those events from yesterday and using them to become better men and women…
So that one day you can be the writers, leaders, and great thinkers that our children read, analyze, and write about tomorrow.
Questions for Consideration
Who is an American? What is American literature? When does “American” literature
begin? Who is great and who is not so
great? What forces shaped American
writers?
What is an American? Are Christopher Columbus
and John Smith Americans? Are early Native American
tales American literature? Were the Puritans
Americans? Was Thomas Paine an
American writer?
First Explorers and Settlers Columbus, Smith, early missionaries and
early settlers thought of themselves as Europeans
They thought, wrote, acted, and worked as and for Europeans
Columbus wrote as propaganda, to gain more funding and political backing for his trips
Smith also wrote for propaganda purposes: to gain backing and settlers
When Chris Columbus reached North America in 1492, the continent was already populated by several Native American tribes.
Though unknown when the first Americans came to what is now the United States, Native Americans have been here 30x longer than their European counterparts
What were they doing all that time? No one really knows. What we do know is that they treated the Europeans as friends.
The First Americans
Pilgrims and Puritans – Farmers and Religious Reformers
Small group of Europeans sailed on the Mayflower in 1620.
Religious reformers known as Puritans Became critical of the Church of England Instead of “purifying” within, they chose to
withdraw Established settlement in Plymouth
Massachusetts Believed human beings exist for glory of God and
Predestination Massachusetts Bay Colony founded by religious
reformers – still apart of Church of England
Pg. 7-8
The Southern Planters Southern Colonies differed from New England
colonies Climate, crops, social organization, and religion Prosperous costal cities grew up in the South Beyond the cities lay large plantations Plantation: a large scale agricultural enterprise
and center of commerce 1st Black Slaves were brought to Virginia in 1619
A year before Plymouth Rock By 1750, Puritanism was out and the plantation system
was a way of life.
Pilgrims and Puritans – Farmers and Religious Reformers
An odd melting pot
Literature of the Period
The Melting Potpg. 9-13
Native American Tradition Viewed mainly as folklore 95% oral – no fixed versions
exist Famous orators
Logan and Red Jacket
Explorer’s Accounts Christ Columbus backed by
Queen Isabella set sell in 1492 Wrote his experience in his
Journal of the First Voyage to America
Southern Writers John Smith
Wrote The General History of Virginia
John Byrd The History of the
Dividing LIne
The Puritans Writing dominated Puritan’s
life Consisted of theological
studies, hymns, and histories Anne Bradstreet and Edward
Taylor
Names and Terms to Knowpg. 3
Christopher Columbus
Massachusetts Bay Colony
Anne Bradstreet Native
Americans
The Great Awakening
Edward Taylor Puritans and
Pilgrims Explorers’
Accounts John Smith
Important Dates to Rememberp. 4-5
1492 Christopher Columbus lands in the Bahamas
1565 1st permanent settlement in U.S. established in
Florida by Pedro Menendez 1586
English Colony at Roanoke Island disappears; known as the Lost Colony
1590 Iroquois Confederacy established to stop
warfare among the Five Nations
Important Dates to Remember….Pg. 4-5 1607
1st permanent English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia 1619
1st Black Slaves brought to Virginia 1636
Harvard College founded in Massachusetts 1639
First printing press in English-speaking N. America arrives in Massachusetts
1692 Salem witchcraft trials result in execution of 20 people
1741 Great Awakening, a series of religious revivals begins to
sweep the colonies
Are you still with me? Name 3 key developments in colonial
life? Founding of Harvard University First permanent English settlement First printing press
What was the cause of the of executions in 1692 People were convicted of witchcraft
Born in Chicago, Susan Power was greatly influenced by parents representing two distinct cultures. Her mother: Native American. Her father: A descendent of the New Hampshire governor of the Civil War.
Susan Power – Native American Writer and Poet
The Earth on Turtle’s Back - OnondagaWhen Grizzlies Walked Upright - Modocfrom The Navajo Origin Legend – Navajofrom The Iroquois Constitution - IroquoisMuseum Indians – Susan PowersA Journey Through Texas
What we’ll be reading
About: Early Native American Literature Background
There were more than 2000 independent tribes of about one million natives, living here for about 2000 years already.
They spoke 500 different languages from 50 different language groups. But, no Indian tribes had a written language until Sequoyah invented a syllabary for the Cherokees in 1821.
Different tribes had different literary tastes. The Sious preferred war tales; the Ojibwas preferred stories about sex; and the Menominis liked tales of the supernatural.
The Oral Tradition Links the Past with the Present
Styles of Native American Writings
The Art of Storytelling….How Native American retold History Through Song
Dakota Indians at a chief’s funeral would sing the life and accomplishments at the chief’s funeral
Sacred Symbols on Tanned Hides Literary religious scriptures were placed on tanned hides or
stone tablets to ensure customs and religious traditions Winter Count
Indian version of a history book Tanned buffalo hide with symbols, one picture for each year
to represent the most significant event during that year Oral Tradition
Earliest form of American Literature
Native Americans: Two Literary Traditions – 1 Culture
Begins earlier in time Requires language but not
a system of writing Based on memory Includes folklore,
proverbs, and chants Uses strong rhythms and
repetition to help memory Orator can vary
presentation in response to audience
Begins later in time Requires language and
system of writing Based on texts that can
be written, read, & copied
Includes novels, short stories, history books
No variation Materials fixed in a
single version
The Oral Tradition The Written Tradition
Literary Analysis Term: Origin Myths
Origin myths Tradition Stories that recount the origins of
earthly life. Passed down from generation to
generation, Often explain phenomena:
The beginning of human life, The customs and religious rites of a people The creation of natural landmarks Events beyond a people’s control
Reading StrategyRecognize Cultural Details
Literature reflects the culture that produces it. When we read the three Native American
myths there are several cultural details that indicate how the Native Americans lived as well as what they valued.
When you read, you need to begin to pay attention to cultural details: References to objects, animals, or practices that
signal how people live, think, or worship You do this to gain insight into their culture