Colonial+Literature+-+2nd

 My most renowned policy, "He who does not work will not eat," is perhaps the most true statement of the colonial times in America. The creation of civilization in this uncharted land depended solely on the labor and dedication of the settlers. The colonists were mostly plain and coarse people who built their lives from nothing and held in high esteem the value of work and discipline. Because of my position as a leader and my admiration for the persevering colonists of Jamestown, I chronicled __The General Historie of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles__. It is said that I am known as the first American author, and my many writings credit that opinion greatly. Without my accounts, the inspiring history of the first civilizations in America would be poorly sketched. I wrote often of my journeys and toils, always capturing the essence of the colonial people, which included logical thinking, industriousness, and self-reliance.

 American Promise Another writer who, like myself, wrote of the benefits of coming to the New World was Thomas Hariot. He wrote about the lost colony of Roanoke in __A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia__. Roanoke was the first English settlement, but after a delay in the arrival of a supply ship the colony was found to be completely empty. Jamestown then became the first permanent settlement, thanks to yours truly. It was common during this period to try and convince British citizens to take up a new life in America. On a similar note, William Penn wrote the __Brief Account of the Province of Pennsylvania.__ Pennsylvania was given to him from the king and was named after him. He spoke of America's promise in order to persuade more people to colonize Pennsylvania.  Church vs. State  The argument over church vs state was another common theme seen in colonial literature. Increase and Cotton Mather supported a theocracy which can be observed in Cotton's harsh judgement during the Salem witch trials. John Winthrop was another supporter of the church in his practical writings. He wrote __The Model of Christian Charity__, a sermon discussing his idea of the Puritans in the Massachusettes Bay Colony having a covenant with God and that they were "a city upon a hill" that was intended as a light for others to follow. These convictions were so deeply embedded in the Puritan culture that the people believed that the government could only benefit by connecting with the church. On the oppsosing side, Nathaniel Ward of Massachusettes wrote __The Simple Cobbler of Aggawam in America__ criticizing theocracies and arguing for the separation of the two. Roger Williams was another strong advocate of secularism. He argued for religious toleration. Williams was forced to live in Rhode Island because of his contrasting religious views with the congregational church. Rhode Island was the refuge for convicts and rebels and was also the home of Anne Hutchinson, another historical figure who was exiled because of her religious opinions and outspokenness as a woman.

Faith Other religious writings had a more positive outlook and were about their day-to-day life and faith in God. William Bradford wrote __Of Plymouth Plantation__ describing the Separatists' journey in the Massachusettes Bay Colony. These Pilgrims arrived on the Mayflower and were the first permanent settlement in Massachusettes. Bradford compared the Pilgrims to the Israelites in the Bible and spoke of their hardships. Indian aid from the nearby Powhatan tribe, especially Squanto (an Indian who could speak English), were what kept this settlement alive. Thanksgiving Day was the result of this peaceful relationship. Edward Taylor was a poet that wrote of his Puritan faith, but received no credit while living as his work was published posthumously. His poetry was full of figurative language and metaphysical themes. Jonathan Edwards, however, was a more passionate writer and speaker in his fiery sermons of the Enlightenment period. His most famous sermon, and probably the most famous sermon in American history, was "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," which demonstrated the zealous and strict beliefs of Puritan society.

Poetry There were also a select few women who, somewhat rebelliously, published poetry. Though their poetry could not possibly have been as complex and ingenious as their male counterparts, their poetry did have an impact. Anne Bradstreet was one of the select few women that actually received an education. Her father was very supportive in her learning and would pay for tutors. She was very astute, for a woman, and was able to quell her hunger for knowledge by reading books in her father's extensive library. Her family immigrated to Massachusettes. She battled the harsh conditions and maintained a household and family, but still found time to write poetry. Her first published poem was "The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America" but was heavily criticized because her feminity obviously could not match the talent of a man's poetry. She did not take well to this prejudice and wrote,  "I am obnoxious to each carping tongue Who says my hand a needle better fits; A poet's pen all scorn I should thus wrong, For such despite they cast on female wits. If what I do prove well, it won't advance; They'll say it's stol'n, or else it was by chance."  Her husband, Simon Bradstreet, inspired much of her work when she would write him love poems. She would also write about her Puritan faith and how she strove to please her God. Phillis Wheatley was an even rarer sort of poet because she was not only a woman poet, but a former //slave//. She was the first black American to publish poetry. She used eighteenth century-style poetry and wrote of her Christian faith in "Thoughts on the Works of Providence." Her work was used in the argument for abolition to prove that blacks were just as intellectual as whites. There was also poorly written, but popular poetry, of the time. Michael Wigglesworth's burlesque "The Day of Doom" where he describes his Calvinist beliefs is an example of this "bad poetry" along with the "Bay Psalm Book."

For my account on the importance of Colonial Literature: [|A Note on Future Generations]

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