Years: 1607-1775

Major Historical Events: Salem Witch Trials(1692), Jamestown is found(1607), Henry Hudson sailed what is now Hudson River(1609)

Major Authors: William Bradford, John Winthrop, Jonathan Edwards

Time Period: Colonialism

Dates: published and set 1741

Point of View: second person 

Themes: hell, evil, spiritual, danger, religion 

Connection: In 1692 if people weren't puritan then people would be classified as a witch. A quote “You find you are kept out of hell, but you do not see the hand of God in it”(Edwards 2). If you were a witch then you would go to hell where God isn’t. He wouldn’t be there to look over you. A religious quote from  “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” states, “Nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God”. This shows if you anger God you could be a witch.

Years: 1715-1789

Major Historical Events: American Revolution(1776-1791), The Constitution was signed(1787), The Article of Confederation was signed(1777)

Major Authors: Phillis Wheatley, Thomas Jefferson, Elizebeth Cady Stenton

Time Period: Enlightenment

Dates: Published and set in 1776 

Point of View: third person

Themes: equality, happiness/emotion, freedom, Independence, legitimacy

Connection: The theme equality plays a big role in the “Declaration of Independence ''. A quote from the declarations says, "That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty” (Jefferson). This quote shows that everyone is guaranteed freedom. This connects to when the slaves are guaranteed freedom if they fight in the war. A quote from Thomas Jefferson about freedom states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”

Years: 1820s-1860s

Major Historical Events: The Industrial Revolution(1840s), Abolition Movement(1823), Temperance(1830)

Major authors: John Whittier, Oliver Holmes, Henry Longfellow

Time Period: Romanticism / Dark Gothic Romanticism

Dates: Published and set in 1845

Point of View: third person

Themes: grief, memory and loss, love, death and afterlife, and ancient influences. 

Connections: Death is one of the biggest themes in “The Raven”. The speaker mourns the death of Lenore throughout the poem. A quote showing death states, “From my books surcease of sorrow-sorrow for the lost Lenore” (Poe 10). This shows that Lenore is dead and the speaker is very sad. This connects to the very depressing death of Poe's wife Virginia. A quote from his autobiography states, “After Virginia's death … Poe’s lifelong struggle with depression and alcoholism worsened” (1). This quote shows that Lenore's death was just like Virginia's death.  

Years: 1830-1855

Major Historical Events: Nat Turners Revolt(1831), Indian Removal Act (1830), and The liberator is published (1831)

Major Authors: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Thoreau, and Walt Whitman.

Time Period: Transcendentalism

Dates: Published and set in 1865 

Point of View: first person 

Themes: death, struggle, existence, admiration, expectation vs reality 
Connection: Death plays a big role in “O Captain! My Captain!”. In the poem, it starts celebratory and shifts to a depressing time because the captain died. A quote states, “Where on the deck my captain lies”(Whitman 7). This shows that the Captain of the ship has passed away. This connects to the death of Abraham Lincoln. His death was as sad in real life as the captain's death was in the poem. The quote, “Fallen cold and dead” (8), is another quote that represents death just like Abraham where Lincoln fell cold and dead on the floor.

Years: 1820s-1865

Major Historical Events: Uncle Tom's Cabin(1832) Dred Scott Case (1857) Kansas-Nebraska Act(1854)

Major Authors: Frederick Douglass, Oliver Holmes, James Lowell

Time Period: Slave Narrative

Dates: Published and set in 1845 

Point of View: first person

Themes: coming of age, injustice, violence, truth, unspeakable/unsayable

Connection: Violence is probably one of the biggest themes in the book The Narrative of Frederick Douglass. Violence also plays a big role in slavery. A quote from The Narrative of Frederick Douglass showing how cruel the slave masters are states, “Mr.Gore… not even giving Demby an additional call raised his musket… Demby was no more” (Douglass 14). This shows how a slave master shot his slave for not listening. Many slaves were tortured by being whipped. A quote shows, “I have seen him whip a woman, causing the blood to run half an hour at the time” (7).

Years: 1901-1950

Major Historical Events: World War I (1914-1918), The Great Depression (1929-1939), The Holocaust 1941-1954

Major authors: Scott fitz. Gerald, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner

Sample Work: The Great Gatsby 

years: 1901-1950

Date: Published in1925 and set in 1922, 

Point of View: first person

Themes: american dreams, wealth, love, class, dissatisfaction

Connection: When alcohol became illegal speakeasies skyrocketed. A quote, “Came for the party with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket of admission”(Fitzgerald 41). This shows that everyone goes to parties for fun and alcohol because there was a ban on alcohol. Gatsby is clearly above everyone when it comes to class. Gatsby says, "Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone… just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had” (1). This proves that Gatsby is above everyone in wealth.