Puritan 1564-1660

Revolutionary1700-1800

Romanticism1800-1900

Transcendentalism1825-1900

American Gothic1824-1900

Civil War/Realism1850-1910

Jazz Era1915-1930

Harlem Renaissance1915-1950

World War One, Industrialism, and Modernism1910-1920

World War Two, the Great Depression, and the Dust Bowl1930-1950

Civil Rights Movement1955-1980

Cold War/ McCarthyism1950-1990

Contemporary Era1980-present

Neha Jewalikar- Puritan, Revolutionary, World Wars One and Two.

Annisa Hadi- Jazz Era, Harlem Rennaisance, Cold War, Civil Rights, and Contemporary.

Emelie Sundin- Romanticism, Transcendentalism, American Gothic, Civil War, and the Timeline Layout, Links, and Design

1620Of Plymouth PlantationWilliam Bradford

Revolutionary

1776Common SenseThomas Paine

1776The Declaration of IndependenceThomas Jefferson

Main Menu

RomanticismTranscendentalism

1838A Psalm of LifeHenry Wordsworth Longfellow

1807-1882

Henry Wordsworth Longfellow

1824

The Devil and Tom Walker

Washington Irving

American Gothic1804-1864

Nathaniel Hawthorne

1809-1849

Edgar Allen Poe

1852

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Harriet Beacher Stowe

1863

Gettysburg Address

Abraham Lincoln

1876

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Mark TwainMain Menu

Jazz Era

Harlem Renaissance

1924

The Great Gatsby

Francis Scott Fitzgerald1926

The Weary Blues

Langston Hughes

1921

Alice Adams

Booth Tarkington

1937

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Zora Neale Hurtson

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ModernismIndustrialismWorld War One

The Great Depression

The Dust BowlWorld War Two

1939Grapes of WrathJohn Steinbeck

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Civil Rights Movement

Cold War/McCarthyism

Contemporary Era

1965

Soul on Ice

Eldridge Cleaver

1961

Winter of Discontent

John Steinbeck

1952Invisible ManRalph Ellison1953

The CrucibleArthur Miller

1987BelovedToni Morrison

1980The Shawl Cynthia Ozick

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ModernismModernism is a movement which encourages humans to change their lives for the better using science and technology. It began in the 1860’s and went through the 1970’s. Changing from old to the new played a part in modernism. Many great novels were written in this time period.

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Industrial RevolutionThe Industrial Revolution began in the late 18th century and ended in the early 19th century. It changed the way people thought about agriculture, manufacturing, and transporting goods. It changed the daily life of the average American. New transportation was introduced such as railways. It also changed the way people worked in the world. Thus opening up new jobs.

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World War IWorld War I began with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. Countries took sides, and the war began. The war went from 1914-1918. In this time period, many novels were written. Some were anti-war novels, some pro-war novels. Many pieces of propaganda were used. This was a very important time period in American literature.

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The Great Depression• The Great Depression was a

period beginning in 1929 to 1930. It affected the whole world. The stock market crash started the whole problem. Industry failed, many jobs were lost. Many families were out on the streets. Poverty soared while the working class plummeted. Many novels were written in this time. Some were personal accounts talking about growing up during a time like the depression. The great depression marks an important time in American literature.

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The Dust BowlThe Dust Bowl was a time in the 1930’s. It lasted from 1930 to 1936. The dust bowl was a series of dust storms. It was a man-made disaster, caused by erosion. The dust flew everywhere, and caused the clouds to turn black. Books were written about this horrific time period such as Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men both by John Steinbeck.

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World War II

• World War II began in 1937 and went to 1941. There were two powers that fought in this war, the Allies and the Axis. Many novels were also written during and after this war. Also many propaganda pieces were created to encourage many to enlist in the war. This war also set up for the Cold War.

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Grapes of WrathGrapes of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck. It is set during the Great Depression, and Dust Bowl. The main character Tom Joad finds himself returning to his family after being in prison. The book tells of his journey to the promise land of California. He experiences death, hunger, hostility, and government intervention. He kills one man, while his sister saves another. The characters all have to deal with such horrific things. It is a classic novel in the canon, read everywhere.

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Jazz Era

• The Jazz Era is one of the most exciting eras in American Literature. Occurring after World War 1 and during the spectacular rise of the stock market, this era is remembered for it's lavish, late night parties, back door drinking clubs, jazz, and flappers. Many of the writing pieces which were produced in this era embodied the fabulous yet corrupt life styles of the rich and the wealthy.

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The Harlem Renaissance• The Harlem Renaissance was a

cultural movement named after the neighborhood in New York where it first started. World War 1 came soon after the abolition of slavery along with dramatic social and cultural changes due to industrialization. This Renaissance was fueled by African Americans whom for so long had been stifled by racism. Once given the freedom, they began expressing themselves in a style which was new and of their own. Several pieces of writing from this era shone light to what it was like to be an African American

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The Cold War/McCarthyism• The Cold War was not a real war but

a psychological war of intensely high international tension between the United States and the communist Soviet Union. The level of communist suspicious was so ridiculously high that there was even distrust and averse between neighbors and coworkers. Joseph McCarthy was a Wisconsin Senator with a bad name who falsely accused several people of having communist ties. Later, his named was coined for the anti-communist hysteria.

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Civil Rights Movement• The Civil Rights Movement started in

the 60's and was ultimately fueled by the efforts of minorities (African-, Latino-, Asian-, Native America, and even women) who strived for equality in all aspects of their life. Just some of these trail blazers were Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rodolfo Gonzales, and Rosa Park. The writing pieces that came out of this era not only depicted the lives of African-Americans, but many other ethnicities as well.

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Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald• Named after his ancestor who wrote the US

National Anthem, Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald is probably the most well known author of the 1920's. The era was characterized by it's wild, extravagant, and restless lifestyles and Fitzgerald not only wrote about it, but he also lived them as well. Born in Minnesota on September 29, 1896, he pursued a career in writing and his first novel This Side of Paradise was a success. The profit from the sales gave him the money he needed to lead the high life of the 1920's. However, his next few books (which included The Beautiful and the Damned, The Great Gatsby, and Tender is the Night) were commercial disappointments and he slowly lost his posh lifestyle. After a failed attempt at writing screen plays in Hollywood, he worked on his final piece The Love of the Last Tycoon before dying on December 21, 1940.

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Langston Hughes• Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902

in Joplin, Missouri. He lived with his grandmother until 1915 when he moved to Lincoln, Illinois to live with his mother and step-father. He began writing poetry at about 13 and after graduation he planned on making it a career. However, his father disapproved and paid his tuition to study engineering at Columbia University. Hughes didn't like it and dropped out a year later with a B+ average. He moved to Washington DC and the first poem he published, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", was a success. He continued to write and became well known for his unique jazz-inspired style which emphasized the need for African Americans to have pride in their diverse backgrounds. His many poems and writing pieces influenced the Harlem Renaissance and he continued to do so until his death in May 22, 1967.

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Eldridge Cleaver• The 60's were all about the Civil Rights

Movement which strived for racial equality. One of the most well known leaders of that era was Eldridge Cleaver. Born in 1935 in Arkansas, his adolescent years were marked with petty crimes which later built up to attempt of murder. While in prison for his offence, he wrote Soul on Ice. Afterwards, he joined The Black Panthers and became a ranked officer. Because of the activity of the Black Panthers, they were watched by the FBI. In 1968 during a shootout between the two, Cleaver was arrested and fled to Algeria during his bail. Sometime during his time in Algeria he converted to Christianity and in 1975 he returned to the US and faced his charges. He wrote one last book, Soul on Fire, before dying several years later on May 1st, 1998.

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John Steinbeck • There were many successful authors

during the time of the Cold War and one of them was John Steinbeck. He was born in Salinas, California on February 27, 1902. He moved to New York to pursue his writing career but his pieces were not perceived well so he moved back to California where he was more successful. He is known for his style which shone light on the lives of workers of the Depression Era. In 1962, Steinbeck received a Nobel Prize in Literature. His two most well known books are The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men. He died in December 20, 1968, in New York City.AH

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Alice Adams • This novel was written by Booth

Tarkington and first published on June 1921. The book is about a young woman, named Alice Adams, who comes from a modest middle class family. However, she aspires to be accepted into the socialite society of the 1920's. She meets Arthur Russel who is a member of the upper class and is charmed by her. The book is still remembered today because it is a humorous take on exposing how corrupt society is. AH

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Contemporary Literature• Contemporary literature refers to the

books which are read and are very popular today. Due to advancements in technology, more and more books are able to be produced. With all the new books in the market, there were also new genres. One of the new genres is a genre of poetry called slam poetry. Of all the books produced in this era, the genre which was most popular are fantasy and Science Fiction. Not only are the literature of this era published as books, but they are also published by the millions online. There is no certain style that can be identified for this particular era right now because of the sheer mass of literature.

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Their Eyes were Watching God• Their Eyes were Watching God is a

novel written by Zora Neale Hurston and was first published in 1937. This book is about the life of Janie, an African American, and her life with her three marriages. She was first married to a farmer who only married her because he needed farm hands. Janie later runs away and marries a land owner. After he passes away, Janie finds herself financial secure and marries a gambler. Their marriage ends when Janie shoots him in self defense. This book is still remembered today because it's distinct writing which was influential during the Harlem Renaissance.

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Invisible ManThis novel was written by Ralph

Waldo Ellison and first published in 1952. The story is told in the point of view of a man who secretly lives in the basement of an all white neighborhood. Readers never learn his name but they read the story of his life. It starts off as him in high school where he does really well and gets a full ride scholarship into a good college. However, he accidentally shakes up a white man he was driving for one day and gets expelled. Having no source of income, he must work at a paint factory. After an accident at the factory, he wakes up disoriented after people conducted painful experiments on him. Once he recovers, he moves in with a nice lady and becomes active in the Communist Party. During one of the riots through Harlem, he gets pushed into a man whole. There, he builds himself a room in the cellar of an all white neighborhood where he is until present time. The book is important because it showed what life was like for a black man in a white man's society.AH

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The Crucible• The Crucible is a play written by Arthur

Miller and first published in 1954. The story is based on the Salem witch trials which occurred in 1692. At first, only 4 girls are accused of being witches. But some of those women, in an attempt to save themselves, accuse others of being witches. In the end, several innocent people end up in the gallows. Even though this play is written about the Salem witch trials of the late 1700's, it is still an important book of the Cold War/McCarthyism Era. That is because during the Cold War/McCarthyism era, several people were also falsely accused. But instead of being accused of being witches, they were accused of being communist.

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Toni Morrison • Toni Morrison was born as Chloe Anthony

Wofford in Lorain, Ohio on February 18, 1931. As a child she loved to read and followed her passion into college. After graduating with a degree in English from Cornell University, she got married and had two children. The marriage only lasted 6 years and after her divorce she moved to New York where she worked as an editor for Random House Publishing. She started her writing career informally in a writers club. Her first novel was The Bluest Eyes. She continued writing and won several awards including the National Book Award, the Nation Book Critics Circle Award, the Pulitzer Prize and even the Nobel Prize for Literature.

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The Shawl• The Shawl is a short story of only about

2000 words written by Cynthia Ozick. It follows Rosa, her baby Magda, and her niece Stella on their death march to a concentration camp. The Shawl is blanket which Rosa uses to hide Magda and keep her warm. The Shawl is later also used as a pacifier when Rosa can no longer produce milk for Magda. Stella takes the shawl and uses it to warm herself up exposing Magda in the process. Magda is killed and Rosa is there to witness. But instead of screaming in terror, she uses the shawl to gag herself so she can remain hidden. The Shawl is an important book of the Contemporary Era because it showed the horrors of the holocaust in few but very powerful and moving words.

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Of Plymouth Plantation• Of Plymouth Plantation is a

diary by William Bradford. It was written over a period of years from 1620-1647. It tells the trilling tale of those brave enough to journey to the new world, and their settlements. There is also an account of all the Mayflower passengers and their fate. William Bradford was the leader of the Plymouth colony. So the account is very accurate.

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Revolutionary Era• The Revolutionary era began in

1763, when Britain imposed taxes on the colonists. A revolutionary streak was forming in every colonist. The thought of change sounded so ideal. A new strong government was needed. In this era many works were printed that screamed change and revolution. Some were banned, and some were adopted to create something new. This era ended in 1789.

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Common SenseOne of the most important works in the Revolutionary era was Common Sense by Thomas Paine. It was a simple pamphlet. At first it was published anonymously. It was written at a level even the lower classes could read. It preached about government, and later was used as a model for the Declaration of Independence.

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The Declaration of Independence

• The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson. It said that the 13 colonies were no long a part of Britain. Also that man is created equal, and has the same rights. Those rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

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Romanticism Romanticism started in the

nineteenth century as a response to the realism and Age of Reason of the eighteenth century. In America it was a particular reaction to the strict Puritanism of the earlier century. The romantics of the time saw the limitations of reason and decided to explore the individual spirit, imagination, and emotions. Each piece shows a fixation with atmosphere sentiment and optimism. Henry Wordsworth Longfellow and Washington Irving were key writers of the era.

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Transcendentalism

Transcendentalism was an offshoot of the romantic movement. like romanticism, an essential part of the movement was the rebelliousness of the age. It focused on the belief that "transcendent forms" of higher truth are beyond reason and experience. Ralph Waldo Emerson was one of the main writers of the movement along with Henry David Thoreau. Emerson believed that these higher truths could be found in ourselves and in our intuition.

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A Psalm of Life

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the Psalm of Life in the blank

spaces of an invitation. The poem then swept the country and was known around the world. It used one of the key points of romanticism: an optimistic view of life.

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Henry Wordsworth Longfellow

Longfellow was one of the most popular and famous writers of the group of Romantic Writers in New England known as the fireside poets. He wrote uplifting and sentimental works which fit the goals of the time. He lived from 1807 to 1882. His career started at 15 when one of his poems was published in a newspaper. In 1825 he graduated Boudin College and was offered one of the first professorships. Since Modern Language was a new subject, Longfellow had to write his own text books. He then accepted a similar position at Harvard. His first book of poetry was The Voices of the Night ,which became a household favorite. He was a beloved poet and an influential writer of the times.

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The Devil and Tom Walker

“The Devil and Tom Walker” was written by Washington Irving. It was adapted from the German Legend of Faust. In that story a magician makes a deal with the devil for power and wealth. Irving changed it to the American setting of Boston in the early 1700s. The story focuses on the fear of the devil and temptation.

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Washington Irving

Irving was the first American writer to be esteemed abroad. He was born at the end of the Revolution and lived from 1783-1859. He set an example for humorous writing, he pioneered the short story, and influenced later writers. He thought about being a painter, but instead decided to write about the beautiful American landscapes he admired. He created Rip Van Winkle and Sleepy Hollow, some of the first distinctively American tales.

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American Gothic

American Gothic was the dark side of Individualism. They used weird settings and

macabre plots to look into the unknown including: the fantastic, demonic, and insane. The Gothic writers saw the potential in the individual to be evil. Edgar Allen Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Washington Irving and Herman Melville all used Gothic elements in their works.

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Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hawthorne used gothic elements to describe the essential truths. He examined the

human heart under fear, greed, vanity, mistrust, and betrayal. He was also fascinated by the concept of immortality. He was born in Salem, where his childhood was not happy. When he graduated college he secluded himself for twelve years to focus on his writing. He was fascinated by the Puritan Society and eventually wrote about it in The Scarlet Letter. He died of poor health, an inability to write, and poverty.

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Edgar Allen Poe

Poe used dark narrators, dark settings, terrifying events, and beautiful dying women in his works. He used extreme cruelty and situations, because he believed only these events would bring about true human nature. He had a life full of pain, including the death of his wife, his parents, and disappointment in his work. He is now recognized as a master of poetry, a great writer of short stories and an explorer of the torments of the soul.

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Uncle Toms Cabin

Uncle Tom’s Cabin is one of the most famous antislavery novels ever written. It influenced the attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the United States and intensified the sectional conflict of the Civil War. The story is of Uncle Tom, a slave, and depicts the reality of slavery. It was the best-selling novel of the nineteenth century.

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Gettysburg Address

“The Gettysburg Address” is one of the most famous speeches in American history. It was given at the soldier’s National Cemetery in Pennsylvania four months after the Battle of

Gettysburg. It evokes the principles of equality, freedom, independence, and unity. ES

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Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was a popular novel in 1876. It describes the life of a young boy growing up in the South on the Mississippi River. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is arguably Mark Twains greatest work.

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