英美文学资料1.ppt

Part I The Literature of Colonial America Historical Introduction The First American Writings Writers Puritan Thoughts Historical Introduction 1. The discovery of the American continent by Christopher Columbus in 1492    Christopher Columbus’s discovery of America 2. English and European explorers The earliest settlers included Dutch, Swedes, Germans, French, Spaniards, Italians, and Portuguese, each group settling in different parts of the continent and they all contributed to the forming of the American civilization, but the colonies that became the first United States were for the most part English sustained by English traditions, ruled by English laws, supported by English commerce, and named after English monarchs and English lands. 3. English and European settlements The first permanent English settlement in North America was established at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. At last early in the 17th century, the English settlements in Virginia and Massachusetts began the main stream of what we recognize as the American history. Two Important New England Settlements → (Map) The Plymouth ColonyFlagship Mayflower arrives - 1620Leader - William BradfordSettlers known as Pilgrims and SeparatistsThe Mayflower Compact provides forsocial, religious, and economic freedom,while still maintaining ties to Great Britain. The Massachusetts Bay ColonyFlagship Arbella arrives - 1630Leader - John WinthropSettlers are mostly Puritans or Congregational PuritansThe Arbella Covenant clearly establishesa religious and theocratic settlement,free of ties to Great Britain. 4. The first American writings The first writings that we call American were the narratives and journals of these settlements. They wrote in diaries and in journals. They wrote letters and contracts and government charters and religious and political statements. They wrote about their voyage to th