Early Colonial American Literature 1620 1750 Native Americans

Early Colonial American Literature 1620 -1750 Native Americans Pilgrims, Puritans, Planters

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

The Puritans • Settled in Massachusetts Bay Colony • Governor John Winthrop

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

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) Ethic

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”

Puritan Publications • 1690 - published New England Primer, 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

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

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