AMERICA- A Nation of Stories

No single unified story with coherent narrative

Varied voices among one nation

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

PLYMOUTH ROCK

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