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Sep 7, 1492
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus's adventures opened the door to a century of Spanish expeditions in the Americas. The first of many writings that described many sights and wonders were journals and letters from Christopher Columbus. -
Sep 7, 1542
Álvar Núñez
"La Relacion" by Álvar Núñez came just over 50 years later after Columbus's writing. He is one of the four survivors of the 600-man Narveaz expedition. The 600-man expedition was 8 years of wandering through Florida, Texas, and Mexico. In the writing he describes the landscape and people as well as animals that were new to Europeans. -
Thomas Harriot
Thomas Harriot wrote of the most influential writings. "A Brief and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia" captured the area's natural recources, the ways of life of the Native Americans, and the potential for building a successful colony. Published 1588 it was accompanied by picutures that helped thousands of English for a clear image of North America. -
Puritans
They were a group of English Prptestants in the 1600's who wanted to purify the church. They also wanted to return to simpler ways of worshiping. Some Puritans left America to escape persecution. The Puritan settlers believed themselves chosen by God to create a new order in america. One famous case was the Salem witchcraft trails, a whole community fell victum to the hysteria of the witch-hunt, ending with more than 20 people dead by execution. -
First Colony
The first colony was established at Jamestown in 1607. Once the people were rooted in North America the colonies became increasingly self-reliant adn practiced local self-rule. Colonies stretched all along the Atlantic coast. -
John Winthrop
He worte that "we must consider that we shall be as a City upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us." They saw human struggle with sin as a daily mission and believed, above all else, that the Bible would help them through the torments of humen weakness. -
Meeting of Two Words
Early writers described how the Europeans and Native American viewed one another. William Wood noted that the North Americans "tool the first ship they saw for a walking island, mass to be a tree, the sail white clouds." William Bradfor, governer, said North America "was a hideous and desolate wilderness,full of wild beasts and wild men." -
Bay Psalm Book
Most Puritan writters composed plain sermons, histories,and treaties but poetry was the means of expression for others. The first book issued in North America was the "Bay Psalm Book." It was published in 1640, in which the Biblie's psalms were rewritten to fit the rhythms of familiar Puritans hymns. -
Anne Bradstreet's first book
Her poems reflect her wide learning, deep faith, and love for her husband and children. "The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America" was the first work by a North American woman to be published in 1650. -
The Enlightment
The Enlightment was a burst of intellectual energy taking place in Europe. Enlightment thinkers had to question previosly acceopted truths about who should hold power in government. The political writings of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, and Thomas Jefferson shaped the American Enlightment and began to eclipse even the most brilliant European thought. Ideals prompted action and gave colonists a philosophical footing for their revolution. -
Great Awakening
Many people began to worry that puritans were being lost. Jonathan Edwards, a priest, called for people to rededicate themselves to the original Puritan vision, and a new wave of religious enthusiasm began to rise. This united colonists who were in the other ways diverse. The Enlightment and the Great Awakening while different were some what the same. Both caused people to question traditional authority leading colonists to break from Britian's control and embrace democracy. -
French and Indian War (1759-1763)
France allied with a number of Native Americans groups to drive the British out of North America. After many times being defeated British made its own alliance with Native Americans and the powerful Iroquosis. After a long and costly war Great Britian claimed all of North America east of the Misssissippi River. -
Pamphlets
These were the most important outlest for the spread of political writing. Between 1763 and 1783, about two hundred were published. Pamphlets reached thousands of people fast and stirred debate.One such was the "Commen Sense" by Thomas Paine, helped propel the colonists to revolution. -
Patrick Henry
Patricked thundered to the delegates at the second Virginia Conventions Convention in 1775, "I know not what course other may take but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!" -
Decalaration of Independence and Constitution of U.S
Colonies declared themselves to be "free and independent". They fought and defeated one of the greatest military power. Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson and other colonial thinkers put their time and timeless words to form the Declaration of Independence and Constitutin of U.S. When the Constitution was approved in 1788, the United States of America was born.
