What does it mean What does it mean to be Individual?to be Individual?

Puritanism Puritanism and Early and Early AmericaAmerica

(1492 – 1730)(1492 – 1730)

Authors and Works Authors and Works

► Anne Bradstreet – Anne Bradstreet – Upon the Burning of Our Upon the Burning of Our House, July 10, 1666 / To My Dear and House, July 10, 1666 / To My Dear and Loving HusbandLoving Husband

► Jonathan Edwards – Jonathan Edwards – Sinners in the Hands of Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Godan Angry God

►William Bradford – William Bradford – Of Plymouth PlantationOf Plymouth Plantation

ProvidenceProvidence

►NounNoun►Care; prudence; foresightCare; prudence; foresight►Often with capital to signify God and Often with capital to signify God and

God’s caring; “divine providence”God’s caring; “divine providence”►The roofer displayed providence when he The roofer displayed providence when he

put the tarp over the enormous hole put the tarp over the enormous hole when the clouds appeared. when the clouds appeared.

►With God’s providence, we can do With God’s providence, we can do anything. anything.

Northern PuritanismNorthern Puritanism► - 1620 – Pilgrims arrive at Plymouth Rock, Mass. They practice the - 1620 – Pilgrims arrive at Plymouth Rock, Mass. They practice the

Puritan religion.Puritan religion.► - Escape from the Church of England. English authority and - Escape from the Church of England. English authority and

majority.majority.► - The Three Puritan Beliefs (Instruction & Inspiration)- The Three Puritan Beliefs (Instruction & Inspiration)► - - GraceGrace – Cleansing of envy, vanity, and lust allowed – Cleansing of envy, vanity, and lust allowed

individual to individual to achieve spiritual harmony with God. Spent lifetimes achieve spiritual harmony with God. Spent lifetimes searching for searching for “grace”. “grace”. Spiritual AutobiographiesSpiritual Autobiographies – accounts – accounts into those who into those who find “grace” (A Puritan guide)find “grace” (A Puritan guide)

► - - PlainnessPlainness – no ornate cathedrals/stained-glass windows. – no ornate cathedrals/stained-glass windows. Square wooden buildings, painted white or not at all, Square wooden buildings, painted white or not at all,

stripped of stripped of ornament and decoration.ornament and decoration.► - - Divine MissionDivine Mission – America was a place specially – America was a place specially

appointed by appointed by God, and therefore Puritans believed it was their God, and therefore Puritans believed it was their mission to spread mission to spread the word of God in the New World.the word of God in the New World.

► Puritanism, as a way of life, lasted only about a century in Puritanism, as a way of life, lasted only about a century in America.America.

► - Due to Age of Reason and lack of faith in strict religions.- Due to Age of Reason and lack of faith in strict religions.► - 1740’s – Great Awakening – revival of Puritanism but - 1740’s – Great Awakening – revival of Puritanism but

short lived.short lived.

Individual or Society?Individual or Society?► Individual in Puritan SocietyIndividual in Puritan Society► -- Defined according to religion. (Puritan – Defined according to religion. (Puritan –

North & Church of England – South)North & Church of England – South)► - Individualism and free expression of - Individualism and free expression of

thoughts suppressed for the “greater good”. thoughts suppressed for the “greater good”. Thoughts and actions prescribed according Thoughts and actions prescribed according to tradition & religion. to tradition & religion.

► - Work for the betterment of society. - Work for the betterment of society. ► - Was the individual completely suppressed - Was the individual completely suppressed

during these times? How could one still during these times? How could one still maintain a sense of individuality while maintain a sense of individuality while adhering to the traditions/beliefs carried adhering to the traditions/beliefs carried over from Europe?over from Europe?

Anne Bradstreet Anne Bradstreet (1612 – 1672)(1612 – 1672)

► First North American woman to publish a book of poems and First North American woman to publish a book of poems and she is a Puritan WOMAN.she is a Puritan WOMAN.

► Women writers? Yea right!Women writers? Yea right! - Step outside their appropriate sphere. - Step outside their appropriate sphere. - Frequently faced social censure. Reverend Thomas Parker to - Frequently faced social censure. Reverend Thomas Parker to

to his sister in England:“Your printing of a book, beyond the to his sister in England:“Your printing of a book, beyond the custom of your sex, doth rankly smell” (1650)custom of your sex, doth rankly smell” (1650)

- Crushing workloads and lack of writing time- Crushing workloads and lack of writing time - Unequal access to education. However, Bradstreet received - Unequal access to education. However, Bradstreet received

extensive education, came from a influential, well-to-do extensive education, came from a influential, well-to-do family, but did not help her out with public support.family, but did not help her out with public support.

► Themes Themes - culture and nature, spirituality and theology, faith and doubt, - culture and nature, spirituality and theology, faith and doubt, family, death, history.family, death, history.

Bradstreet Form, Style, Artistic Bradstreet Form, Style, Artistic Convention & AudienceConvention & Audience

► Puritan plain stylePuritan plain style-Simplicity, accessibility, and genre of tragedy, epic events, -Simplicity, accessibility, and genre of tragedy, epic events, and devotion, unity with the divine.and devotion, unity with the divine.

““Thy love is such I can no way repay. Thy love is such I can no way repay. The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray. “The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray. “

How do you think Bradstreet’s poems compared with women of this time? Of men? With the general Puritan society?

How well do her themes travel across time?

What elements seem to connect to contemporary concerns?

What fails to relate? Why?

Willie B.Willie B.

► William BradfordWilliam Bradford Born:Born: Mar-1590 Mar-1590Birthplace:Birthplace: Austerfield, Yorkshire, England Austerfield, Yorkshire, EnglandDied:Died: 9-May-1657 9-May-1657Location of death:Location of death: Plymouth, MA Plymouth, MAPush Broom: Push Broom: refined politicianrefined politician

► Gender:Gender: Male MaleReligion:Religion: Protestant ProtestantRace or Ethnicity:Race or Ethnicity: White WhiteOccupation:Occupation: Religion Religion

► Executive summary:Executive summary: Governor of Plymouth Governor of Plymouth ColonyColony

William BradfordWilliam Bradford

► Being thus passed the vast ocean, and a sea of Being thus passed the vast ocean, and a sea of troubles...they had now no friends to welcome them troubles...they had now no friends to welcome them nor inns to entertain or refresh their weatherbeaten nor inns to entertain or refresh their weatherbeaten bodies; no houses or much less towns to repair to, to bodies; no houses or much less towns to repair to, to seek for succor...savage barbarians...were readier to seek for succor...savage barbarians...were readier to fill their sides with arrows than otherwise. And for the fill their sides with arrows than otherwise. And for the reason it was winter, and they that know the winters of reason it was winter, and they that know the winters of that country know them to be sharp and violent, and that country know them to be sharp and violent, and subject to cruel and fierce storms...all stand upon them subject to cruel and fierce storms...all stand upon them with a weatherbeaten face, and the whole country, full with a weatherbeaten face, and the whole country, full of woods and thickets, represented a wild and savage of woods and thickets, represented a wild and savage hue. hue.

What does this passage reveal about the Pilgrim’s new beginnings in the New World? How would you react to this if you were planning to take a trip over to America?

Of Plymouth PlantationOf Plymouth Plantation

►3 separate passages dealing with the 3 separate passages dealing with the journey to America, surviving the journey to America, surviving the harsh winter, and the relationship with harsh winter, and the relationship with the Native Americans.the Native Americans.

The European Explorer, the The European Explorer, the African Individual, and African Individual, and

SlaverySlavery► - John Smith- John Smith► -drawing logical conclusions based upon written accounts-drawing logical conclusions based upon written accounts► - Goals and aims of Smith’s account. - Goals and aims of Smith’s account. ► - Debunk myths- Debunk myths► - Provide realistic information on conditions/terrain- Provide realistic information on conditions/terrain► - Olaudah Equiano, - Olaudah Equiano, ► -Born 1745 in present day Nigeria. -Born 1745 in present day Nigeria. ► -At 11, sold into slavery, shipped first to Barbados and -At 11, sold into slavery, shipped first to Barbados and

then to then to Virginia. Virginia. ► -Mid 1760’s, bought freedom from Quaker slaveholder-Mid 1760’s, bought freedom from Quaker slaveholder► --The Interesting Narrative…The Interesting Narrative… published in 1789 published in 1789► - literary genre – form or kind of literature. (slave - literary genre – form or kind of literature. (slave

narrative)narrative)► ► What makes Equiano’s personal account of his life as a slave so What makes Equiano’s personal account of his life as a slave so

important to the future abolitionist crusade to end slavery in the important to the future abolitionist crusade to end slavery in the United States? United States?

► (FCA – 3 separate points 12 lines min.)(FCA – 3 separate points 12 lines min.)