Colonial Period1600-1750
Puritans and Planters
Puritans
Social/Political Climate
• Early settlers not searching for wealth
• Wanted to establish new society and church with available resources and freedom of worship
• Religious law = civil law; laws est. according to biblical law
• Bible is model for life and society
• Religion permeates all aspects of life
• Status in society → position in church
• Seriousness, simplicity, hard work important
• Community judged as whole → brother’s keeper
• Close-knit towns
Social/Political (cont.)
• Brought books from England
• Blame Puritans for school—needed literate population so ministry and church could flourish
• 1647 Mass. Bay Colony required school
• 1636 Harvard U. opened—ministry
Social/Political (cont.)
• Plymouth and Boston—two ‘cities’
• Persecuted→ religious freedom
• God’s chosen people• Visible saints• Example to world→
city on hill• Model society
Social/Political (cont.)
• Wilderness encouraged reliance on individual and community; no one else to help
• New world offered improvement, bright future
• Abundance led to waste• Witchcraft trials led to
decline in strength of church over the state
Religion
• sovereignty of God, all powerful; influences every event in Man’s life
• original sin; driven by nature to do evil deeds• the elect are chosen for salvation to escape
eternal damnation• Predestination→ God grants eternal life to
chosen few• cannot earn grace through good works; must
pray and hope;• Grace is achieved through God’s work on soul→
spiritual self examination
Religion (cont.)
• Sloth is deadly sin = idle hands…..
• Wealth is sign of election and grace
• If you challenge community = opposing God
• Dark side• Bible is vital for
salvation
Characteristic of Literature
• To teach, NOT entertain• Poetry→ spirit. enlighten.• Message important• Writing = works of piety
and religious instruction• Plain, simple, rational
expression• Imagery, similes,
metaphor → detract from purpose; mainly used when taken from bible
Char. of Literature (cont.)
• audience = simple, plain people like farmers and
• More info = better style
• Homey examples and expression that appealed to readers’ experience and understanding
• Drama slow to develop; seen as “chapel of Satan,” corrupts playgoers
Literature and Works
• Anne Bradstreet To My Dear and Loving…
• Edward Taylor Huswifery
• Richard Mather Bay Psalm Book
• Jonathan Edwards Sinners in the Hands…
Southern Planters
Social/Political/Religious
• Less religious• Less rigorous climate,
easier farming• Relatively easy life• Relaxed • Less introspective• Less critical of each other• Lack of common purpose,
beliefs of Puritans
• Gentleman = manners important, public service important
• Plantation society• Settlements spread out,
few neighbors• Plantation is center of
commerce• Many slaves
Characteristics of Literature
• Writing seldom used for teaching
• Mostly journals, chronicles, letters
• Drama performed privately, sometimes challenged as immoral
• Practical writings
Writers and Works
• William Byrd History of the Dividing Line
• John Smith The General History of VA
Influence on today
• Puritan beliefs—work ethic, hard work leads to success—shaped Amer. society and culture
• America as model for rest of world
• How to live, important values to live by still in work of Amer. writers
Influence on Today
• “spirit of place” → wonder and diversity of land
• Concern with land—Frost, Steinbeck
• Concern with religion—Hawthorne to Hemingway
Relationship to Amer. Dream
• Hard work• Frugality• Self-improvement• Self-reliance• ?• ?• ?• ?
Changes that led to next period
• Liberal Protestants arrived and attracted followers
• Great Awakening
• Established societies had less harsh environment
• Discontent against conformity
Next Period
• Revolutionary Period