2200 B.C.—Tower of Babel

1607—Early settlement at Jamestown

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.

5. Figurative language/parallelism.

Japheth’s descendants – Some interpretations associate Native Americans with Japheth, as his descendants were said to migrate to distant lands.

Ham’s descendants – Others theorize that Native Americans might have originated from Ham’s lineage, particularly through migration from Africa or Asia.

The Tower of Babel – Some believe that after the confusion of languages at Babel, groups migrated across the world, including to the Americas.

Medicine & Healing: Many herbal remedies used by Native Americans influenced modern medicine.

Democracy: The Iroquois Confederacy's government system is said to have inspired elements of the U.S. Constitution.

Art & Craftsmanship: Native Americans are known for intricate beadwork, pottery, weaving, and totem poles.

-"Of Plymouth Plantation"

Anne Bradstreet (poetry)

John Edwards

-"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

Edward Taylor

-"Huswifery"

2. South to "purify" the Church of England by reforming to the simpler forms of worship and church organization described in the New Testament.

3. They saw religion as a personal, inner experience.

4. They believed in original sin and "elect" who would be saved.

5. They often used a plain style of writing.

Puritan communities, especially in New England, were known for their tight knit and highly organized structure. They wanted to create a society based on their religious beliefs. Any deviation from accepted norms was often met with scrutiny and disapproval.

Puritan towns were laid out with a meeting house or church at the center. Houses were generally built close together, with purpose to grow social interaction and a sense of community.

Town meetings were a key part of Puritan life, where residents gathered to discuss and make decisions on local matters. Those meetings created a sense of shared responsibility and encouraged community involvement.

Membership in the church was a very important aspect of community life. Actions thought of as sinful or hurtful to the community could lead to consequences.

1507: Early Settlement of the first American colonies - Jamestown

1692: Salem Witch Trials

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

Rationalism
"The Age of Reason"

1607 Early Settlement—Jamestown

1775-1783 Revolutionary War

In places like France, salons were gatherings where intellectuals, writers, and philosophers, often hosted by women, would meet to discuss new ideas about politics, philosophy, science, and art. These gatherings helped spread Enlightenment thinking across Europe.

Many Enlightenment thinkers supported freedom of religion. Voltaire, for example once said, “I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” He believed strongly in freedom of speech and religion.

1840-1860

Transcendentalism emphasized the power of the individual, the spiritual connection between humanity and nature, and the belief that people are inherently good. The movement was as a reaction against the strict rationalism of the Enlightenment and the traditional religious doctrines of the time, especially Puritanism.

The belief in the "Over Soul," was popular; a divine force that connects all living things. Transcendentalists believed that people could access this spiritual truth without the need for organized religion or intermediaries.

Ralph Waldo Emerson was one of the biggest voices of the movement. Henry David Thoreau took some ideas of the time and applied them to his life, moving to Walden Pond for two years to live simply and write his book Walden (1854). Thoreau wrote Civil Disobedience (1849), an essay talking about peaceful resistance to injustice, which went on to inspire future leaders like Martin Luther King Jr.

Digital Era

Generally thought to have begun around 1950 to the present day.

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/womens-fencer-reveals-why-she-refused-face-transgender-opponent-accepting-punishment-backlash

Main Ideas of this time include:

Individualism: The idea emphasizing the importance of individual rights, freedoms, and autonomy. The belief that people should have the right to think, believe, and act independently, without interference by the state or other institutions

Rationalism: The idea that humans can use reason to gain knowledge

Empiricism: The idea that knowledge comes from experience and observation

Progressivism: The belief that humans can make unlimited progress over time through reason and observation

Cosmopolitanism: The idea that people are actively engaged citizens of the world

Skepticism: encouraged people to question established beliefs and authorities, examine claims, evidence, and assumptions with a critical eye, instead of blindly accepting them