How Did The Cultural Influences And Ideas Of The Age?

Unit 1: Questions of the Times

Early American Writing (1600-1800)
I. Historical Context

A. The Meeting of Two Worlds

Writers wrote content describing the different environment and the Native Americans.
The Native Americans who have lived in early America for tens of thousands of years were making good progress in their communities when the Europeans arrived.
Early writers such as, William Wood and William Bradford, wrote about how the they (Europeans) saw North America and how the Native Americans viewed the land.

B. From Colony to Country

The English started to establish colonies across the Atlantic coast such as Jamestown, the first permanent colony.
The first colonists lived as if they were still in Britain.
Britain protected the

Cultural Influences & Ideas of the Age

A. Puritan Beliefs

Puritans wanted to “purify” the Church of England but they were unwelcome and left America so they wouldn’t die.
Some Puritans decided to stay because they felt as if they were chosen by God to make a change in America.
Progress was being made in America, so they thought it was a sign that God was helping. Although that was happening, Puritans had a strict schedule with their faith and believed that their world perspective was right.

B. The Enlightenment

People started to think who should have power in government, called the Enlightenment.
Political writers help contract the way America should be brought up to.

C. The Great Awakening

Puritan values were decreasing in people’s lives, preachers started the First Great Awakening.
With the First Great Awakening, there were consequences such as both the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening opposed aspect of human experiences. People started to question to follow traditional authority. They decided to embrace democracy.

III. Early American Literature

A. The Native American Experience

There were a lot of different Native American cultures and language, but they one common activity,