The colonial & early national period (beginnings 1830)

THE COLONIAL & EARLY NATIONAL PERIOD (BEGINNINGS - 1830)

The Colonial and Early National Periods laid the foundations for American literature, starting with the pilgrims. This was all thanks to Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the New World, courtesy of Spain. Following the discovery of the new world, Great Britain sent a settlers over to North America to start colonies, the first being St. Augustine, FL in 1565 and Jamestown, VA in 1607. Little did they know that North America was already inhabited by Native Americans. These tribes had been there for years and their origin myths told great and elaborate stories of creation using common animals and nature, for example “The Earth on Turtle’s Back” as told by the Onondaga. 

• The Colonial and Early National Periods laid the foundations for American literature, starting with the pilgrims. This was all thanks to Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the New World, courtesy of Spain. Following the discovery of the new world, Great Britain sent a settlers over to North America to start colonies, the first being St. Augustine, FL in 1565 and Jamestown, VA in 1607. Little did they know that North America was already inhabited by Native Americans. These tribes had been there for years and their origin myths told great and elaborate stories of creation using common animals and nature, for example “The Earth on Turtle’s Back” as told by the Onondaga. 

As more and more settlers came to North America, they began exploring this unknown world. Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and his men, with the guidance of the Native Americans, explored Texas. They recounted their discoveries to others in their Exploration Narratives. In these letters, they told of the Indians and what they had learned about their culture, of their journey through the wilderness, and their discovery of the Gulf of Mexico. These narratives were the beginning of historical American literature. Puritan influence was great in early colonial life. Puritans valued religion, hard work, and duty above all. Puritan Plain Style was the common form of writing at the time. This style used short words, everyday objects, and direct statements. One of the more famous Puritan authors was poet Anne Bradstreet. Her poems reflected emotion, which was uncommonly expressed by Puritans, yet she still wrote using Puritan Plain Style. Another example of Puritan literature is “Huswifery” by Edward Taylor. His work reflected his religion more so than Bradstreet, due to the fact that he continuously penned metaphors about God. Religion has and always will play an important part in American literature and Puritan literature was no exception. Through their works we catch a glimpse of how life was in the early colonies and their style of writing helped mold the way people write today.

• As more and more settlers came to North America, they began exploring this unknown world. Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and his men, with the guidance of the Native Americans, explored Texas. They recounted their discoveries to others in their Exploration Narratives. In these letters, they told of the Indians and what they had learned about their culture, of their journey through the wilderness, and their discovery of the Gulf of Mexico. These narratives were the beginning of historical American literature. Puritan influence was great in early colonial life. Puritans valued religion, hard work, and duty above all. Puritan Plain Style was the common form of writing at the time. This style used short words, everyday objects, and direct statements. One of the more famous Puritan authors was poet Anne Bradstreet. Her poems reflected emotion, which was uncommonly expressed by Puritans, yet she still wrote using Puritan Plain Style. Another example of Puritan literature is “Huswifery” by Edward Taylor. His work reflected his religion more so than Bradstreet, due to the fact that he continuously penned metaphors about God. Religion has and always will play an important part in American literature and Puritan literature was no exception. Through their works we catch a glimpse of how life was in the early colonies and their style of writing helped mold the way people write today.