The Colonial and Early National Period---(Beginnings-1830)
Introduction:
The Colonial and Early National Period refers to the era of time from the telling of myths of early Native Americans, to the rhetorical speeches and autobiographies of the forefathers of America. Early Native American tribes, such as the Navajo, Onandaga, and Modoc, had each composed their own set of myths that were orally passed down through their lineage. These myths collectively can be defined as the first set of literature in North America.
Christopher Columbus sailed from Europe and landed in the Bahamas in 1492. This discovery of the "New World" sparked an age of exploration in Europe and as explorers came to the new world, in search of mainly prestige or riches, they recorded their adventures in what are called exploration narratives. Notable explorers such as de Vaca and de Cardenas recorded accounts of their exploration of the new territories that was coined to be America, after Vespucci.
By the late 16th and early 17th century, Europeans began populating America. In 1620, the Mayflower landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts and the Puritans, a group a religious reformers who tried to "purify" the church of England, set foot in America. The Puritans felt that they had a better chance setting up a new church in America to act as an example to England. The Puritans believed in hard work, modesty, and religious devotion and it was shown through the literature that they wrote. Their style, Puritan Plain Style, is characterized to be short and direct. They wrote only either to edify, or to examine themselves.
As more people settled in America, thirteen colonies of England emerged. England made the colonists prosperous and happy until the end of the 18th century. When the Enlightenment happened, ideas about the relationship between people and their government were introduced. These ideas played a monumental role in the American spirit towards revolution. England began taxing the colonies to pay off their debt in the French and Indian War. This angered the colonists because they had no representation in Parliament and were being heavily subjected to mercantilist policies. Prominent men such as Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Paine stood up in response to the tyrannical rule of England. In giving a series of speeches and writing political documents that would be the basis for their new autonomy, these men were able to unite all of America as one nation in defiance of England in order to gain freedom.
Christopher Columbus sailed from Europe and landed in the Bahamas in 1492. This discovery of the "New World" sparked an age of exploration in Europe and as explorers came to the new world, in search of mainly prestige or riches, they recorded their adventures in what are called exploration narratives. Notable explorers such as de Vaca and de Cardenas recorded accounts of their exploration of the new territories that was coined to be America, after Vespucci.
By the late 16th and early 17th century, Europeans began populating America. In 1620, the Mayflower landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts and the Puritans, a group a religious reformers who tried to "purify" the church of England, set foot in America. The Puritans felt that they had a better chance setting up a new church in America to act as an example to England. The Puritans believed in hard work, modesty, and religious devotion and it was shown through the literature that they wrote. Their style, Puritan Plain Style, is characterized to be short and direct. They wrote only either to edify, or to examine themselves.
As more people settled in America, thirteen colonies of England emerged. England made the colonists prosperous and happy until the end of the 18th century. When the Enlightenment happened, ideas about the relationship between people and their government were introduced. These ideas played a monumental role in the American spirit towards revolution. England began taxing the colonies to pay off their debt in the French and Indian War. This angered the colonists because they had no representation in Parliament and were being heavily subjected to mercantilist policies. Prominent men such as Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Paine stood up in response to the tyrannical rule of England. In giving a series of speeches and writing political documents that would be the basis for their new autonomy, these men were able to unite all of America as one nation in defiance of England in order to gain freedom.
Benjamin Franklin:
Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts. He became a printer apprentice under his father at age twelve and founded the New-England Courant at age fifteen. The New-England Courant was the first independent newspaper in the colonies. When he became seventeen years old, he ran away to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and worked for several printer shops. In 1728, he founded the Pennsylvania Gazette and five years later, Poor Richard's Almanack. Both the Gazette and the Almanack brought him wealth and fame.
Benjamin Franklin was also successful as an inventor. He had a major influence in the field of demography and discovered that Americans had the fastest population growth rate in the 1730's and 1740's. Franklin also studied Atlantic Ocean currents and charted and codified the Gulf Stream. His Gulf Stream chart was published in England, but was completely ignored there. He also dabbled in meteorology and deduced that storms do not always travel in the direction of the prevailing wind.
Franklin had a very large role in the field of electricity. He was the first to discover the conservation of charge and was also the first to label "vitreous" and "resinous" electricity as positive and negative electricity respectively. He was also able to discover that lightning was electricity via his key on the kite experiment. He invented the lightning rod and even received the Royal Society's Copley Medal in recognition for his work in the field of electricity.
Ben Franklin actively took part in public affairs also. In 1727, Ben created the "Junto", a group of men who sought to improve themselves and also their community. The group inspired other organizations to form throughout Philadelphia. In 1736, he created one of the first volunteer firefighting companies in America. He also printed paper money for New Jersey and was a huge advocate for paper money throughout his career. In 1743, he created the American Philosophical Society so that science enthusiasts in the nation could communicate their findings with one another. He also drafted the plans for The Academy and College of Philadelphia and helped establish the first hospital in America. In 1753, both Harvard and Yale University awarded him honorary degrees.
Ben also held an active role in foreign affairs for America. During the Revolutionary War era, he became the leading spokesman for American interests in England. Georgia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts appointed him as their agent to the crown. He made a testimony to the House of Commons for America's dissent of the Stamp Act and his testimony led to the repealing of it. Franklin co-authored the first treaty of friendship between America and Germany and also received much notoriety in France, on account of his work with electricity, allowing him to serve as the United States of America's first minister to France.
When Franklin got back to Philadelphia in 1775, he was quickly chosen as Pennsylvania's delegate to the Second Continental Congress, where he was appointed as one of the five to draft the Declaration of Independence. By the end of his career, he was a distinguished printer, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, statesman, and diplomat. He earned the title "The First American" for his tireless efforts for colonial unity and for being the first American
Success story.
Benjamin Franklin was also successful as an inventor. He had a major influence in the field of demography and discovered that Americans had the fastest population growth rate in the 1730's and 1740's. Franklin also studied Atlantic Ocean currents and charted and codified the Gulf Stream. His Gulf Stream chart was published in England, but was completely ignored there. He also dabbled in meteorology and deduced that storms do not always travel in the direction of the prevailing wind.
Franklin had a very large role in the field of electricity. He was the first to discover the conservation of charge and was also the first to label "vitreous" and "resinous" electricity as positive and negative electricity respectively. He was also able to discover that lightning was electricity via his key on the kite experiment. He invented the lightning rod and even received the Royal Society's Copley Medal in recognition for his work in the field of electricity.
Ben Franklin actively took part in public affairs also. In 1727, Ben created the "Junto", a group of men who sought to improve themselves and also their community. The group inspired other organizations to form throughout Philadelphia. In 1736, he created one of the first volunteer firefighting companies in America. He also printed paper money for New Jersey and was a huge advocate for paper money throughout his career. In 1743, he created the American Philosophical Society so that science enthusiasts in the nation could communicate their findings with one another. He also drafted the plans for The Academy and College of Philadelphia and helped establish the first hospital in America. In 1753, both Harvard and Yale University awarded him honorary degrees.
Ben also held an active role in foreign affairs for America. During the Revolutionary War era, he became the leading spokesman for American interests in England. Georgia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts appointed him as their agent to the crown. He made a testimony to the House of Commons for America's dissent of the Stamp Act and his testimony led to the repealing of it. Franklin co-authored the first treaty of friendship between America and Germany and also received much notoriety in France, on account of his work with electricity, allowing him to serve as the United States of America's first minister to France.
When Franklin got back to Philadelphia in 1775, he was quickly chosen as Pennsylvania's delegate to the Second Continental Congress, where he was appointed as one of the five to draft the Declaration of Independence. By the end of his career, he was a distinguished printer, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, statesman, and diplomat. He earned the title "The First American" for his tireless efforts for colonial unity and for being the first American
Success story.
Literary Themes:
During the colonial and early national period, there were several reoccurring literary themes reflected in the literature of the time period. After America was settled by the English, and had been multiple colonies of England for several decade, the works of famous orators and authors began to call for unity and liberty. Men like Benjamin Franklin gave speeches and wrote in order to encourage unity throughout the colonies of America. Ben Franklin said "We must all hang together, or assuredly we will hang separately." Thomas Paine and Patrick Henry both wrote in order to show their fellowmen the urgency of the need to break free from the tyranny of England and gain liberty. Thomas Jefferson was responsible for drafting the Declaration of Independence as America made unequivocal their desire to be free from England. It was these themes of liberty and unity that helped shape the foundation of America: ". . .united under God. . ." and ". . . the land of the free. . . ."
Key Authors:
- The Onondaga: Tellers of "The Earth on Turtle's Back"
- The Modoc: Tellers of "When Grizzlies Walked Upright"
- The Navajo: Tellers of "The Navajo Origin Legend"
- Christopher Columbus: Author of The Four Voyages
- Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca: Author of A Journey Through Texas
- Garcia Lopez de Cardenas: Author of Boulders Taller Than the Great Tower of Seville
- William Bradford: Author of Of Plymouth Plantation
- Anne Bradstreet: Author of "To My Dear and Loving Husband" , "By Night When Others Soundly Slept" , "Here Follows Some Verses Upon the Burning of our House"
- Edward Taylor: Author of "Huswifery", "The Joy of Church Fellowship Rightly Attended", "Upon a Spider Catching a Fly"
- Jonathan Edwards: Author of "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", "Freedom of Will", "The Nature of True Virtue"
- Patrick Henry: Author of "Speech in the Virginia Convention", "Shall Liberty of Empire be Sought?"
- Benjamin Franklin: Author of "Speech in the Convention", The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin,"Poor Richard's Almanack","Join, or Die"
- Thomas Jefferson: Author of The Declaration of Independence
- Thomas Paine: Author of "The American Crisis","Common Sense","The Rights of Man", "Age of Reason"
- Phillis Wheatley: Author of "To His Excellency George Washington","A Rebus","Ode to Neptune"
- Olaudah Equiano: Author of The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano"
- John Adams: Author of "The Works of John Adams","Diary and Autobiography","The Political Writings of John Adams"
- Abigail Adams: Author of "My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams"