Early Colonial American Literature 1620-1750

1
Early Colonial American Literature 1620-1750

• Native Americans
• Pilgrims, Puritans, Planters

2
The Pilgrims

• Separatists - wanted to reform the Church of
  England
• Settled in Plymouth, Mass.
• Governor William Bradford

3
The Puritans

• Settled in Massachusetts Bay Colony
• Governor John Winthrop

4
Puritan Literature

• Theological studies
• Poetry
• Sermons
• Hymns
• Histories
• Biographies
• Autobiographies - Spiritual journals
• No fiction or drama - sinful

5
Puritan Beliefs

• Not Separatists but Calvinists (followers of John
  Calvin) who sought to reform the Church of
  England
• Believe that humans exist for glory of God
• Believe in Predestination or Election (belief
  that God chooses who will receive salvation)
• Believe in hard work and self-discipline (Puritan
  Ethic)

6
Puritan Education

• Strong advocates of education for men and women
• Highly literate men and women
• 1636 - founded Harvard to train ministers
• 1647- established free public schools to combat
  ye ould deluder, Satan

7
Puritan Publications

• 1690- published New England Primer, a spelling
  and reading book
• Bay Psalm Book - standard hymnal of the time
• 1693 - Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil
  Spirits - by Increase Mather about Salem
  witchcraft trials which hanged 19 people as
  witches

8
The Great Awakening

• Religious revivals beginning around 1735 after
  Puritanism began to die out in wake of
  establishment of more liberal Protestant churches
• Famous preachers Johnathan Edwards, Cottan Mather

9
Puritan Style of Writing

• Believed in plain style
• Clear statement should be highest goal
• Regarded ornate style as sign of vanity
  therefore, not pleasing to God