HIST34002

For Monday, April 30

Read, in Reich

Chapter 21, Language and Literature

Colonial Americans created a surprisingly rich literature for persons living on the frontier. In this session we'll explore some of the literary forms which appealed to them. We need to think in the plural when we think about "literary taste". Popular literature rested on regional and class variations, and we'll try to understand at least some of those.

WEB WORK:

A number of the authors mentioned in your text have samples of their writings available on the internet. I have created links to them below. I've created links to examples of journals, newspapers, and Almanacs, as well. I'd like to have you browse among them, and download as indicated. I'm not repeating links to works we've already discussed. If you wish, you can browse through the syllabi for previous weeks.

Download the Mather introduction to Magnalia Christi Americana. The part I'm primarily interested in is Mather's philosophy of history, which can be found in his explanation of why he's writing the text.

Download Anne Bradstreet's poems...

Upon My Dear and Loving Husband his Going into England

InMy Solitary Hours in My Dear Husband his Absence

In Thankful Remembrance for My Dear Husband's Safe Arrival

Before the Birth of One of Her Children

On the Burning of my House

Download Phillis Wheatley's poem about being taken from Africa

Download the linked page of the New England Courant

Download the typescript of Poor Richard's Almanack

Read the Facmile edition of Poor Richard's Almanack. The typescript omits the "practical" information and I want you to see what was considered "practical" back then.

For Friday, May 4

Chapter 22, Colonial Arts and Sciences pp. 245-254

It is important to recognize that these categories don't represent professions in the current sense of the word. Many of our "scientists" were also our printers, our planters, our preachers, and our merchants. It is important, too, to recognize that certain fields of scientific and artistic endeavor had greater importance than others, and to understand why those fields predominated. This will give another clue to American national character.

WEB WORK

The web is a rich repository of work on colonial American Arts and artists. I'd like to set you to browsing in selected areas of it.

A useful "Webliography" can be located at http://134.10.2.252/academic/departments/am_studies/Early_American_Art.html

For and example of early American Painting, see The Teacher's Guide to American Art, Slide One.

Examples of American Furniture and Decorative Arts can be found at commercial sites (Auction houses, antiques dealers, and the like. The illustrations change as items are bought and sold, but there is usually something worth looking at. For example, visit. Equinox Antiques.

For examples of American Science, its nature and practitioners, visit this page on The Electric Franklin. For Colonial Medicine, see Cotton Mather's thoughts on smallpox inocculation. For a sense of the multiple careers of Colonial "scientists" read the brief biography of John Winthrop, Jr.