Coming to AmericaNotes out…brain on…let’s go!

So, what do you already

know??

South/1st permanent settlement??

• John Smith: sent by James I to expand England’s

kingdom

• 1st permanent settlement?

Jamestown, Virginia (1607)

• Tobacco as cash crop secured

settlement (1612)

North/Puritans (Pilgrims)

• King James I declared that it was illegal to be a Puritan

and persecuted them. “I will make them conform, or I will

harry (whoop whoop – future vocab. word) them out of the land.” Why the fuss? See side board for history of religious tension!

• Left England in search of religious freedom (King James I

considered Puritans a threat to the political stability of

England).

• Traveled for 65 days on the Mayflower (Sept.-Nov.)

• Plymouth, Massachusetts (in Nov. -1620)

• Mayflower Compact = beginning of democracy – first

written constitution in North America.

Mayflower Compact =

beginning of democracy –

first written constitution

in North America

A City Upon a HillExploring the Puritans (our literary roots)

“So they committed themselves to the will of God and

resolved to proceed.”

– William BradfordWhat were they like??

What vocabulary

word do we have that

describes them?

Yep, we certainly know they had a lot of rules!

What were some of those forbidden acts?

• Horse Racing, cock-fighting and bear baiting (picture)

• Any gathering of people without permission

• Drunkenness and swearing

• Theatre-going, dancing and singing

• Games and sports on Sundays (including going for a walk)

• Gambling

• Visiting brothels

Why did they leave Europe?

• Freedom to practice their religion.

• They also had the chance to establish

an entirely new kind of society

based on religious

principles/Theocracy.

The Puritan vision for America: “The Lord will be our God and delight to dwell among us . . . For we must consider that we shall be as a City upon a Hill, the eyes of all people are upon us.”

•20,000 Puritans settled in what is now called

Massachusetts between 1620-1640. (Some

stayed & fought…see side board…of my!)

•This was called the “Great Migration”

•Qualities such as independence, self-

reliance, and Puritan work ethic are direct

inheritances from this small group of settlers.

Before we read Puritan literature, we must understand the

Puritan mind.

The Puritans believed . . .write this down!

• Humans are “corrupt and prone to evil,” but only a few can receive salvation.

• The universe is divinely controlled by God.

• All humans, regardless of social or economic status are equal in God’s sight.

• They sought to translate God’s word into EVERY aspect of their daily lives.

• Central to their success is extreme determinism (no free will).

• Believed strongly in preaching.

• Their world view was extremely intellectual, and in 1636 they established Harvard University.

The Puritans and American Literature

They gave us three kind of literature:

• Sermons

• Devotional Poetry

• Histories

BTW: Fiction, including drama, was

regarded as trivial and corrupting!

30/30 Review!!

Get with Puritan Partner…go!!

Tomorrow we will be looking at an excerpt from

one of the most famous histories, Of Plymouth

Plantation by William Bradford (Governor).

This is a first-hand account of the hardships and

survival issues faced by Puritans.

But first…let’s look at the Mayflower (after

living in Holland/Netherlands, they returned to

England to then set sail to America/New World)!