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 Welcome to the wiki for History of American Literature IOur purpose in reading, discussing, and writing about the selected texts is to develop a greater understanding of the changes that occur in American Literature from the time of the English settlements to the outbreak of the American Civil War. We will consider how these changes reflect the interrelationship between American culture and American literature and analyze the ways in which American authors and poets sustain, evaluate, and critique the values that shape their world and the individual experiences about which they write. Course Goals: This course provides a survey of American Literature from 1600 to 1865. We will focus on the following major goals for the semester: 1. To explore the concept of the Errand into the Wilderness and how it functions in early American literature. We will consider how it continues to influence American thinking into the 19th century, creating a foundation for the ideology of conquest and empire articulated by the phrase “Manifest Destiny.” 2. To consider the significance of the “inner life” to Puritan settlers and trace how it remains a central concern of American consciousness throughout the period we study. 3. To examine attitudes toward nature as they evolve from the time of settlement to the mid nineteenth century. We will note contrasts between Native American and English attitudes, particularly around the concept of private property and inquire how the concepts of ownership and stewardship affect attitudes toward the natural environment. 4. To follow the changes that emerge during the transition from a “British” to an “American” sensibility from the period of the Revolution through the early nineteenth century. We will also consider how ideals of equality expressed during the revolutionary period sustain the quest for women’s rights. 5. To wrestle with the implications of slavery and indentured servitude in American culture and the conflicts that emerge as abolition of slavery becomes a major social movement and moral cause. 6. To investigate how the industrial revolution brings about profound transformations within the culture and intensifies issues of class difference. The links below will take you to pages that have study questions and other resources (even a few cartoons) to help you with the materials we will explore. Right now there are no discussion questions posted.  AmLit I FA 2008 Syll.docResources for 17th Century Material Resources for 18th Century Material Resources for 19th Century Material |
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