Unit 1: Beginnings -1750

There are FOUR groups of people that contribute to the beginnings of American literature Native Americans were already inhabiting the U.S. when the first explorers came to our country

IRONY

These explorers soon planted roots in the U.S. and became the first American settlers

IRONY

As more settlers arrived, they brought with them slaves from other lands

Many of the early settlers were religious reformers called Puritans , whose religious faith was evident in the literature of this time

Native Americans: What’s their story? When Christopher Columbus reached America in 1492, several hundred tribes were already here

When Christopher Columbus reached America in 1492,

several hundred tribes were already here

Native Americans: No one knows how they got here or what they had been doing no written record exists

How did they receive the colonists?

The Native Americans greeted the European settlers as friends

The Native Americans greeted the European settlers as friends

How did they receive the colonists? If it wasn’t for the Native Americans, many of the settlers would not have survived – particularly during the very difficult winters

How did Native Americans influence American literature? Native Americans are known for their oral tradition – the stories they passed down orally throughout generations

Native Americans are known for their oral tradition

– the stories they passed down orally throughout generations

Their oral performances included myths , stories , poems and songs

As a whole, the Native American oral tradition captured its cultural ideals, which included a reverence for nature

Another important use of these stories was to explain the supernatural (this occurred primarily in myths )

It’s your turn! 1) What are some common themes that you see? 2) Why do you think that the Native American oral tradition is important to the development of American literature? Read page 16: “ World on a Turtle’s Back” 3 sentence response: