Explorers, colonists and Puritans wrote of their experiences and philosophy/theology. Although not acknowledged by the European settlers, the Native Americans also recorded their experiences in poem, story and song.

Click here to download a short research activity which will also offer you an opportunity to pass course competency # 2.

In this period, all junior English classes will explore one or more literary works by Anne Bradstreet. 

Anne Bradstreet

 Links

Anne Bradstreet - check out this interesting site all about Bradstreet and with e-texts of many of her poems 

Perspectives in American Literature: Anne Bradstreet- a great research source from California State University

The Academy of American Poets: Anne Bradstreet- biography information and three of her poems.

Anne Bradstreet: America's First Poet - an interesting article from National Public Radio

Anne Bradstreet: Colonial Poet-  Library of Congress resources on Bradstreet.

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Poem: "To My Dear and Loving Husband" - p. 96

Audio Book/MP3 

 "To My Dear and Loving Husband" - you'll have to scroll down a bit but it's here for you to listen to along with a link to the e-text.

 Anne Bradstreet at Librivox- this link will lead you to all the Anne Bradstreet works available as MP3 files.

We will also explore some of these authors and their works:

Jonathan Edwards

 Links 

Jonathan Edwards- from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Perspectives in American Literature: Jonathan Edwards -a great research source from California State University

Full Text of the Sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards - from Calvin College's Christian Classics Ethereal Library.

Jonathan Edwards: On the Great Awakening- interesting essay from the National Humanities Institute which helps explain the religious revival known as the Great Awakening 

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

 Excerpt from Sermon : "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"- p. 102

Early Explorers- Essays, Journals and Accounts

 Links 

William Bradford - biography from Pilgrim Hall Museum

Perspectives in American Literature: William Bradford- a great research source from California State University

Christopher Columbus - an internet resource for the life and times of Columbus from the Franciscan Archive

Christopher Columbus - MSN Encarta resource

Christopher Columbus: Man and Myth- from the Library of Congress

John Smith- biographical information from the APVA Preservation Virginia

Captain John Smith - interesting article from Time magazine.

The Journey of Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca - from PBS's New Perspectives on the West series.

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

William Bradford, Excerpt from Nonfiction : "Of Plymouth Plantation"- p. 76

García López de Cárdenas, Nonfiction: "Boulders Taller than the Great Tower of Seville" -p. 47

Christopher Columbus, Excerpt from Journal: "Journal of the First Voyage to America" -p. 60

John Smith, Excerpt from Nonfiction : "The General History of Virginia"- p. 70

Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, Nonfiction: "A Journey Through Texas" - p. 42

Cotton Mather

 Links 

Cotton Mather- an interesting site from Gonzaga University that offers links to selected works of Mather and his contemporaries.

Biography of Cotton Mather - from the University of Missouri- Kansas City School of Law

Native People

 Links  

Iroquois Constitution - read the full text of the Iroquois Constitution from the University of Oklahoma Law Center.

Native Americans- learn about the past and present of American Indians

Onondaga Nation

The Modoc People - learn more about Modoc people with this interesting link from Minnesota State University

The Navajo Nation

Native Americans of the Northeast- from Encarta, this site lists the various tribes/nations with hyperlinks to more information.

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Onondaga Myth: "The Earth Walked on Turtle's Back" -p. 18

Modoc Myth: "When Grizzlies Walked Upright" - p. 21

Excerpt from Navajo Legend: "The Navajo Origin Legend" - p. 24

Iroquois Nation, Excerpt from Nonfiction: The Iroquois Constitution - p. 26

Text to Text Connection - Contemporary Essay by Susan Power: "Museum Indians" - p. 35

Edward Taylor

 Links   

Poets of Cambridge, USA: Edward Taylor - biographical information from the Harvard Square Library

Perspectives in American Literature: Edward Taylor- a great research source from California State University

 Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Poem: "Huswifery"- p. 94

Overall "Text to World" & "Text to Text" Connections for this Literary Period

American Memory Timeline - from the Learning Page at The Library of Congress, this link will help you connect American history to American literature.

Colonial House- a companion to the PBS Series, this site will let you explore what life was like in the colonial period and discover if you have what it takes to have lived and thrived in this time.

Plimoth Plantation - visit 17th century New England and get a sense of life in this time.

Religion and the Founding of the American Republic- great resource from the Library of Congress