This document provides an overview of American literature from the 17th century to the 20th century. It discusses early works like A True Relation of Virginia (1608) and The Bay Psalm Book (1640). Major authors from the 18th century like Benjamin Franklin and the influence of the American Revolution are mentioned. The 19th century section covers writers like Irving, Poe, Cooper, Hawthorne, Whitman, Dickinson and Frost. The 20th century highlights experimentation with form and themes of alienation and transformation in modern American literature.