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UNIT 2: A NATION IS BORN American Literature
22

Unit 2: A Nation is born

Feb 17, 2016

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American Literature. Unit 2: A Nation is born. Historical Background. By 1750 there were fourth and fifth generations of Americans. In 1760 – most colonists had not given thought to the prospect of independence. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Page 1: Unit 2: A Nation is born

UNIT 2: A NATION IS BORN

American Literature

Page 2: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Historical Background By 1750 there were fourth and fifth

generations of Americans. In 1760 – most colonists had not given

thought to the prospect of independence. Between 1760 and the mid-1770s attitudes

towards King George III changed dramatically. Parliament in England imposed a number of

regulations that threatened the liberties of the colonists.

Page 3: Unit 2: A Nation is born

The Age of Reason The 18th century is often characterized

as ‘The Enlightenment’ or ‘The Age of Reason.’

Great 17th century thinkers: Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton, Voltaire, Rousseau, and John Locke.

Writers of this time valued reason over faith.Believed in the possibility of a perfect society because man was naturally good, not evil.

Page 4: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Cont. Political writers include Franklin, Paine,

and Jefferson. These writers not only believed in the

philosophy of the time, but put it into practice.

Page 5: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Toward a Clash of Arms The American Revolution was preceded

by the French and Indian War. This was a struggle between England

and France for control of North America. England won and there was joy in the

colonies. However, in order to pay for this war,

the king began to impose taxes in the colonies.

Page 6: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Cont. Stamp Act of 1765: this added a cost to

54 ordinary items. Colonists were outraged-it was

eventually repealed. The Townshend Acts of 1767: taxed

paper, paint, glass, lead, and tea. This prompted the Boston Massacre –

this Act was repealed.

Page 7: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Cont. The Tea Act: gave England a monopoly on the

distribution of tea. This prompted the Boston Tea Party. A full shipment of tea was dumped into the Boston

Harbor. As punishment, the Coercive Acts were passed,

which shut down the Boston Harbor and insisted that English soldiers be housed in colonial homes.

This quickly became known as the Intolerable Acts.

Page 8: Unit 2: A Nation is born

The Shot Heard Round the World April 19, 1775: 700 British troops met

70 colonial minutemen on the Lexington green.

A musket shot was fired and shortly after 8 Americans lay dead.

The troops then headed to Concord. This is the official start of the American

Revolution – “American blood had been spilled on American soil.”

Page 9: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Cont. Battle of Bunker Hill: Americans

wounded over 1000 British soldiers. Most fighting till now took place in

Massachusetts – but the revolt involved all of the colonies.

Two days before Bunker Hill, the Americans named a commander in chief for the American Army – George Washington.

Page 10: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Cont. More than a year passed before the Americans

declared their independence. More than six years passed before the war ended. In 1777 at the battle of Saratoga in upstate New

York, the Americans were surround by the British and 5700 were forced to surrender.

This was a turning point, because upon hearing this in France, they recognized the colonies as a sovereign nation and sent aid in the form of troops.

Page 11: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Cont. The final battle was at Yorktown,

Virginia on October 19, 1781. With the aid of the French and enlisted

African Americans, General George Washington’s army surrounded an 8000 man troop under the force of General Cornwallis.

Seeing that escape was impossible – Cornwallis surrendered.

Page 12: Unit 2: A Nation is born

The New Nation The path to self government is not

always smooth. Articles of Confederation established a

“League of Friendship” There were three main issues with the

AofC: They did not have the ability to raise an army, there was no monetary structure, and there was no ability to raise taxes.

Page 13: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Literature of the PeriodA Time of Crisis: Contrary to the soul searching literature

of the Puritans – Revolutionary writing was public.

By the time of Washington’s inauguration, there were nearly forty magazine publications.

Journalists and printers provided a forum for the expression of ideas.

Topics focused on relations with Great Britain and political writing.

Page 14: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Politics as Literature 1770s and 1780s were very tumultuous

– this time shaped not only our country, but the world.

Patrick Henry was an amazing orator who brought cries of ‘treason!’

His speech to the Virginia Convention expressed rising sentiment for independence. “Give me liberty or give me death!”

Page 15: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Cont. Thomas Paine was perhaps more

influential that any other writer in swaying public opinion.

He wrote a pamphlet in 1776 titled Common Sense, which was written to the common man and swept the colonies, selling 100,000 copies in three months.

Page 16: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Cont. The Declaration of Independence was

first drafted by Thomas Jefferson in June of 1776.

The finished document is the collaborative effort of a committee of five statesmen including Benjamin Franklin.

The Declaration of Independence is one of the most influential political statements ever made.

Page 17: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Cont. The Constitution of the United States,

drafted in 1787 was only hoped to survive a generation.

It is the foundation of a national super power of 50 states, 250 million people, and has only been amended 27 times!

Ratification was not easy though. Delaware ratified it first and one of the last to ratify was New York.

Page 18: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Cont. Alexander Hamilton – who did not particularly

like the Constitution – still wanted it ratified in his home state of New York.

He, along with James Madison, and John Jay, wrote a series of essays titled The Federalist, to persuade New Yorkers to ratify the Constitution.

These essays are recognized as authoritative statements on the principles of American government.

Page 19: Unit 2: A Nation is born

The Cultural Scene Political writing dominated, but it wasn’t

the only form of writing published during this period.

Broadside Ballads were also published: this is a single sheet of paper, printed on one or both sides in verse, that deals with a current topic.

Poets to know are Phillis Wheatly: Born in Africa, brought over as a slave, published in England while still a young woman.

Page 20: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Cont. Michel-Guillaume Crevecoeur: soldier of fortune,

world traveler, and a farmer. He published his impressions of life, from his home

in Orange County New York – Letters from an American Farmer.

Benjamin Franklin – Poor Richard’s Almanack became familiar in most American households.

Popular aphorisms include: No man e’er was glorious, who was not laborious, Little strokes, fell great Oaks, and An Ugly wife makes a great cook

Page 21: Unit 2: A Nation is born

Culture and Art During the revolutionary period America

began to develop an identity of its own. A number of new universities and

colleges were established during this time.

Art and Music also began to flourish.

Page 22: Unit 2: A Nation is born

American Literature at Daybreak By early 1800s America can boast of a

small national body of literature which include writings from the Native Americans, Explorers, Puritans, and Revolutionaries of the Enlightenment.

As the eighteenth century came to a close, the nation stood on the threshold of a territorial and population explosion – unique in the history of the world.