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Native Americans

2200 B.C.—Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9)

2200 B.C. to 1600 A.D.

1607—Early settlement at Jamestown

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1. Oral literature: epic narratives, creation myths, stories, poems, songs.

2. Use stories to teach moral lessons and convey practical information about the natural world.

3. Deep respect for nature and animals.

4. Cyclical worldview.

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Most of the important crops that are used today in meals and to make different kinds of items or ingredients were originally grown and cultivated by the North American Natives. The types of crops that the North American Natives had grown have a large variety! These include tomatoes, potatoes, sunflowers, plums, gourds, tobacco, and much more. Some of the most important crops they had grown and helped introduce to North America were corn, beans, and squash. They used a practice called the 'three sisters' of agriculture, which is still used today, to effectively grow corn, squash, and beans all together.

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Throughout traditional Native American communities, the well-being of the community mattered more, and everybody played their part. Including women, women would carry as many duties as a man would and most of these communities didn't care much for the stereotype of what women are supposed to do. Women played their part in helping the community and took on very important rules. These women had a role in many important areas. For example, agricultural innovations. Keep in mind, that agriculture was harder to handle because there was no machinery to make planting easier, these women did it all by hand. Women made up a sacred and useful technique called "the three sisters", in which they discovered corn, squash, and beans grew best when they were grown together. This technique is still used today.

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Puritanism and Early Settlement  of First "American" colonies 
1600-1800

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Puritanism and Early Settlement  of First "American" colonies 
1600-1800

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Puritanism and Early Settlement  of First "American" colonies
1600-1800

1507: Early Settlement of the first American colonies -

Jamestown

1692: Salem Witch Trials

1741: Jonathan Edwards "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

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William Bradford
-"Of Plymouth Plantation"

Anne Bradstreet (poetry)

John Edwards
-"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

Edward Taylor
-"Huswifery"

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Though Puritan women played a crucial role in their families, they were still restricted from taking on even bigger roles. Puritan women were expected to be obedient to their husbands, keep the household in order, and raise the children. These women weren't allowed to control any decision-making in the church and were also not allowed to participate in any town meetings. These women were treated poorly in the Puritan life. Married were excluded from taking part in possessing property, business arrangements, or signing contracts.

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The daily life of a Puritan depends on their age and gender, all of the women, men, and even children had a role to play in the family. These Puritan communities were organized intensely, and they made sure everything fell into place. The Puritan children learned how to read using the bible or any other religious texts. Puritans believed that everybody should read the bible, as education is important.

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Puritanism and Early Settlement  of First "American" colonies
1600-1800

1507: Early Settlement of the first American colonies - Jamestown

1692: Salem Witch Trials

1741: Jonathan Edwards "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

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William Bradford
-"Of Plymouth Plantation"

Anne Bradstreet (poetry)

John Edwards
-"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

Edward Taylor
-"Huswifery"

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The Salem Witch Trials happened in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, when people were accused of being witches. It started when a few girls said they were cursed by witchcraft, and they blamed others for it. This caused fear to spread, and many were put on trial. Twenty people were executed, and others were jailed. The trials show how fear and false accusations can lead to unfair punishment.

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The Salem Witch Trials started in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, and lasted about a year. Around 200 people were accused of being witches, and 20 were executed. People believed in witches and thought they worked with the devil, so accusations caused fear. Even things like "spectral evidence," where someone claimed to see a witch’s spirit, were used in the trials. The trials finally stopped when the governor’s wife was accused, and people began to see how unfair they were. Years later, the government apologized for the mistakes.

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Rationalism

"The Age of Reason"

"The Enlightenment"

1607 Early Settlement—Jamestown

1775-1783 Revolutionary War

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1. Mostly comprised of philosophers, scientists, writing speeches and pamphlets

2. Human beings can arrive at truth (God's rules) by using deductive reasoning, rather than relying on the authority of the past, on religious faith, or intuition

Benjamin Franklin
—Autobiography

Patrick Henry
—"Speech to the Virginia Convention"

Thomas Paine
—"The Crisis"

Phyllis Wheatley
—poetry

The Constitution

The Bill of Rights

The Declaration of Independence

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The Revolutionary War (1775-1783) was when the American colonies fought for independence from Britain. Colonists were upset about unfair taxes and British control, which led to the first battles at Lexington and Concord. Important leaders like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson helped guide the colonies, and France also supported the Americans. After years of fighting, the war ended in 1783 with the Treaty of Paris, making the United States its own country. This war inspired people around the world to fight for their own freedom.

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During the Revolutionary War, the American army was mostly made up of everyday people who weren’t well-trained and didn’t have enough supplies. They used surprise attacks to fight the British, who had a stronger army. Women helped by making clothes for soldiers, spying, and sometimes even fighting in disguise. Some African Americans and Native Americans fought too, with some helping the British and others supporting the Americans. One of the toughest times was the winter at Valley Forge in 1777-1778, where George Washington’s army suffered through cold and hunger but became stronger after getting trained.

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Rationalism

"The Age of Reason"

"The Enlightenment"

1775-1783 Revolutionary War

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1. Mostly comprised of philosophers, scientists, writing speeches and pamphlets

2. Human beings can arrive at truth (God's rules) by using deductive reasoning, rather than relying on the authority of the past, on religious faith, or intuition

Benjamin Franklin
—Autobiography

Patrick Henry
—"Speech to the Virginia Convention"

Thomas Paine
—"The Crisis"

Phyllis Wheatley
—poetry

The Constitution

The Bill of Rights

The Declaration of Independence

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"The Age of Reason," or the Enlightenment, was a time in the 1600s and 1700s when people started to focus more on reason, science, and individual rights instead of just following tradition and religion. People like John Locke and Voltaire encouraged ideas about freedom, equality, and democracy. This period led to big changes in politics, science, and how people thought about the world, and it inspired important events like the American and French Revolutions. People believed that by using reason, they could make society better and understand things more clearly.

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During the Age of Reason, many important ideas changed how people thought about society. One key idea was natural rights, which said everyone has the right to life, freedom, and property. This idea influenced the writing of the Declaration of Independence. The scientific method also became popular, encouraging people to experiment and observe to learn about the world. Additionally, thinkers challenged the power of the church and promoted religious tolerance. The Age of Reason also led to the founding of libraries and universities, making knowledge easier to access and encouraging education for everyone.

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Romanticism

Industrialization

1800-1860

The War of 1812
1812-1815

California Gold Rush
(find the date)

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Washington Irving
—"Rip van Winkle"

Emily Dickinson
—poetry

Walt Whitman
—Leaves of Grass

Edgar Allan Poe
—"The Raven"

1. Valued feeling, intuition, idealism, and inductive reasoning.

2. Placed faith in inner experience and the power of the imagination.

3. Shunned the artificiality of civilization and sought unspoiled nature as a path to spirituality.

4. Championed individual freedom and the worth of the individual

5. Saw poetry as the highest expression of the imagination

6. Dark Romantics: used dark and supernatural themes/settings (Gothic style)

Nathaniel Hawthorne
—The Scarlet Letter

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Washington Irving, an early American writer, is famous for his story "Rip Van Winkle." This story shows Romantic ideas like imagination, freedom, and a love for nature. Rip, a man tired of life’s responsibilities, goes into the mountains, falls asleep for 20 years, and wakes up to find the world has changed. The peaceful and mysterious setting shows how Romantic writers found beauty and meaning in nature. Through Rip’s journey, Irving explores the idea of escaping everyday life to find personal freedom and a deeper connection with the world.

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Emily Dickinson was a poet who showed Romantic ideas in her unique poems. She focused on feelings, imagination, and big questions about life, death, and nature. Dickinson believed in being herself and didn’t follow the usual writing styles of her time. Her poems were short but full of meaning, often finding beauty in small, simple things. She showed how poetry can be a powerful way to express deep thoughts and emotions, which was an important idea for Romantic writers.

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American Renaissance Literature, Puritans, or Nathaniel Hawthorne

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American Renaissance Literature, Puritans, or Nathaniel Hawthorne

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The American Renaissance was a time in the 1800s when many great writers created famous works. Authors like Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, and Walt Whitman wrote about important ideas like individuality, emotions, and the human spirit. Nathaniel Hawthorne is well-known for The Scarlet Letter, a story about guilt, sin, and forgiveness in Puritan times. This period helped create a strong American voice in literature, focusing on unique stories and ideas from America’s history and culture.

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American Renaissance Literature, Puritans, or Nathaniel Hawthorne

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American Renaissance Literature, Puritans, or Nathaniel Hawthorne

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The Puritans were a group of people from England who came to America in the 1600s to have religious freedom. They believed in working hard, living simply, and following strict religious rules. Much of their writing was about their faith, living a good life, and their relationship with God. They wrote things like sermons and diaries, which were serious and focused on their beliefs. The Puritans thought it was important for people to think about their lives and try to live in a way that pleased God, which affected early American writing.

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Tupac Shakur was not just a famous rapper but also had some interesting things about his life. In 1995, while in prison, he signed a $3.5 million deal with Death Row Records on a napkin. He also wanted to create a cookbook with recipes from the mothers and grandmothers of famous rappers, with the money going to charity. In 2017, he became the first solo rapper to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, showing how big of an impact he had on music.

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Emily Dickinson, a well-known American poet, had some interesting things about her life. Her family home in Amherst, Massachusetts, is now a museum where visitors can learn more about her. She loved gardening and had a large collection of plants, showing her deep connection to nature. Even though she had many relationships and was inspired by them, Emily never married or had children, which still sparks curiosity among people today. These details help us understand more about the person behind her famous poems.

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Dr. Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, did some really cool things in his life. Before writing children’s books, he worked in advertising and made popular ads for companies like Standard Oil. One of his most famous books, Green Eggs and Ham, was written because his publisher challenged him to use only 50 words, and he made it a hit! He also won big awards, like two Oscars, two Emmys, a Pulitzer Prize, and a Peabody, showing how much people loved his work.

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Realism
1850-1900

Civil War
1861-1865

Reconstruction Era
1865-1877

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Mark Twain
-Huckleberry Finn

Jack London
-Call of the Wild
-"To Build a Fire"

Stephen Crane
-"The Open Boat"

Ambrose Bierce
-"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"

Kate Chopin
-"Story of an Hour"
-The Awakening

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Stephen Crane was an American writer known for his realistic and naturalistic writing style. He was born in 1871 and is best known for his works like The Red Badge of Courage and The Open Boat. Crane was a journalist and a novelist, and he often wrote about human struggles and how people react to tough situations. In The Open Boat, he drew on his own experience surviving a shipwreck, showing how people fight against nature’s power. Crane's writing often focuses on how life can feel random and unfair, and he uses detailed descriptions to show how people deal with the forces around them.

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Kate Chopin was an American writer born in 1850, known for writing stories about women’s lives. Her most famous works are The Story of an Hour and The Awakening. In The Story of an Hour, a woman hears that her husband has died and feels free instead of sad, which shows how women were often controlled by marriage. The Awakening tells the story of Edna, a woman who feels trapped as a wife and mother and wants to find her own freedom. Chopin’s stories challenge the way women were expected to live and think.

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Katherine Anne Porter was an American writer born in 1890, known for her short stories and novels. Her work often focuses on women’s lives, personal struggles, and human emotions. Some of her most famous works include Ship of Fools and Pale Horse, Pale Rider. In her stories, she shows how people deal with suffering and tough situations. Porter’s writing is known for its detail and deep understanding of characters, and she is considered one of the most important American writers of the 20th century.

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Alice Walker is an American author and activist, best known for her novel The Color Purple, which won the Pulitzer Prize. Born in 1944, Walker writes about the experiences of African American women, often exploring themes like racism, sexism, and the search for personal identity. Her works, including short stories and poetry, are known for their emotional depth and focus on social justice. Walker's writing has made a significant impact on American literature, and she continues to be an important voice for equality and human rights.

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Modernism
1900-1950

World War I
1914-1918

The Great Depression
1929-1939

World War II
1939-1945

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Lorraine Hansberry
-A Raisin in the Sun

F. Scott Fitzgerald
-The Great Gatsby

William Faulkner
-"A Rose for Emily"

Eudora Welty
-"A Worn Path"

Robert Frost
-poetry

T. S. Eliot
-The Waste Land
-"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

John Steinbeck
-Of Mice and Men
-The Grapes of Wrath

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Eudora Welty was an American writer, born in 1909, known for her stories about life in the American South. She won many awards for her writing, including a Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Optimist's Daughter. In her short story A Worn Path, an elderly woman named Phoenix Jackson travels a long, difficult path through the woods to get medicine for her sick grandson. The story shows Phoenix’s love, determination, and the struggles African Americans faced in the South. Welty’s writing is praised for its strong descriptions and deep understanding of people’s emotions.

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William Faulkner was an American writer born in 1897, known for his complex stories about the American South. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature and wrote famous works like The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying. His writing often explores themes of tradition, change, and the struggles of Southern life. One of his most well-known short stories, A Rose for Emily, tells the eerie tale of Emily Grierson, a lonely woman who refuses to accept change and hides a dark secret in her home. The story explores isolation, the passage of time, and the clash between old and new ways of life. Faulkner’s unique storytelling and deep characters make him one of the most important American writers of the 20th century.

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The American Dream during the 30's and 40's - Fact #1

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The American Dream during the 30's and 40's - Fact #1

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The phrase “The American Dream” was first used in 1931 by a man named James Truslow Adams. He said the American Dream meant a better, richer, and fuller life for everyone, no matter who they were. This idea gave people hope during the Great Depression, when many were poor, jobless, and struggling to survive.

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The American Dream during the 30's and 40's - Fact #2

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The American Dream during the 30's and 40's - Fact #2

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After World War II, the American Dream changed. The U.S. economy grew fast, with more jobs, higher pay, and new homes being built. Now, people saw the American Dream as owning a house, car, and nice things, like TVs and furniture. It became about success and comfort.

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The American Dream during the 50's - Fact #1

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The American Dream during the 50's - Fact #1

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The 1950s witnessed a significant migration to suburban areas, driven by affordable housing and economic growth. Developers like William Levitt pioneered mass-produced homes, creating communities such as Levittown, which became emblematic of suburban life. This movement was fueled by the desire for single-family homes with modern amenities, representing stability and success.

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The American Dream during the 50's - Fact #2

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The American Dream during the 50's - Fact #2

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During this era, societal norms emphasized distinct gender roles, with women predominantly managing household duties while men served as breadwinners. Despite this, the 1950s saw an increase in women entering the workforce, rising from 29% in 1950 to 33.9% by the decade's end. Many women took on roles as teachers, nurses, and secretaries, balancing professional responsibilities with domestic expectations. ​

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Harlem Renaissance
"The Jazz Age"
"The Roaring 20s"

1920–1940

"The New Negro Movement"
1919-1925

Prohibition
1920-1933

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1.Black cultural movement in Harlem, New York

2.Some poetry rhythms based on spirituals and jazz, lyrics on the blues, and diction from the street talk of the ghettos

3. Other poetry used conventional lyrical forms

James Weldon Johnson

Claude McKay

Countee Cullen

Langston Hughes (poetry)

Zora Neale Hurston

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Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960) was an African American author and anthropologist, best known for her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937). She grew up in Eatonville, Florida, and studied anthropology at Barnard College. Hurston wrote about African American life, especially the experiences of Black women, and preserved African American folklore. Although her work was not widely recognized during her life, she is now considered a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance and American literature.

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Claude McKay (1889–1948) was a Jamaican-born poet and writer who became an influential figure during the Harlem Renaissance. Known for his works that often addressed race, identity, and social justice, McKay's poetry explored themes of oppression, resistance, and the Black experience. His most famous poem, "If We Must Die," became a rallying cry for African Americans during times of racial violence. McKay also wrote novels, with Home to Harlem (1928) being one of his most notable works. He was deeply involved in political activism, and his writing continues to be celebrated for its emotional depth and powerful messages.

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The American Dream in the 1960s and 1970s - Fact #1

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The American Dream in the 1960s and 1970s - Fact #1

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The 1960s witnessed a significant shift in the American Dream's accessibility, primarily due to the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech emphasized the nation's need to fulfill its promise of equality. The subsequent Civil Rights Act of 1964 legally ended segregation, aiming to make the American Dream attainable for all, regardless of race.

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The American Dream in the 1960s and 1970s - Fact #2

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The American Dream in the 1960s and 1970s - Fact #2

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Post-World War II prosperity led to a surge in consumerism. By 1960, approximately 60% of Americans owned homes, a significant increase from previous decades. Suburban developments like Levittown became symbols of the American Dream, offering affordable housing to many, though often excluding minorities through discriminatory practices.

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The American Dream in the 1980s - Fact #1

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The American Dream in the 1980s - Fact #1

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In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan started a plan called “Reaganomics.” This plan lowered taxes, especially for businesses and rich people, and cut back on government programs. The idea was that if rich people and companies made more money, they would spend and invest more, which would help everyone. Some people got richer, but many others were left behind.

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The America Dream in the 1980s - Fact #2

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The America Dream in the 1980s - Fact #2

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Even though the economy looked strong, it became harder for many people to move up in life. Before, most kids grew up to earn more than their parents, but in the 1980s, that started to change. More families stayed stuck at the same income level or even had less money. The American Dream of becoming more successful was harder to reach for some people.

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The American Dream in the 1990s and Early 2000s - Fact #1

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The American Dream in the 1990s and Early 2000s - Fact #1

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In the 1990s, lots of Americans were able to buy homes. The government made it easier for people to get loans, and the economy was doing well. President Bill Clinton even started a plan in 1995 to help more people become homeowners.

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The American Dream in the 1990s & Early 2000s - Fact #2

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The American Dream in the 1990s & Early 2000s - Fact #2

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During the late 1990s, technology and internet companies grew super fast. Many people made lots of money by investing in these companies. This was called the “dot-com boom.” But in 2000, many of those companies failed, and the economy slowed down.

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Contemporary "Postmodernism"
1950–present

Korean War
1950-1953

Vietnam War
1954-1975

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1. Influenced by studies of media, language, and information technology.
2. Sense that little is unique; culture endlessly duplicates itself.
3. New literary forms and techniques: works composed of only dialogue, or combining fiction and nonfiction, experimenting with physical appearance of their work.

Alice Walker

Wallace Stevens

e.e. cummings

Maya Angelou

Anne Sexton

James Baldwin

Richard Wright

Sandra Cisneros

Amy Tan

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Maya Angelou was a famous writer and poet who made history when she read her poem at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993. She was the first Black woman to ever do that. One of her most famous books is called I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which tells the story of her life growing up. It helped other Black women feel encouraged to share their own stories too.

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James Baldwin was a writer who spoke out about racism in America. He wrote books and essays that helped people understand what it was like to be Black in the U.S. One of his most well-known books is The Fire Next Time. Baldwin moved to France for much of his life because he felt more accepted there, especially as a Black gay man.