Intercultural Studes II

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Objectives
By the end of this unit, you will:
• know about the author and the background information

behind the novel • thoroughly understand the passage from
the novel • be able to identify figurative language in the
passage • be able to summarize the passage • be able to
analyze the title, characters, setting, symbols, and themes of the
novel • know about diction in some depth • be able to use the
passage to support your opinions and write a literature essay
L Learn About ... Daniel Defoe

r ; , aniel Defoe (c. 1660-1731) was a very important
~ English writer. Along with another man, Samuel
Richardson, he helped bring the modern novel to English
audiences. Defoe didn't simply write fiction, however. In
fact, there is very little that Defoe didn't write about. His
political writings, for example, got him into trouble on more
than one occasion. Some people consider him to be one of
the founders of modern journalism and political
commentary. Conservative estimates attribute over 275
individual works to Defoe, though others are as high as 550.
Either way, he was indeed a prolific writer and has had an
incredible influence on English literature throughout the
ages. Robinson Crusoe, for example, is one of the first examples of the novel in the English
language. The rest of his work deals with an incredibly diverse range of topics, including
religion, history, and the supernatural. Though people do not know much about Defoe's
personal life, his mark on English literature is common knowledge.
Predid
[step 1
fright
Discuss these questions with a partner.
terror terrified
1 Do you enjoy being alone, or do you prefer
being around other people? Why?
apparition fancy
ehe s10n
2 How would you feel if you were stranded on hide
a desert island? fled
strange
surprise
[step 2 terrible
Look at the key words from the passage from
Robinson Crusoe. With a partner, discuss the
meaning of the words. Based on the words,
predict the main ideas of the passage.
Background at ion
Read the text and answer the questions.
What is Robinson Crusoe like, based

on the information in the first paragraph?
Where was Crusoe going when his ship was wrecked,
and why?
3 How many people survived the shipwreck?
How does Crusoe adapt to life on the desert island?
Who is Friday?
obinson Crusoe is one of the earliest examples of begins to build a new home. He is able to return to the
R a realistic novel in the English language. it tells
- =story of a young man, Robinson Crusoe, who gets
ship several times and bring back supplies to the
island. Soon, he has a very comfortable place to live-
::-<:.'lded on a desert island. Crusoe leaves his home complete with livestock and crops.
~ a young man to go to sea, against his family's
One day, Crusoe encounters people on the island. He
:;-as. After several smaller misadventures, he ends discovers that they are cannibals with some prisoners.
_: ~ Brazil with a sugar plantation. Soon, he decides He helps one of the prisoners escape, a man he
-: :;a to Africa to buy some slaves for his plantation . names Friday. Soon, he and Friday are close friends.
--:; •s when he runs into trouble. After some time, a ship of Europeans comes to the
- ·~ s1ip encounters a storm, and the ship crashes into island. Crusoe and Friday make a deal with the captain
- =-xks near an island. Everyone jumps overboard to of the ship and he takes them back to Europe. Crusoe
save themselves. Crusoe, however, is the only
-::1 ::: had lived on the island for 28 years.
:r.= :J survive. He makes it to the island, where he
11
Lusten & Read
20 Listen to and read the passage from
Robinson Crusoe. First, read for general
understanding. Then, reread the passage.
As you read the second time, underline
the specific words that Defoe uses to
describe Crusoe's reactions to seeing the
The original edition of Robinson Crusoe
footprint.
did not contain chapter breaks. Later
editions added them in, but they vary
LRespond from edition to edition. This following
passage takes place when Robinson
3 Respond to the passage by answering
Crusoe has been stranded on the island
these questions with a partner.
for about fifteen years. By this time,
1 Was your prediction about the mood Crusoe has made the island into a very
of the passage correct? Explain. comfortable place to Jive. He has pet
2 How did the author create the mood? dogs, cats, goats, and even parrots. He's
Think about the words he uses. learned how to grow barley and rice and
3 How does Robinson Crusoe feel in this he even knows how to bake bread. His
passage? life on the island is pleasant, if a bit
lonely. Everything changes one day when
he makes a strange discovery.
. .
happened one day, about noon, going towards my remember; no, nor could I remember
t boat, I was exceedingly surprised with the print of a the next morning, for never frightened
an's naked foot on the shore, which was very plain to hare fled to cover, or fox to earth , with
e seen on the sand. I stood like one thunderstruck, or as more terror of mind than I to this retreat.
-'I had seen an apparition. I listened, I looked round me, I slept none that night; the farther I was from the
I could hear nothing, nor see anything; I went up to a occasion of my fright, the greater my apprehensions
sing ground to look farther; I went up the shore and were, which is something contrary to the nature of such
:own the shore, but it was all one; I could see no other things, and especially to the usual practice of all
1pression but that one. I went to it again to see if there creatures in fear; but I was so embarrassed with my own
ere any more, and to observe if it might not be my frightful ideas of the thing, that I formed nothing but
"'::ncy; but there was no room for that, for there was dismal imaginations to myself, even though I was now a
-: (actly the print of a foot - toes, heel, and every part of a great way off . ... While these reflections were rolling in
-~-- How it came thither I knew not, nor could I in the my mind, I was very thankful in my thoughts that I was so
::ast imagine; but after innumerable fluttering thoughts, happy as not to be thereabouts at that time, or that they
·'3 a man perfectly confused and out of myself, I came did not see my boat, by which they would have concluded
-::me to my fortification, not feeling, as we say, the that some inhabitants had been in the place, and perhaps
nd I went on , but terrified to the last degree, looking have searched farther for me. Then terrible thoughts
:e-1ind me at every two or three steps, mistaking every racked my imagination about their having found out my
and tree, and fancying every stump at a distance to boat, and that there were people here; and that, if so, I
-,:-a man. Nor is it possible to describe how many various should certainly have them come again in greater
---~e s my affrighted imagination represented things to numbers and devour me; that if it should happen that
--: in, how many wild ideas were found every moment in they should not find me, yet they would find my
• ancy, and what strange, unaccountable whimsies enclosure, destroy all my corn, and carry away all my
-=-e into my thoughts by the way. flock of tame goats, and I should perish at last for mere
-::n I came to my castle (for so I think I called it ever want.
-·this), I fled into it like one pursued. Whether I went
::r by the ladder, as first contrived, or went in at the
:= in the rock, which I had called a door, I cannot
nderstand
Read the questions and choose the correct answers.
What scares Crusoe? 3 Which of the following is Crusoe NOT

a a footprint afraid that people will do?
b a person a ruin his crops
c a boat b steal his animals
d a ghost c find his house

d steal his boat
Wh at does Crusoe do when he gets
scared? 4 Why did Crusoe have trouble sleeping?
a hurries home a He was afraid.
b looks for a stranger b People were nearby.
c tr ies to attack c He was watching for danger.
d calls for help d He was uncomfortable.
rative Language
,'/ ork w it h a partner. Find two examples of similes in the passage.
m
Lsummarize
First, fill in the graphic organizer based on the passage you read.
Setti'6
Character(s)
Jvtain Event(s)
7 Now, use your graphic organizer to summarize the passage with a partner:. ...
Lusten
80 Listen to a lecture about Robinson Crusoe.
Them, answer the questions.
1 What is the speaker mostly talking about?

a the influence of the book
b the important characters of the book
c the source material of the book
d the popularity of the book
2 What did Crusoe and Selkirk have in common?

a They were both gone for over twenty years.
b They both had goats for meat and milk.
c They both had pet dogs and cats.
d They were both left behind on purpose.
.... Analyze the Title
T he original title of
Robinson Crusoe was
The Life and Strange THE
Surprising Adventures of
Robinson Crusoe, of York,
L I F E
AND
Mariner: Who Jived Eight and 5
Twenty Years, all alone in an A ;;~~~~~~~/~~ si

un-inhabited Island on the
. ROB! N.S 0°:V CRUSOE, II
Coast of America, near the
Mouth of the Great River of I Of TORK, M AIUN rn:
Who lireJ Eight and Twcmy Ycars,
~11 alone in an un-inh•bitcd Wand on the
Oroonoque; Having been cast
on Shore by Shipwreck,
Coat\ or AM ER J CA , ne:lr the MOIIth of
thoGrrat Hi1·er of OllO o :< oQ.u E; I
. H;t\'inJ: bt·cn c-:di \la Sh..,re b\' Ship·.... rn:J;, where· ·
i J,, .111 eh: ~~m pcrilhcj C.u: himfdr:
wherein all the Men perished I w I TIJ
A:1 Account l1ow h~ w~-t .H laf: :t<; flrJt:gtly dcli·
but himself. With An Account '"'J b~· PY RA T ES.
ow he was at last as strangely -----'~ lfon/tlf. I

delivered by Pirates. After L 0 N D 0 /\';
the: :~Z·tein P.Jm··/\'f!rr·
several editions, Defoe's II Printn.!f<. rW. T ..,y:
/<:"'.
OP' l t
MDCCX!X.
ou blishers shortened the name

:o simply Robinson Crusoe.
With a partner, answer the following questions.
Why do you think that the title of the book was changed?
What is good about having a longer title? What is bad about it? Explain.
Look at four other possible titles that the publishers could have chosen from the original. Why
aren't they suitable titles for the book?
An Uninhabited Island
Th e Great River of Oroonoque
Shipwreck!
De livered by Pirates
, thy do you think Daniel Defoe didn't just call his book Alexander Selkirk, and write a book
escri bing Selkirk's adventure? Discuss with your partner, then with the class as a whole.
11
J
lAnalyze the Characters

12 Fill lt In.
0 First, listen to the lecture. Then, use words from the phrase bank to complete the Venn
diagram.
• naive • arrogant • pure

• open • laughs at others
• feels superior • shipwrecked
• separated from friends and family • loyal
13 Think About lt.

Use the Venn diagram to answer the following questions individually.
• What do the characters have in common?

• How are the men different?
14 Talk lt Over.
Discuss the answers to the previous questions with a partner. As a class, discuss the following
question.
What do the attitudes of the two characters represent?
-Analyze the Setting
1) Fill lt In.
0 listen to a lecture about the setting in Robinson Crusoe. Then, use information from the
lecture to fill in the graphic organizer.
"
4'
Setting Description
the island
nk About lt.
.... a partner answer the following questions.
;; 1ao you think Defoe chose to set the story on this island? Could the story take
,: :.=::: in a different setting?
lt Over.
- ....: ::: as s, discuss your answers to the previous question.
m
lAnalyze the Symbols
18 Fill lt In.
0 First, listen to the following lecture about the symbolism of the footprint in Robinson
Crusoe. Then, use information from the lecture to fill in the second column of the graphic
organizer.
Symbol Meaning
the footprint "When I came to my castle .. .
I fled into it like one
pursued"
Can you find any examples from the passage that help you understand the meaning of the
footprint? Fill in the third column of the graphic organizer with as many examples as you can
find. One has been included for you.
20 Talk lt Over.
With a partner, discuss the following questions.
• Do you think that Crusoe wants to meet another person? Why or why not?
Why do you th ink that Crusoe is nervous about the footprint?
lAnalyze the Themes

21 Fill lt
Use lines from the passage to fill in the graphic organizer.
Theme Lines from Passage
view of outsiders
fear
Think About lt.

Which theme do you think is most important in this passage and why?
23 Talk lt Over.
Discuss your answer to the previous question in groups of four. Select one group member to
report the group's answer to the class.
-In-Depth Analysis: Diction
In literature, the word "diction" refers to word choice. Authors use different diction for different purposes. For example,
consider the subtle difference between "asked" and "requested ." Writers choose different words depending on the
mood, the tone, and their own style. Careful readers pay attention to the individual words that an author uses. Often,
.vriters use diction to help communicate ideas or feelings that are not immediately obvious.
In Robinson Crusoe, Defoe's diction represents the thoughts of Robinson Crusoe himself.
The story is told from Crusoe's point of view. When examining the diction in Robinson
Crusoe, then, readers should remember that the word choice reflects Crusoe's hidden
oughts or ideas.
n e passage from Robinson Crusoe tells us how Crusoe feels when he encounters a
'ootprint on the beach. This is a very emotional scene. Crusoe is very frightened . As he
escribes his actions upon seeing the footprint, he reveals his feelings of unease through his
::;hoice of words. In particular, we learn that Crusoe feels safest inside of his house based on the words he
es to talk about the house.
Read the In-Depth Analysis and then fill in the graphic organizer. In the left column are al l the
different words that Crusoe uses to describe his home in the passage. Use a dictionary to fi ll in
t he right column with the definitions of the words.
Word Defin ition
fortification
With a partner, discuss the following questions.

What do the words in the graphic organizer have in common?
How do the words in the graphic organizer differ from words like house or home?
What feelings do the words in the graphic organizer seem related to?
As a class, discuss your answers to the previous questions. In addition, answer this question:
What does Defoe's diction reveal about Crusoe?
rite
Daniel Defoe uses particular diction to communicate the thoughts and feelings
of Robinson Crusoe. In the passage you have read, Crusoe describes his house
w ith some interesting words. In a 250- to 300-word essay, discuss Defoe's use
for vide·o activities
& essay writing
of diction in the passage. Include examples of interesting word choices, what
those words mean, and what they reveal about Crusoe.
m
Objectives
• know about the author and the background information behind
the novel • thoroughly understand the passage from the novel •
be able to identify figurative language in the passage • be able to
summarize the passage • be able to analyze the characters,
setting, symbols, and themes of the novel • know about satire in
some depth • be able to use the passage to support your opinions
and write a literature essay
LLearn About ... Jonathan Swift
D onathan Swift (1667-1745) was an important Irish writer.

His personal beliefs influenced his writing a great deal, and
much of what he wrote had political or religious meaning behind
it. At an early age, he started a career in politics. He moved to
London and began spending time with other prominent politicians
and writers. In his forties, however, he found himself out of favor
with the government and the Queen, and he decided to return to
Ireland, where he became the dean of Saint Patrick's Cathedral.
As the dean, Swift was in charge of the daily operations of the
church, including keeping records of finances and making sure
that all priests were performing the duties of their station.
Although he missed the busy life of London, Swift soon began writing many different kinds of
political pamphl ets and essays. It was during this period of his life that Swift wrote Qulliver's
Travels , his most famous and successful book. In the last years of his life, Swift suffered greatly. He
lost most of his mental capacity and his friends were compelled to take over his finances and daily
care. He died on October 19, 1745, at the age of 77 and was buried in St. Patrick's Cathedral. His
contribution to literature continues to be recognized today.
Predict
[step 1
method
ingenuity
1 Do you think that people should use science only to beggi ~
solve problems? Or is it acceptable to use science just c• cumbers
sunshine
to learn something new? Explain. gunpowder
2 What are some interesting scientific discoveries from Jed
your life?
treatise fire
L Step 2 academy
Look at the key words from the passage from Gulliver's Travels.
With a partner, discuss the meaning of the words. Based on
the words, predict main ideas of the passage.
ulliver's Travels is about the fictional journeys of a man called Lemuel Gulliver. The book is divided into four parts,
G each describing a journey. The first part tells about Gulliver's visit to a land called Lilliput, full of tiny people with a
dangerous and aggressive nature, considering their size. He makes it home from this land, but on his next trip, he is
sh ipwrecked in another strange place: Brobdingnag . The people here are giants, though their nature is quite
peaceful and their country ruled fairly and rationally. Part three relates Gulliver's visits to the flying island of
Laputa (where people pursue the most abstract art and knowledge imaginable), Balnibarbi (the land below
Laputa, which the king controls from Laputa by blocking sunshine and rain or dropping down rocks), and
other lands. Part four is the last part, and it tells about Gulliver's time in the country of th e Houyhnhnms
- intelligent talking horses who rule a race of filthy greedy human-like creatures called Yahoos. When
Gulliver finally returns home, he is so disgusted by humanity that he refuses to speak with anyone.
preferring to spend his time in his stables, talking to his horses.
The book is a satire. That is, it pokes fun at certain people, places. and 1deas by presenting s1milar
people, places, or ideas in a rid iculous way. Jonathan Swift used this book to point to the flaws he saw in
many of the ideas of the Age of Enlightenment, where science was seen as a new god, as well as the
growing power of the British Empire and other topical issues. it is also,
oroadly, a satire of the travel books popular at the time, and
:Jarticularly of Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, which had been
::~u blis hed seven years before and extolled the virtues of the
1dividual man and his capabilities. Gulliver encounters
J'lly inhabited islands and established societies,
and even at the end , when he tries to find a
jesert island to live on alone, he is brought
Jack home by sympathetic captains. Swift
seems to be implying that humans are
siuck with society, for better or worse.
ead
0 listen to and read the
passage from Gulliver's Travels.
First, read for general
understanding. Then, reread
the passage. As you read the
second time, decide what kind of
In this passage from Gu/liver's Travels (Part 3, Chapter Gulliver is taking a tour of an academy
-a place where scientists come together to invent things- in Lagado. Lagado is the capital city
of Balnibarbi, ruled over by a king who lives on the flying island of Laputa. The people from
Balnibarbi and Laputa are very preoccupied with science and invention - but many of their
scientific ideas are very impractical, as Gulliver soon finds out.
his academy is not an entire single building, but a I saw another at work to calcine ice into gunpowder;
T continuation of several houses on both sides of a
street, which growing waste, was purchased and
who likewise showed me a treatise he had written
concerning the malleability of fire, which he intended to
applied to that use. publish.
I was received very kindly by the warden, and went for There was a most
many days to the academy. Every room in it has one or ingenious architect, who
more. projectors; and I believe I could not be in fewer had contrived a new
than five hundred rooms. method for building
The first man I saw was of a meagre aspect, with sooty houses, by
hands and face , his hair and beard long , ragged , and beginning at the
singed in several places. His clothes, shirt, and skin, roof, and working
were all of the same colour. He has been eight years downward to the
upon a project for extracting sunbeams out of foundation; which he
cucumbers, which were to be put in phials hermetically justified to me, by the
sealed, and let out to warm the air in raw inclement like practice of those
summers. H ~ told me, he did not doubt, that, in eight two prudent insects,
years more, he should be able to supply the governor's the bee and the spider.
gardens with sunshine, at a reasonable rate: but he
complained that his stock was low, and entreated me
"to give him something as an encouragement to
ingenuity, especially since this had been a very dear
season for cucumbers." I made him a small present,
for my lord had furnished me with money on purpose,
because he knew their practice of begging from all who
go to see them.
I
Respond to the passage by answering these questions wit h a partner.
Was your prediction about the main idea of th e passag e co rrect? Explain .
How did the author communicate the main ideas? Pick one (or more) and explain.
a with images b w ith dialogue c by expl ai ni ng t hem directly
Who are the important people in th is pa ssage?
Which of the words in t he phrase ba nk do you t hin k best describe how Gu lliver f ee ls in the
passage? Expla in.
Imagine you were Gulliver. Descri be the scene . How do you feel?
• surprised
• amazed • shocked
• amused • bored
• interested
erstand
1 What was the first projector 3 What did one projector write
working with? a paper about?
a cucumbers a ice
b soot b gunpowder
c airtight bottles c f ire
d clothing d architectu re
2 Why does the f irst projector 4 What kind of animal inspired

ask for money? one projector?
a He is hungry. a a fish
b He needs supplies. b a mammal
c He is in debt. c an insect
d He needs new clothes. d a bi rd
Figurative Language
Work with a partner. Find one example of visual imagery and one example of irony
in the passage.
·.
11
Lsummarize
6 First, fill in the graphic organizer based on the passage you read.
Character(s)
Settiifj
Jv!ain Event(s)
7 Now, use your graphic organizer to summarize the passage with a partner.
Lusten
8 0 l!:isten to a lecture about Gulliver's Travels. Then, answer the questions.
a why Swift was prosecuted for Gulliver's Travels
b how Swift thought of the idea for Gulliver's Travels
c how Swift tried to hide authorship of Gulliver's Travels
d when Swift first published Gulliver's Travels
2 Why did Swift ask someone to copy his book?

a so the handwriting couldn't be traced to him
b because he needed help getting published
c so he could pretend he'd written the whole thing
d because he needed multiple copies of the book
• I
-About the Title
-_-:c original title of Gulliver's Travels was Travels

;J Several Remote Nations of the World, in Four
-.:.rrs. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a

-;etain ofSeveral Ships. Today, though, most people
-->: call it by the shorter name.
Answer the following questions with a partner.
• How is the original title similar to the original title of Robinson Crusoe?
• Which title do you think is better, the longer one or the shorter one? Explain.
nalyze the Characters
Filllt In.
'J First, listen to the lecture. Then, use words f rom the phrase bank to fill in the table.
• curious • one-dimensional • intelligent • impractical

• observant • think about • complex, abstract ideas
• middle class • represent(s) the everyman
• represent(s) the ivory tower • represent(s) the Roya l Society
• practical • resourceful • dynamic • doesn't change
Gulliver Projectors
Think About lt.

Use the graphic organizer to answer the following questions individually.
How is the character of Gulliver different than the projectors?

What do those differences make you think about the projectors? What do t hey make you
think about Gu ll iver?
Talk it Over.
Discuss the answers to the previous questions with a partner. Share your ideas with the class.
11
J
lAnalyze the Setting

13 Fill lt In.
0 Listen to the following lecture about the setting in Gulliver's Travels. Then, use information
from the lecture to fill in the graphic organizer.
Place Inhabitants Meaning
Lilliput & Blefuscu
Brobdingnag
Laputa & Balnibarbi
country of the
Houyhnhnms
14 Think About lt.

With a partner, answer the following question.
Think about the projectors and what you know about them. What do you think the academy
could represent?
15 Talk lt Over.
As a class, discuss your answers to the previous question.
J
- Analyze the Symbols

16 Fill lt In.
In Gulliver's Travels, most things are symbols. The characters, places, and action all stand for
some idea. Based on what you've learned so far, write down four symbols and their meanings
in the table.
Symbol Meaning
~--------~------------------------========== '
Answer the following questions.

Why does Jonathan Swift use symbols instead of just saying what he means?
Can someone enjoy the story of Gulliver's Travels without understanding the symbolism of it?
Talk lt Over.
Discuss your answers to the previous questions with a partner.
alyze the Themes

of the important themes in Gulliver's Travels are science and power. In the book, Gulliver sees examples of science
o good use and science put to poor use. Gulliver's observations lead the reader to believe that science is best when
:_-: to practical use - not when pursued for abstract reasons. Power is another important idea in Gulliver's Travels.
.;,_ liver has lots of power when he's in Lilliput and no power in Brobdingnag. His experiences show us how am·
:c·ser really is. The passage from Gulliver's Travels clearly relates to science. But it also alludes to ideas of oowe·
·cu larly in the relationship between Gulliver and the projectors.
fill lt In.
Theme Examplesfrom Passage

science
"nk About lt.

k lt Over.
Discuss your answer to the previous question with a partner.
11
J
L ln .. oepth Analysis: Satire
Satire is a kind of literary genre which pokes fun at society by illuminating its shortcomings, vices, and injustices.
Satire makes an ideal , behavior, or belief seem ridicu lous. This is usually done in a playful and even humorous way,
but is still intended to make people think about their own behavior.
There are two kinds of satire: Horatian and Juvenalian . These get their names from two of the earliest satirists,
Horace and Juvenal, who were Roman poets. Horatian satire is more playful, witty, and general. Juvenalian satire,
on the other hand, is often more angry, abrasive, and personal. In Gulliver's Travels, the satire is mostly Juvenalian.
Swift attacks specific people, governments, and practices. Though the book is definitely funny, the criticisms of the
British state and European self-importance are often scathing.
For example, when Gulliver visits Lilliput, he spends a lot of time explaining conflicts in the Lilliputian court and
parliament. These conflicts seem petty and foolish to Gulliver - and , of course, to the reader. Yet they directly
correspond to contemporary political conflicts in Britain . In pointing out the absurdity of the Lilliputian conflicts,
Swift implies that their British counterparts are no less foolish. Their constant wars with their similarly tiny
neighbors from the island of Blefuscu remind readers of the unending conflicts between Britain and France at the
time.
The entire book is full of examples like this. When
Gulliver visits the academy, his descriptions of
the projectors' ridiculous experiments make us
laugh . These projectors, however, are similar to
the members of the Royal Society in Britain . So
by indirectly comparing the projectors to the
Royal Society, Swift suggests that the Royal
Society is just as useless as the academy in
Balnibarbi. Both pursue knowledge that has no
useful purpose for humanity, and both are
completely cut off from the society that
supports them.
Some people have treated Gulliver's Travels as
a children's book, but this could not be further
from the truth . In reality, it's a harsh criticism
of life in the eighteenth century. lt was for this
reason that Swift published the book
anonymously, pretending it was written by
Gulliver himself; it was designed to upset
some very powerful people, and it did. lt was
also, however, enormously popular, and has
never been out of print since.
11
2'2 Read the In-Depth Analysis and answer the following questions with a partner.
• What is satire?
• Read the quotations below and, based on the information in the text, decide which is from
Horace's satires and which is from Juvenal's satires.
1 2 .............................. ........ .
~ fortunate tradesman! ' the ageing soldier cries.

.r
/
..
3ody shattered by harsh service, bowed by the years.
:be merchant however, ship tossed by a southern gale,
S2ys: ' Soldiering's better. And why? You charge and then:
-:·s a quick death in a moment, or a joyful victory won ."
"What could I do at Rome? I don 't know how to cheat;

If a book is bad, I am unable to praise it and ask for one;
nobody is going to be a thief with me as his accomplice,

and that right there is why I'm going in no governor's
entourage .. ."
What kind of satire does Swift

use in Gulliver's Travels?
What is Swift satirizing in
Gulliver's Travels?
Reread the passage from Gulliver's Travels. With a partner, answer the following questions.
What is the main subject of this section?
What is Swift satirizing in this section?
How does Swift make the subject of his satire seem ridiculous?
J iscuss the following questions as a class.

Do you think that people were offended by Gulliver's Travels? If so, who? Explain .
Does satire still exist as a literary form today? Does it exist in any other forms? Exp lain.
Do you think satire is an effective or an ineffective form of social
cr iticism? Explain.
ite
ym bols are incredibly important to Gulliver's Tra vels. Using your answers for video activities
· om the sections above, write a 250- to 300-word essay about three of & essay writing
--e symbols in the story and what they represent.
11
/
Objectives
• know about the author and the background information behind
the novel • thoroughly understand the passage from the novel • be
able to identify the point of view in the passage • be able to
summarize the passage • be able to analyze the title, characters,
setting, and themes of the novel • know about character in some
depth • be able to use the passage to support your opinions and
write a literature essay
L Learn About ... Jane Austen

. , ane Austen (1775-1817) was an English writer whose
~ novels of romance and society are still very popular with
readers today. Austen came from a very large family. She had
six brothers and one sister. She and her sister attended school
for a few years, but had to stop when Austen was around eleven
years old because her family could no longer afford the
expense. This was only the end of Austen 's formal education,
however. She continued to read and study while living at home
with her family. Her father encouraged this, and he also
encouraged Austen to write - something which was somewhat
scandalous for women to do at the time. She continued to write
as she grew older and eventually published several books - though she published them
anonymously. Some of the most important themes in Austen's books are related to women,
their independence, and marriage. She was an important commentator on the social
inequalities of her lifetime. She died young, in 181 7, and so only published six novels. Still, she
continues to be well-loved and one of the most-adapted of English authors to screen and stage .
.
Predict
[step 1
noble
proud
1 When you meet someone new, how do you decide admiration
tall
whether or not you like them?
manners
pleasant
What is more important when making a new friend:
handsome torbiddmg
their appearance or their actions? Explain .
gentleman amiable
L e ., dance
disgust
Look at the key words from the passage from Pride and
Prejudice. With a partner, discuss the meaning of the
words. Based on the words, predict main ideas of the
passage.
Background Information
J
Which of the Bennet daughters are main characters?

'J. Why is it important for the Bennet daughters to marry well?
How is Mr. Bingley important for Mrs. Ben net?
What kind of novel is Pride and Prejudice, on the most basic level?
What criticism does Jane Austen give of her society in the novel?
,~ ..\.;::.
ride and Prejudice is about the Bennet family. Mr. husbands for their daughters. Marriage is the only m.eans
and Mrs. Bennet have five daughters. Jane is the by which the Bennet girls can avoid becoming destitute.
- :::;st, and she is beautiful, kind , and good. Elizabeth is At the beginning of the book, a new man named Mr.
·- :: 1ext oldest. She, too, is pretty, but not as beautiful as Bingley moves to town. He is rich, so Mrs. Bennet
=..-8. She's free-spirited, outspoken, and intelligent. immediately wants to introduce him to her daughters. The
~-:: s also the main character. The other three daughters ball described in the following passage is the first chance
z..-:: not as important to the story. They are Mary, the the Bennet women have to meet Mr. Bingley and their
:: sh intellectual , and Lydia and Kitty, the silly flirts. impressions of him and his friend Mr. Darcy are given.
:-:-:ause of the laws and customs in England at the time , On the surface, Pride and Prejudice is a romance, where
-:-8 of these daughters will inherit the family home when Elizabeth and Mr Darcy slowly move from dislike of one
Mr. Bennet passes away. In addition, another to falling in love. However, under the surface is
Mr. Ben net is not a wealthy man. Jane Austen's keen and often biting humor, as she lays
Therefore, his daughters will open the hypocrisy and materialism of her society, where
be left with nothing when every woman by necessity must find a man - and one
he is gone. For this with means. On each level - as a romance, a comedy of
reason , both Mr. and manners, and a social critique - the novel works
Mrs. Bennet are very exquisitely well, earning it a place alongside the other
concerned with finding classics of English literature.
11
]14 Bingley was good looking and Mr. Bingley had soon made himself acquainted with
lJ'..I..T. gentlemanlike; he had a pleasant all the principal people in the room; he was lively
countenance, and easy, unaffected manners. His and unreserved, danced every dance, was angry that
brother-iq-law, Mr. Hurst, merely looked the the ball closed so early, and talked of giving one
gentleman; but his friend Mr. Darcy soon drew the himself at Netherfield. Such amiable qualities must
attention of the room by his fine, tall person, speak for themselves. What a contrast between him
handsome features, noble mien; and the report which and his friend! Mr. Darcy danced only once with
was in general circulation within five minutes after Mrs. Hurst and once with Miss Bingley, declined
his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year. The being introduced to any other lady, and spent the rest
gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a of the evening in walking about the room, speaking
man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer occasionally to one of his own party. His character
than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great was decided. He was the proudest, most disagreeable
admiration for about half the evening, till his man in the world, and every body hoped that he
manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his would never come there again. Amongst the most
popularity; for he was discovered to be proud, to be violent against him was Mrs. Bennet, whose dislike
above his company, and above being pleased; and of his general behaviour was sharpened into
not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save particular resentment by his having slighted one of
him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable her daughters.
countenance, and being unworthy to be compared
with his friend.
-Respond
Respond to the passage by answering these questions with a partner.
1 Was your prediction about the main idea of the passage correct? Explain .
2 How did the author communicate the main ideas? Pick one (or more) and explain.
a with images b with dialogue c by explaining them directly
3 Who are the important people in this passage?
4 Which of the words from the phrase bank do you think best describe how Mr. Bi ~gley feels
in the passage? Which might describe Mr. Darcy's feelings? Explain.
• excited • bored
• tired • unimpressed
• happy • upset
• interested
5 Imagine that you are at that ball. What are you wearing? What do you see, feel, hear, taste?
How do you feel? How does this scene differ from a similar modern one?
nderstand
1 Which of the following is NOT 3 Why do people stop liking Mr. Darcy?
attractive about Mr. Darcy? a He thinks he's better than them.
a his appearance b He talks too much and too loudly.
b his income c He dances with too many women.
c his home d He insults people to their faces.
d his attitude
4 Who particularly dislikes Mr. Darcy?
2 How does Mr. Darcy compare to a Miss Bingley
Mr. Bingley?
b Mr. Bingley
a He is better-looking.
c Mrs. Bennet
b He is more of a gentleman.
d Mrs. Hurst
c He has more money.
d He is friendlier.
oint of View
Work with a partner. Does a first-person
narrator or a third-person narrator tell
the story? Is the narrator omniscient or
limited? How do you know?
11
y
Lsummarize
6 First, fill in the graphic organizer
based on the passage you read.
Character(s) Jvtain [}dea(s)
Jvtain Event(s) Conflict
Now, use your graphic organizer to summarize the passage with a partner.
Lusten
80 Listen to a lecture about Pride and Prejudice. Then, answer the questions.
1 What is the speaker mostl y talking about?

a the historical and social setting of Pride and Prejudice
b the differences between the upper and middle classes in Pride and Prejudice
c the discrimination faced by women during the time Pride and Prejudice took place
d the problems that poor people faced in Pride and Prejudice
2 Which people were members of the landed gentry?

a Mr. Bingley
b Mr. Darcy
c the Bennet sisters
d the Bingley sisters
- Analyze the Title
9 Filllt In.
Look up the definitions of the words in the graphic organizer. Fill in the empty colu mn.
Definition
10 Think About lt.

With a partner, discuss the meanings of the two words. Then, answer the following questions.
• Which character in the passage best shows the meaning of the word "pride " ? Explain.
• Are there any characters that exhibit "prejudice"? Explain.
1 Talk lt Over.
As a class, discuss your answers to the previous question. Then, answer the following question
as a group.
Based on the passage, does Pride and Prejudice seem like a good name for the book? Why or
why not?
"':.j
lil
12 Fill lt In.
a. 0 Listen to the first half of the lecture. Then, use words from the phrase bank to fill in
the first Venn diagram.
• rich • friendly • dances • ignores others

• quiet • a gentleman • excellent manners
• talkative • insulting • single
• upper class • rude • hospitable • proud
b. 0 Listen to the second half of the lecture and use words from the phrase bank to fill in
the second Venn diagram.
• oldest sister • finds true love • outspoken I

• virtuous • honest • clever • good-natured
• complex character • beautiful • quick to judge
• second oldest sister • gentle • dull
JaJtt
13 Think About lt.

Use the Venn diagrams to answer the following questions individually.
• Are Bingley and Darcy more similar than different? What about Jane and Elizabeth?
• Are Bingley and Jane suited? What about Darcy and Elizabeth?
14 Talk lt Over.
- Analyze the Setting
15 Fill lt In.
0 Listen to the following lecture about the setting in Pride and Prejudice. Then, use information
from the lecture to fill in the graphic organizer .
... ~
~--
Aspect of Setting Importance

~
time
~
I
-
Think About lt.

Answer the following questions with a partner.
• How is the time period in which the story takes place important to the ideas in the novel?
• How is the place in which the story takes place important to the ideas in the novel?
c How would the story be different if the time or place changed?
7 Talk lt Over.
As a class, discuss your answers to the previous questions.
nalyze the Themes

Filllt In.
Social class and pride are two of the most important themes in Pride and Prejudice. Use lines
from the passage to fill in the graphic organizer.
'nk About lt.

lt Over.
Di scuss your answer to the previous question with a partner.
11
L In-Depth Analysis: Character
Characters are the people that the reader meets in a novel. They are important to literary
works because it is through the characters that the reader experiences the action in the
story. Characters are what keep the action going, drive the plot, and encounter and resolve
conflicts. Without characters, it would be very hard to have a story.
Writers reveal things about characters in many different ways. lt would be boring, for
example, if a writer simply told you everything about a character the first time you saw
that character on the page. it's much more interesting for the information to be revealed
piece by piece. Writers can reveal things about characters by telling the reader directly,
describing how the character looks, letting us hear the character speak, sharing the
character's private thoughts and feelings, showing how the character affects other people,
and making the character act. All of these things come together to paint the picture of a
complete character.
These different means of characterization are all important. And, in some cases,
they may conflict with one another. For example, a character may say that he is
a kind and gentle person. Later, however, the character might get into a fist
fight with someone else. At this point, the reader has to decide which version of
the character to believe in: the character who says he's kind and gentle, or the
character who beats people up. Good writers know that people are
complicated, so there will often be conflicts between who a person
seems to be at first, and how he or she acts later on.
Another important point about characters is that they often change
throughout a story. For example, in Pride and Prejudice, Mr.
Darcy has a very bad attitude at the beginning. By the end of the
story, however, he has overcome much of his pride. He realizes
that he 's been acting poorly and makes an effort to change. By the
end of the novel , he is a far different person from how he is when
the reader first meets him .
Not all characters grow and change. This isn 't the mark of bad
writing. lt simply reflects what the author wants to emphasize. Mr.
Bingley, for instance, doesn't change throughout the course of the
novel. At the beginning, he is kind, gentlemanly, handsome, and
rich. He stays this way throughout the story. This is because
the story is not really about him . He's involved and he's
important, but his character is not the one being scrutinized .
Mr. Bingley as a character is most important as a device for
moving the plot forward. His own personal development is
not important to the story.
J '
!
I
"'" "·~·""'·"""•·•••·•••· •·'·=••·-~-M•~·~o••"··~f·'"" .·-···· .... -······~ ·····~-~---~-·- .········--__J.....
Objectives
behind the novel • thoroughly understand the passage from the
novel • be able tO identify figurative language in the passage
• be able to summarize the passage • be able to analyze the
t itle, characters, setting, symbols, and themes of the novel
• know about allusion in some depth • be able to use the
L Learn About ... Mary Shelley

l7n ary Shelley (1797-1851) was an English writer. She is most
IMJ famous for her noveL Frankenstein: or, The Modern
Prometheus. She also wrote poetry and worked tirelessly to get her
husband, Percy Shelley, published. Her mother, Mary
Wollstonecraft, was an early proponent of women's rights and a
writer as well. She died when her daughter was just ten days old.
Mary Shelley was raised by her father, the political philosopher
William Godwin. He encouraged her to learn and study, which she
did. In 1816, she married Percy Shelley, whom she had met two
years earlier. The two traveled around Europe together, and in
1816, spent the summer in Geneva, Switzerland, with some of their
friends, including Lord Byron. The friends sat in front of the fire one evening, reading ghost stories
aloud. Lord Byron suggested that they all write their own horror story. Soon afterward, Mary Shelley
thought of the idea for Fra nkenstein. She finished and published her noveL something that was
exceedingly uncommon for a woman to do in this time period. Today, this is one of the most popular
and well-known stories in English and has been adapted for stage and screen many times.
Preqict
[step 1
Discuss these questions with a pa rtner.
agony
1 Do you think scientists ever reg ret their discover ies? horrid wa ery
Why or why not?
yellow creature
2 Are there moral boundaries which scient ists should not dreary
cross, even in the pursuit of progress? Explain and give
dismal rain
examples. shrivelled
catastrophe wretch
[step 2 black
Look at the key words from the passage from Frankenstein.
With a partner, discuss the meaning of the words. Based on
the words, predict the mood of the passage.
ackground Information
1 Why does Victor Frankenstein tell Captain Walton

his story?
2 What was Frankenstein's reaction to his creation?
3 How many people did the creature kill?
What was Frankenstein doing near the North
What did 18th century scientists think
electricity was doing to the frog?
rankenstein takes place in the late 1700s. lt begins on someone saw him, they ran away or tried to hurt him. The
F board a ship bound for the North Pole. The ship's
captain, Robert Walton, sees a solitary figure moving across
creature was very lonely and asked Victor to make him a
friend.
the ice. Later, he sees another man and brings the man onto At first, Victor agreed. But as he got closer and closer to
the ship. This man is Victor Frankenstein. In Walton's finishing the new creature, he became more and more afraid
expedition towards the North Pole (which had not even been of the consequences, so he destroyed all of his progress and
attempted at the time of the novel's publication), said that he'd never make another. The creature became
Frankenstein recognizes his own obsessive pursuit of very upset and killed first Victor's friend, and then his :.'lfe.
knowledge, and he decides to tell Walton his life story as a and Victor began chasing it further and further north to Ki .....
cautionary tale. Shortly after he finishes telling his story, Victor des. The
When Frankensteinwas a student he became obsessed with creature comes aboard the ship shortly afterward. a1d 1s
e creation of life. In fact, he became so obsessed that he very sad to hear of Victor's death. lt decides it has noth1ng
decided to create a human being. He studied very hard and now left to live for, and says it will build a funeral py:-e to bum
began building a person out of stolen body parts. Using itself on.
electricity, he brought the body to life. However, when Victor The novel is important because it shows the scientific
saw what he had created, he was immediately disgusted. He concerns of the time. For example, sc1ennsts rn the 1790s
couldn't even bear to be in the same room as it and he fled. noticed that when electrical currems were applied to the
The creature subsequently disappeared. muscles of a dead frog, the legs t\'litched. People now
Victor was so upset that he got sick. He went home once he understand that electricity caused the muscle fibers to
:1as well, only to find out that his younger brother had been contract, but in the past, they believed that electricity held
murdered. Victor knew that it was the creature. Feeling some vital life force. Shelley drew on this principle in her
guilty, he took a trip to the mountains to relax. There, he met novel. In addition, the novel references new understanding
e creature face to face. The creature could speak and was about electromagnetism and other scientific pursuits.
ntelligent. He told Victor about his life and what he'd been Indeed, Frankenstein would not have seemed implausible to
:nrough. He'd learned to speak and read, but every time people in Shelley's time period.
11
L listen & Read
20 Listen to and read the passage from Frankenstein. Fi rst, read for general understanding .
Then , reread the passage. As you read the second time, note down t he specific ways in
which Victor describes his creation's appearance.
t was on a dreary night of November that I beheld horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost
I the accomplishment of my toils. With an anxiety

that almost amounted to agony, I collected the
instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a
of the same colour as the dun white sockets in which
they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight
black lips.
spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet. lt The different accidents of life are not so changeable as
was already one in the morning; the rain pattered the feelings of human nature. I had worked hard for
dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into
burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest
light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far
breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished , the
limbs. beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and
How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or disgust filled my heart. Unable to endure the aspect of
how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains the being I had created, I rushed out of the room, and
and care I had endeavoured to form? His limbs were in continued a long time traversing my bedchamber, unable
proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. to compose my mind to sleep. At length lassitude
Beautifui!-Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered succeeded to the tumult I had before endured; and I
the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was threw myself on the bed in my clothes, endeavouring to
of a lustrous black, and flowing ; his teeth of a pearly seek a few moments of forgetfulness.
whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more
J
-Respond
1 Was your prediction about the mood of the passage correct? Explain.
2 How did the author create the mood? Pick one (or more) and explain .
a with images b with dia logue c by explain ing it directly
4 Which of the words in the phrase bank do you think best describe how Victor feel s in the
passage? Explain.
• happy • excited
• disgusted • afraid
• shocked • angry
• indifferent
5 Imagine you were Victor. How would you feel?
nderstand
1 Which of the following colors does 3 What does Victor do when he sees the creature?
Victor NOT use to describe the a He leaves.
creature?
b He screams.
a black
c He hides.
b yellow
d He paces.
c white
d red
4 What bothers Victor most about the creat ure?
a its voice
2 What does Victor use to bring the
b its appearance
creature to life?
c its movements
a an invented tool
d its strength
b a magical chant
c an electric shock
d a mixture of chemicals
igurative Language
Find one example of
onomatopoeia and one
example of kinesthetic
imagery in the text.
settixo
Jvtain [vent(s) Conflict -
11
J
-Analyze the Title

9 Find lt.
0 listen to the lecture. Then, use words from the phrase bank to complete the Venn diagram.
• Greek hero • steals fire • creates people

• creates one person • oversteps boundaries
• goes against nature • punished
• European scientist • ashamed of his creation
• tries to help his creation
PrvmefAtUJ
Think About lt.
How are the stories of Victor Frankenstein and Prometheus similar? How are they different?
Talk lt Over.
With a partner, discuss your answers to the previous questions. Then, talk about why you
t hink Mary Shelley included the alternate title, The Modern Prometheus.
11
J

12 Fill lt In.
0 First, listen to the lecture. Then complete the graphic organizer with examples of each
character trait in Victor and the creature.
1
Character Trait r Victor Creature
rr
self-pity
overly emotional
self-importance
13 Think A ut lt.
• How are the two characters the same?
• How are they different?
14 Talk lt Over.
-Analyze the Setting
15 Fill lt In.
0 Listen to the following lecture about the setting in Frankenstein. Then, use information from
the lecture to fill in the graphic organizer.
Aspect of Settin lmoortance in Frankenstein

time
Think About lt.

• Why do you think Shelley chose to set the novel in this time and place? Could the story take
place in a different setting?
7 Talk lt Over.
nalyze the Symbols

Match lt.
Some important symbols in the novel are the monster himself, light and fire, and exploration.
Match the symbols to their meanings.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ------
--~~i
Symbol 1 Meaning
D the monster . A the duality of knowledge (it can both help and harm)
:!: l li ghtlfire B the negative consequences of going against nature
-- exploration
) I
C the dangers of overstepping the boundaries of human knowledge

?I
Think About lt.

With a partner, discuss your answers to the previous section. Explain why you chose the
answers that you did.
Talk lt Over.
As a class, discuss the following questions.
Based on what you know about the book, which symbol do you think is the most important?
Why?
11
lAnalyze the Themes
21 Fill lt In.
Two important themes from Frankenstein are listed below. Fill in the graphic organizer with
words or lines from the passage that relate to these themes.

the consequences of
going against nature
the natural limits of

human knowledge
22 Think About lt.

23 Talk lt Over.
L In-Depth Analysis: Allusion
In literature, an allusion is a reference to another work, such as a work of art, a piece of music, or another
literary wo rk. Authors use allusions to draw parallels between two characters or situations without going
into great detail. If, for example , an author compared two of his characters to Romeo and Juliet, the reader
might assume that the characters are doomed and will never be together, since that's what happens in
Shakespeare's play.
In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley draws a parallel between Victor Frankenstein and Prometheus. The story of
Prometheus comes from ancient Greece. According to some legends, Prometheus created the first humans.
He taught them how to talk, read, and hunt. Then he stole fire from the Greek gods and gave it to the
humans of the Earth . This angered the gods greatly, since by doing this, he was showing disrespect to
them . As a punishment, the leader of the Greek gods, Zeus, chained Prometheus to a rock. Every day, a bird
came and ate part of Prometheus' liver. Every night, the liver grew back. So Prometheus lived in agony for
the rest of his life.
Mary Shelley's audience would have been aware of this story. They would have seen the similarities
between the characters, as well as the differences. For example , Prometheus did everything out of love for
humans, but Frankenstein has no love for his creation - quite the opposite. In addition, as a modern
Prometheus from Enlightenment Europe, Frankenstein represents humans' quest for knowledge -
especially scientific knowledge.
By comparing Victor to Prometheus, Mary Shelley places him in this long tradition of figures whose
willingness to go against natural law and insatiable desire for knowledge lead to their ruin.
11
24 Read the In-Depth Analysis and answer the following questions individually.
• What do Victor and Prometheus have in common?
• What are some differences between Victor and Prometheus?
25 With a partner, answer the following questions.
• Based on the similarities and differences listed above, do you think that the characters of
Victor and Prometheus are more alike than they are different, or vice versa? Explain .
..
• Which are more important to understanding the story of Frankenstein, the similarities
between the two characters or their differences?
6 In groups of four, discuss your answers to the previous questions. Then, as a group, write a
short paragraph answering the following question. Use evidence from the In-Depth Analysis to
back up your answers.
• Authors use allusions to draw parallels between two characters or situations. Why do you
think Mary Shelley chose to allude to Prometheus in Frankenstein?
rite
Victor Frankenstein is a modern Prometheus, reminding us of the dangers of going
against nature. Write a 250- to 300-word essay about the importance this theme has
in the story of Frankenstein, and its consequences.
11
Objectives

behind the novel • thoroughly understand the passage from
the novel • be able to recognize the use of dramatic irony in
the passage • be able to summarize the passage • be able to
analyze the title, characters, setting, symbols, and themes of the
novel • know about conflict in some depth • be able to use the
LLearn About ... Emily Bronte

r;J mily Bronte ()818-1848) was an English writer and one
L:'J of the famous Bronte sisters. Her older sister, Charlotte,
and her younger sister, Anne, were also writers. Their mother
died when Emily was only two years old. Soon, the family
experienced more tragedy when Emily's two older sisters both
caught tuberculosis at a boarding school and subsequently
died. For most of her life, Emily did not attend school. Instead,
she educated herself by reading books from her father's
library. Charlotte, Emily, and Anne wrote stories and poems
together, and in fact jointly published a volume of poetry in
1846 under the pseudonyms Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell
respectively. In 1847, Emily published Wuthering Heights,
once more using the name Ellis Bell. Earlier that same year, Charlotte Bronte had published Jane
Eyre to great success, and Anne Bronte's Agnes Grey appeared at the same time as Wuthering
Heights . Charlotte and Anne went on to publish more novels, but Wuthering Heights was to be
Emily's only full-length work. She died of tuberculosis only a year after its publication.
Pred.ict
[step 1
secret
1 Is it possible to feel romantic love for two different
heart samP
people at the same time? Explain .
marry change
2 What are some reasons that people marry one
another? Are some reasons better than others? bme being
Explain. obstacle different
[step 2 love eternal

soul
Look at the key words from the passage from Wuthering
Heights. With a partner, discuss the meaning of the
words. Based on the words, predict the main ideas of the
passage.
uthering Heights takes place between the 1770s Edgar's sister, lsabella, in order to punish Edgar for
W and 1800. The story begins with a man called
Lockwood. He's renting a house called Thrushcross
marrying Catherine. He seduced lsabella and soon they
were married. This made Catherine ill , and she soon
Grange from Heathcliff. After a strange encounter with died after giving birth to a baby girl, whom Edgar
Heathcliff and the other residents of his house, and a named Catherine too. Soon, Hindley also died, leaving
dream of the ghost of a young woman called Catherine, his son to live with Heathcliff at Wuthering Heights.
Lockwood asks the housekeeper, Nelly, what's going on. lsabella left Heathcliff because of his violence towards
Nelly then proceeds to tell Lockwood the entire tale. her, and soon after gave birth to their son, Linton. She
Heathcliff came to live at Wuthering Heights long ago, died, however, and Heathcliff got his son back. Next to
when he was a child . He was adopted by Catherine's die was Edgar, but just before he did, Heathcliff forced
father, Mr. Earnshaw. Her brother Hindley hated a marriage between Linton and Catherine. In this way,
Heathcliff and, when Mr. Earnshaw died, treated his son took possession of Edgar's old house,
Heathcliff very poorly. Catherine met her neighbors, the Thrushcross Grange. Linton, though, had always been
Lintons, who then lived at Thrushcross Grange. Edgar weak and died just a month after the wedding. The
Linton was her age, and she eventually agreed to marry novel ends with Heathcliff's death , and Hareton and
him, although she was in love with Heathcliff. Despite her Catherine planning to marry.
love for him, Catherine didn't not want to marry Heathcliff The novel caused quite a storm. Although it contains no
because he was beneath her in social class and had no explicit content, it was shocking to readers at the time for
money. Heathcliff was devastated at being overlooked by its passionate nature and dark subject matter. Like her
Catherine and disappeared from the area for a long time. sisters, and like many female authors of the age, Emily
When he came back, he was rich, but Catherine was Bronte had chosen a male pseudonym, and a number of
married to Edgar. Heathcliff spent all of his time taking critics said that only a man could have come up with such
revenge on Hindley, who had treated him so badly in a black tale, with violence and death in nearly every
the past. Hindley had become a depressed alcoholic chapter. The characters were amoral and, in many cases,
with a young son , Hareton. Hindley drank and gambled unlovable. Despite many people's initial horror, however,
all day long, and Heathcliff won Wuthering Heights from it was a success, and has since become a classic of
him in a card game. Heathcliff also decided to marry English literature.
\~ ,l ~j/
11
'Nelly, will you keep a secret for me?' she pursued , 'That's very strange! I cannot make it out .'
knee li ng down by me, and lifting her winsome eyes to my 'it's my secret. But if you will not mock at me, I'll explain
face with that sort of look which turns off bad temper, it: I can't do it distinctly; but I'll give you a feel ing of how I
even when one has all the right in the world to ind ulge it. feel ... I've no more business to marry Edgar Linton than I
'Is it worth keeping? ' I inquired, less sulkily. have to be in heaven; and if the wicked man in there had
'Yes, and it worries me, and I must let it out! I want to not brou ght Heathcliff so low, I shouldn 't have thought of
know what I should do . Today, Edgar Linton has asked it. lt would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he
me to marry him , and I've given him an answer. Now, shall never know how I love him: and that, not because
before I tell you whether it was a consent or denial , you he's handsome, Nelly, but because he's more myself
tell me which it ought to have been.' than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine
are the same; and Linton's is as different as a moonbeam
from lightning , or frost from fire.. . If all else perished ,
'Your brother will be pleased; the old lady and gentleman and he remained , I should still continue to be; and if all
will not object, I think; you will escape from a disorderly, else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe
comfortless home into a wealthy, respectable one; and wou ld turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part
you love Edgar, and Edgar loves you. All seems smooth of it. My love for Linton is like the foliage in the- woods:
and easy: where is the obstacle?' time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter changes the
'Here! and here!' replied Catherine, striking one hand on trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks
her forehead, and the other on her breast: 'in whichever beneath : a source of little visible delight, but necessary.
place the soul lives. In my soul and in my heart, I'm Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind:
convinced I'm wrong!' not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure
to myself, but as my own being.'
J
-Respond
1 Was your prediction about the main ideas of the passage correct? Explain .
2 How did the author communicate the main ideas? Pick one (or more) and explain .
a with images b with dialogue c by explaining it directly
4 Which of the words in the phrase bank do you think best describe how Catherine feels in
the passage? Explain.
• upset • confused
• happy • scared
• ashamed • sad
• indifferent
Understand
1 What does Catherine ask Nelly? 4 What does Catherine say about
a if she should tell everybody about Heath cliff?
Edgar a He will not be happy with her.
b if she should marry Heathcliff b He does not love her.
c if she should have accepted Edgar's c He is better than Edgar.
proposal d He is the same as her.
d what Nelly thinks about Heathcliff
2 Which is NOT a reason that Nelly gives

for being in favor of marrying Edgar?
a Catherine's parents will be happy.
b She will have a happier home.
c Edgar's parents will be happy.
d She and Edgar love each other.
3 Why doesn't Catherine want to marry

Heath cliff?
a He's not handsome enough.
b His social class is not high enough.
c She loves Edgar more than him.
d She thinks of him as a brother.
rary Techniques
J
Lsummarize
Character(s) Sttti'g
Jvtain cvent(s) Conflict
lListen
8 0 Listen to a lecture about Wuthering Heights.
Then, answer the questions.

a the narrator of Wuthering Heights
b the main characters in Wuthering Heights
c the setting of Wuthering Heights
d the time frame of Wuthering Heights
2 What is Lockwood's importance in the story?

a His actions set the story in motion.
b He narrates the action of the story.
c He is a substitute for the reader.
d He provides commentary on the story.
-Analyze the Title
9 Find lt.
0 Listen to the lecture and fill in the second column of the graphic organizer. Then complete
the third column with your own ideas.
Word Definition
wuthering
Think About lt.

Wuthering Heights is a novel in the Gothic genre, which was
extremely popular in the late 18th and 19th centuries. Goth ic
stories were tales of horror, often involving supernatural
elements such as vampires and ghosts. lt was a common
practice to give Gothic works the name of a house, castle, or
other residence as a title. This is because the general setting in
a Gothic novel is enormously important, and all the more so the
specific place where the main characters live. The building is
generally old, imposing, and isolated from the outside world,
with memories and secrets of its own, falling slowly to pieces
through neglect. lt is usually set in dark and forbidd ing
surroundings, and all of this creates an atmosphere of fear,
dread, and suspense.
Read the extract below from Wuthering Heights describing the house. How does it fit with
Gothic conventions outlined in the box above?
.'luthering Heights is the name of Mr. Heathcliff's sun. Happily, the architect had foresight to build it
::mlling. 'Wuthering' being a significant provincial strong: the narrow windows are deeply set in the wall, il
:::jective, descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which
~ station is exposed in stormy weather. Pure, bracing
and the corners defended with large jutting stones. ,
~~
Before passing the threshold , I paused to admire a
=nti lation they must have up there at all times, indeed: quantity of grotesque carving lavished over the front, and
::-e may guess the power of the north wind blowing over especially about the principal door; above which, among
::-;; edge, by the excessive slant of a few stunted firs at a wilderness of crumbling griffins and shameless little
::-3 end of the house; and by a range of gaunt thorns all
boys, I detected the date '1500', and the name 'Hareton
:;:-etching their limbs one way, as if craving alms of the Earnshaw'."
Talk lt Over.
With a partner, discuss the meanings of the two words and how they make you feel. Then
answer the following question.
• Why do you think Emily Bronte named the house and the novel Wuthering Heights?
m
12 Fill lt In.
a. 0 Listen to the first half of the lecture. Then, use words from the phrase bank to fill in the
first Venn diagram.
• weak • blond hair • sadistic • handsome

• dark skin • blue eyes • rich • a gentleman
• cowardly • obsessive • of high social status
• cries about a puppy • nearly kills a dog
• an outsider • vengeful • patient • driven • kind
b. 0 Listen to the second half of the lecture and use words from the phrase bank to fill in
the second Venn diagram.
• wild • refined • attracted to Heathcliff

• spoiled • free-spirited • dark hair • shallow
• blonde hair • strong • abused • fragile
• dark eyes • blue eyes • sturdy • cruel
13 Think About lt.

Use the Venn diagrams to answer the following questions individually.
• Are Edgar and Heathcliff more similar than different? What about Catherine and lsabella?
• Are Edgar and Catherine suited? What about Heathcliff and lsabella?
14 Talk lt Over.
Discuss the previous questions with a partner. As a class, discuss the following question.
• Why did Catherine choose to marry Edgar and not Heathcliff?
-Ana lyze the Setting
15 Fill lt In.
0 Listen to the following lecture about the setting in Wuthering Heights. Then, use inform ation
from the lecture to fill in the graphic organizer.
Aspect of Setting Importance in Wuthering Heights

t ime
6 Think About lt.

• Why do you think Bronte chose to set the novel in this time and place? Could
the story take place in a different setting?
7 Talk lt Over.

Match lt.
Some important symbols in the novel are Wuthering Heights, the moors,
and Thrushcross Grange. Match the symbols to their meanings.
--·-·----,..-<...
Meaning
symbol
\ID Wuthering Heights A comfort, luxury, warmt h, civili za:·,...,.,.

B discomfort, cold, rude ness, unhaoo r ess
li[J the moor 'l\}
C passion, wildness, dange r
\I[] Thrushcross Grange I
9 Think About lt.

With a partner, discuss your answers to the previous section. Explain wh y you chose the
answers that you did.
Talk lt Over.
• Which symbol do you think is the most important? Why?
m
/
lAnalyze the Themes

21 Fill lt In.
Three important themes from Wuthering Heights are listed below. Fill in the graphic organizer
with words or lines from the passage that relate to these themes.
love
obsession
social class
22 Think About lt.
Which theme do you think is most important and why?
23 Talk lt Over.
Discuss your answer to the previous
question with a partner.
n a novel, a conflict occurs when one or more A second kind of conflict is "man versus society."
I characters or entities want opposite or incompatible
things. For example, perhaps one man has something
This conflict occurs when a person wants something
that goes against the norms of their society. That is,
that another man wants. The rest of the story could they want to do something that most people think is
be about the resolution of this conflict. Will the first wrong or improper. This conflict is also evident in
man steal from the second? Will he try to barter or Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff is an outsider in his
trade with him? Maybe the second man will give him society because of his appearance and social status.
the object, but only if he performs some task. These He wants to be with Catherine, but she is considered
possibilities are what make a good story. Without above him, so society does not allow it.
conflict, there would be no story to tell. If one man Characters can also feel a conflict called "man versus
wanted something from another and the second man nature." Stories of people who are shipwrecked and
simply gave it up willingly, it would make for a very must survive against all odds are good examples of
short story, and not a particularly interesting one. this conflict. In Wuthering Heights, the weather often
There are several different kinds of conflict in causes conflicts. For instance, Lockwood must spend
literature. The most obvious one - used in the a night at Wuthering Heights against his will when a
example above- is called "man versus man." (Note blizzard prevents him from walking home.
that here the word "man" here means any character, Finally, characters may experience an internal conflict:
not just a male.) In this kind of conflict, two people "man versus self. " In this kind of conflict, a character
have opposite or incompatible goals. Think, for experiences two separate, but incompatible desires.
example, of Edgar and Heathcliff. They both love Catherine has such a conflict when she must choose
Catherine, but they can't both be with her. This between Heathcliff and Edgar. She must someho"
means that the two are in conflict. come to terms with both of her desires.
Read the In-Depth Analysis. What are the four kinds of conflict? Give an example from the
novel of each kind.
In groups of four, discuss your answers to the previous question. Then, as a group, wr ite a
short paragraph answering the following question. Use evidence from the In-Depth Ana lvsis to
back up your answers.
Authors use co nflicts to move along the action in a novel. Based on the pa ssage ara .·. na1: yo
know about Wuthering Heights, which conflict is the most important t o t he storv ano .,., m?
rite
Heathcliff and Edgar are two of the main characters in the novel. Write
a 250- to 300-word essay comparing and contrasting the two men, and
commenting on the significance of their differences in light of the
choice Catherine is forced to make between them. When you can,
quote the passage directly.
m
Objectives

novel • be able to identify figurative language in the passage
title, characters, setting, symbols, and themes of the novel •
know about doppelgangers in some depth • be able to use the
L Learn About ... Robert Louis Stevenson

r;] obert Louis Stevenson ( 1850-1894) was a very important
l..lJ Scottish writer. Though his family expected him to go
into the family business of lighthouse design, he knew he
wanted to become a writer from an early age. Although his
father was disappointed, he supported his son's decision.
Stevenson spent much of his life suffering from poor health. He
moved from place to place in Europe, later to the USA, and
finally to Samoa, to find a climate that would be good for his
health condition. Samoa ended up beingjust the place for him,
and he moved there with his wife and her children in 1890. He
became a respected and loved member of the community and
when he died in 1894, the local population grieved their loss.
He was buried there on a hill overlooking the sea.
Stevenson is best known for his adventure and travel books as well as for the psychological
thriller, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Predict
[step 1
Discuss these questions with a partner. good
commingled
1 Can someone be all good or all bad? Explain. virtue d
ecay
2 What are some ways that people deal with ugly
deformity
their "bad" or "evil" impulses?
pure
stde
[step 2 human
nature
Look at the key words from the passage from
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. With a
natural
partner, discuss the meaning of the words. Based
on the words, predict the main ideas of the
passage.
trange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde takes place in side of his personality has become more powerful than the
S London in the late 19th century. it tells the story of a
scientist, Dr. Jekyll, who is a respectable, upstanding
good. The short novel ends with Jekyll's friends
discovering Hyde's dead body in Jekyll's locked room. A
:itizen. But he's bothered by the dark impulses that he letter from Jekyll explains it all and implies that Hyde will
:3els, the urges he has to commit acts that he considers most likely kill himself rather than go on trial for the
:;•til . Instead of acknowledging and dealing with these terrible things that he did; which is, it seems, what has
pulses, Jekyll invents a potion that he hopes will happened.
3eparate his good side from his bad side. By separating Most of the novel is told by an omnipresent narrator from
-;mself into two individual personalities, he feels he can the perspective of Dr. Jekyll's lawyer, Utterson. He is trying
-dul ge his dark side without his good side suffering to find out who the mysterious Mr. Hyde is, and what hold
·:rrib le pangs of conscience. he has over Utterson's client. The last two chapters take the
'1hen Jekyll first drinks the potion he has created, he form of confessional letters, one from Dr. Jekyll's deceased
·:.alizes that he has transformed into a different person. He friend Dr. Lanyon and the second Jekyll himself, which
::ails this other man Hyde. Hyde is completely evil; he's together provide the answer to the mystery
_3kyl l's completely bad side. To turn back into Jekyll, Hyde Though it was not immediately embraced by literary critics,
-ust drink another potion. At first, Jekyll enjoys his new- Stevenson's story was an instant popular success.
·-und freedom. He transforms into Hyde and does all of the Pub Iished in 1886, it was estimated to have sold 250,000
·:rrible things that he isn't allowed to do normally, and copies by 1901, which was a huge number at the time. it
--en he turns back into Jekyll and enjoys his respectable was soon adapted for the stage on both sides of the
;e. Over time, however, it takes more and more of the Atlantic, and versions have since been broadcast on the
:Jtion to turn Hyde back into Jekyll. Not only that: he radio, on television, and in the cinema. In fact, there are
:egins to turn into Mr. Hyde without even taking it. The evil over 123 film versions of the story alone.
Ill
I must here speak by theory alone , saying not
that which I know, but that which I suppose
to be most probable. The evil side of my nature,
express and single, than the imperfect and
divided countenance I had been hitherto
accustomed to call mine. And in so far I was
to which I had now transferred the stamping doubtless right. I have observed that when I
efficacy, was less robust and less developed wore the semblance of Edward Hyde, none
than the good which I had just deposed. Again , could come near to me at first without a visible
in the course of my life, which had been , after misgiving of the flesh. This, as I take it, was
all, nine tenths a life of effort, virtue and control , because all human beings, as we meet them,
itflad been much less exercised and much less are commingled out of good and evil: and
exhausted. And hence, as I think, it came about Edward Hyde, alone in the ranks of mankind,
that Edward Hyde was so much smaller, was pure evil.
slighter and younger than Henry Jekyll. Even as
I lingered but a moment at the mirror: the
good shone upon the countenance of the one,
second and conclusive experiment had yet to
evil was written broadly and plainly on the face
be attempted; it yet remained to be seen if I had
of the other. Evil besides (which I must still
lost my identity beyond redemption and must
believe to be the lethal side of man) had left on
that body an imprint of deformity and decay. flee before daylight from a house that was no
And yet when I looked upon that ugly idol in the longer mine; and hurrying back to my cabinet, I
glass, I was conscious of no repugnance, rather once more prepared and drank the cup , once
of a leap of welcome. This, too, was myself. lt more suffered the pangs of dissolution, and
seemed natural and human. In my eyes it bore a came to myself once more with the character,
livelier image of the spirit, it seemed more the stature and the face of Henry Jekyll.
J
[Respond
3 Respond to the passage by answering these questions with a partner.
1 Was your prediction about the main ideas of the passage correct? Explain.
4 Which of the words from the phrase bank do you think best describe how Jekyll feels in the
passage? Explain.
• happy • scared
• excited • confused
• horrified • ashamed
• indifferent
5 Imagine you were Dr. Jekyll looking at yourself in a mirror as Mr. Hyde. Describe your
feelings .
[Understand
4 Read the questions and choose the correct answers.
1 What is true of Edward Hyde? 3 Why is Hyde different than all other people?
a He is taller than Jekyll. a There is no good within him .
b He is younger than Jekyll. b His body is strangely deformed.
c He is more handsome than Jekyll. c His anger is overly powerful.
d He is smarter than Jekyll. d There are two clear sides to his nature.
2 How does Jekyll feel when he sees 4 How do people react when they see Hyde?
Hyde in the mirror? a They are curious.
a shocked b They run away.
b disgusted c They are uncomfortable.
c afraid d They don't talk to him.
d glad
-Figurative Language
Work with a partner. Find two examples of organic imagery
and two examples of kinesthetic imagery in the passage.
11
J
Lsummarize
Character(s) Setti~
Jvtain Event(s) Conflict
Lusten
8 0 Listen to a lecture about Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Then, answer the questions.

a important themes in Jekyll and Hyde
b the historical context of Jekyll and Hyde
c the setting of Jekyll and Hyde
d the main conflict in Jekyll and Hyde
2 Why does the speaker mention Charles Darwin?

a to explain how he influenced Jekyll and Hyde
b to show the science behind Jekyll and Hyde
c to tell where Stevenson got the idea for Jekyll and Hyde
d to illustrate a common viewpoint from the time period of Jekyll and Hyde
LAnalyze the Title
9 Answer the Questions.
• Does the title resemble a newspaper headline, the title of a medical report, or the subject
line of a police report?
• What impression do the different titles of the two men (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) give you?
• Dr. Jekyll himself chooses the name "Hyde" for his alter ego . Why do you think he chooses
this name?
...
10 Think About lt.

What cover would you design for the book? Write a short paragraph describing what an
appropriate cover for the book would look like. Then, compare your paragraph with your
partner's.
11 Talk lt Over.
As a class, discuss
whether Strange
Case of Dr. Jekyll
and Mr Hyde is a
good title for the
book. What other
titles might be
suitable?
Ill
)
LAnalyze the Characters

12 Fill lt In.
0 Listen to the lecture. Then, use words from the bank to fill in the Venn diagram.
• tall • conflicted • pure evil • respectable

• free • small • ugly • deformed
• normal-looking • tormented by his desires
• does whatever he wants • has no regrets
• well-known • well-liked • respectable
13 Thi'nk About lt.

• How are the two characters the same?
• How are they different?
14 Talk lt Over.
Then, as a class, discuss the following question.
What do you think the two characte rs represent?
Setting
""'·'<i·.~i·-·•·•-'•'"""'"""'"""'..-"'''0.~"~"'
Victorian Britain
16 Think About lt.

With a partner, discuss the importance of the setting in Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Then, fill in the last column of the graphic organizer.
17 Talk lt Over.
As a class, discuss the graphic organizer. Then, answer the following question.
Could the story of Jekyll and Hyde take place in a different setting? Explain.

8 Match lt.
The two most important symbols in the novel are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde themselves. Use
what you know about the novel, its setting, and the passage to fill in the graphic organizer.
Character Meaning
' I· ~-
the mind, civilization, bottled-up feelings, the oppressive nature of Victorian

Britain
the body, instinct, the animal side, freedom from the confines of societal
pressures, the destructive nature of passion
11
19 Think About lt.
• What is the relationship between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
• What does this relationship suggest about the concepts the men represent?
20 Talk lt Over.
As a class, discuss the following question.
How does Stevenson use the men as symbols to communicate the main ideas of the novel?
lAnalyze the Themes
21 Fill lt In.
The duality of human nature {that is, the idea that people have "good" and "bad" sides) is
one of the most important themes in the passage and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
as a whole. Use lines from the passage to fill in the graphic organizer.
the duality of
human nature
22 Think About lt.

Which line from the passage is most
important to the theme and why?
23 Talk lt Over.
Discuss your answer to the
.r
previous question with a pa ·
L In-Depth Analysis: Doppelgangers
D oppelganger is a German word that literally

means "double-goer." In other words, a
doppelganger is a look-alike of a person. There's more
reaction to this perceived problem, the doppelganger
creates lots of problems for the person . Sometimes,
doppelgangers even try to kill their look-alikes.
to being a doppelganger than simply looking like Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a part of
another person, however. Doppelgangers often have a this long tradition . In this novel, Hyde is Jekyll's
mysterious, supernatural component to them . In doppelganger. Though the men don't look alike, they
addition, they are also usually a bad sign or omen. are still the same person. And Hyde represen1s a part
The idea of a doppelganger has been around for a long of Jekyll's spirit that has been repressed. Because
·ime. Although not called doppelgangers, obviously, Hyde is evil, violent, and does what he wants , we can
imilar ideas exist in Egyptian, Norse, and Finnish imagine that Jekyll has been reserved , calm, and
mythology. In the past, these doppelgangers were bad concerned with propriety for a long time. He has
signs for people who saw them or of whom they were neglected his more "wild" side.
doubles. This idea hasn't really changed over the Most doppelganger situations do not end well. The
years. it's just become a little more complex. person usually must confront the doppelganger and
n modern literature, doppelgangers often represent a kill it. In this case, since Jekyll and Hyde share the
aart of a person that is being repressed or ignored. same body, both men die at the end, a somewhat
The doppelganger arises as a result of a character not unconventional way to end a doppelganger tale .
addressing an important part of him or herself. In
4 Read the In-Depth Analysis and, with your answers to the Analyze the Characters section,
answer the following questions.
• What is a doppelganger?
• What are doppelganger stories normally about?
• What is the function of a doppelganger in modern literature?
• How is Hyde a doppelganger for Dr. Jekyll?
25 Now, with a partner, discuss the following statement.

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is not a good example of a doppelganger story because
the two characters don't actually look alike and they are the same person, not two separate
people.
Take turns agreeing and disagreeing with the statement. Use points from the passage, the
lesson, and the lectures to formulate your responses.
Write
26 The duality of human nature is one of the most important themes in Strange
Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The characters of Jekyll and Hyde give a
physical representation of this idea. Write a 250- to 300-word essay about for video activities
the duality of human nature in Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Include & essay writing
what message the author communicates about this idea .
11
Objectives

novel • be able to identify the point of view in the passage
title, characters, setting, symbols, and themes of the novel
• know about Victorian fiction in some depth • be able to use
the passage to support your opinions and write a literature essay
L Learn About ... Charles Dickens

rAI harles Dickens (1812-1870) was an English author. He
..:::1 wrote many famous books and created lots of
memorable characters. His parents took him out of school at
the age of eleven because they couldn't afford it and shortly
after his twelfth birthday, he started work in a factory. Shortly
afterwards, his father was sent to debtors' prison. His terrible
childhood did not discourage him, however. Instead, it made
him determined to succeed. At the age of 24, his first book,
The Pickwick Papers, was published, and his dream of
success came true. He became a literary celebrity and enjoyed
fame and financial security. He continued to write for the rest
of his life. He also gave talks and readings to supplement his
income. His work ethic was strong and he was often very busy. The most common themes in
Dickens' work are those of social class, injustice, and the treatment of the poor. His novels told
interesting stories, and at the same time they commented on the state of Victorian Britain.
Predjct
Lstep 1
clothes
1 Can two people from different social classes be wrong
friends? Why or why not? dignity prosper
2 What are some barriers that social class creates? forge London
blacl<smith
partings
Lstep 2
Look at the key words from the Great Expectations proud divisions
passage. With a partner, discuss the meaning of sir
the words. Based on the words, predict the main
ideas of the passage.
reat Expectations is one of Charles Dickens' most clothes, and spends a lot of money on frivolous things.
G famous novels. it's set in early Victorian England
:. 1840-50) and tells the story of a young man named
He forgets about his old friends, and when Joe comes to
visit, Pip is embarrassed by his accent, manners, and
:>'p. Pip is an orphan, and his older sister takes care of appearance.
-m. She is very mean to both him and her husband, Joe. In the end, Pip finds out that it was Magwitch, and not
1e day, Pip meets a convict called Magwitch, who has Miss Havisham, who gave him the money. In addition,
~"caped from prison. Pip helps the man and gives him Miss Havisham does not want him to marry Estella. In
~Jm e food and afile to remove the chains. fact, Miss Havisham hates men and only used Estella to
3Jme time later, Pip goes to play at Satis House, where make Pip feel bad. Eventually, Pip loses his fortune and
--estrange Miss Havisham lives. Miss Havisham is aold leaves Britain. Before doing so, he makes up with Joe,
.oman who always wears a wedding dress. She takes who has married loving, kind Biddy, after Pip's cruel
:.are of a beautiful little girl, Estella. Pip is soon in love sister died. Pip works as a merchant in Egypt for eleven
n Estella, but he knows that he is not agentleman, and years to pay off his debts and, when he comes back, he .
I therefore never be with her. Furthermore, Estella is runs into Estella. She is nice to him, for achange, and the
:~en mean to Pip. book ends with them holding hands.
=" starts working as a blacksmith with Joe, but he Likealmost all of Dickens' works, Great Expectations is a
=-~ms of being a rich gentleman. One day, his dreams story with amoral, warning of the dangers of easy money,
::11e true. A lawyer tells him that some mysterious a life of leisure and snobbishness. lt promotes the simple
==:-~efactor has given him asum of money. Pip thinks that values of friendship, honesty, and warmth, while hinting
: "lust be Miss Havisham and is excited to become a that social advancement is possible through hard work
;=-tleman for Estella. Pip moves to London, buys fancy and education.
11
J
"I have now concluded , sir," said Joe, rising from his clothes. I'm wrong in these clothes . I'm wrong out of
chair, "and , Pip, I wish you ever well and ever the forge , the kitchen , or off th' meshes. You won 't
prospering to a greater and a greater height." find half so much fault in me if you think of me in my
"But you are not go ing now, Joe?" forge dress, with my hammer in my hand, or even my
pipe. You won 't find half so much fault in me if,
"Yes I am ," said Joe.
supposing as you should ever wish to see me, you
"But you are coming back to dinne r, Joe?" come and put your head in at the forge window and
"No I am not," said Joe. see Joe the blacksm ith , there, at the old anvil , in the
old burnt apron , sticking to the old work. I'm awful
Our eyes ..met, and all the "Sir" melted out of that
dull, but I hope I've beat out something nigh the
manly heart as he gave me his hand.
rights of this at last. And so GOD bless you, dear old
"Pip , dear old chap, life is made of ever so many Pip , old chap, GOD bless you!"
partings welded together, as I may say, and one
I had not been mistaken in my fancy that there was a
man's a blacksmith, and one's a whitesmith, and
simple dignity in him. The fashion of his dress could
one 's a goldsmith, and one's a coppersmith.
no more come in its way when he spoke these words
Diwisions among such must come, and must be met
than it could come in its way in Heaven. He touched
as they come. If there's been any fault at all to-day,
me gently on the forehead , and went out. As soon as I
it's mine. You and me is not two figures to be
could recover myself sufficiently, I hurried out after
together in London ; nor yet anywheres else but what
him and looked for him in the neighbouring streets;
is private, and beknown , and understood among
but he was gone.
friends. lt ain 't that I am proud , but that I want to be
right, as you shall never see me no more in these
11
J
[Respond
1 Was your prediction about the main ideas of the passage correct? Explain .
4 Which of the words in the phrase bank do you think best describe how Pip feels in t he
passage? Explain.
• embarrassed • sad
• excited • ashamed
• happy • angry
•.
,,
.. .•;
• understanding
derstand
1 What does Pip ask Joe? 3 Where does Joe say he and Pip should
a if he's ready to leave meet?
b if he's coming to dinner a in private
c if he'll buy new clothes b in London
d if he'll leave Pip alone c in an area w ith lots of people

d in the marshes
Why does Joe use the comparison of
metalworkers? Where does Joe feel
a to illustrate the kind of people he likes most comfortable?
b to show the divisions in his trade a in London
c to explain the different classes of b with his wife

people c in his forge
d to indicate how important blacksmiths d with Pip
are
Point of View
Work with a partner. Does a first-person
narrator or a third-person narrator
tell the story? Is the narrator omniscient
or limited? How do you know?
~.;.,_ ::'1'-..:.."'
Jviain Event(s) Conflict
Lusten
8 0 Listen to a lecture about Great Expectations. Then, answer the questions.
a a change that Dickens made to the novel
b the life of Estella after the novel ends
c reasons that Pip and Estella get married
d the sad tone of the novel
2 Why did Dickens write a second ending?

a because the first wasn't realistic
b because he didn't like the first
c because the first was too sad
d because the publishers asked him to
J
CAnalyze the Title

9 Find lt.
Look up the definitions of the words in the graphic organizer and fill in the empty column.
Definition
10 Think About lt.
For his title, Dickens chose two words that appear a number of times in the novel. This is a
common novelistic device, and makes the words jump out at the reader when they come
across them. Read this extract, in which the words first appear, and answer the questions.
" ... the communication I have got to make is, that he has great expectations."
Joe and I gasped, and looked at one another.
"1 am instructed to communicate to him," said Mr. Jaggers, throwing his
finger at me sideways, "that he will come into a handsome property. Further,
that it is the desire of the present possessor of that property, that he be
immediately removed from his present sphere of life and from this place, and
be brought up as a gentleman - in a word, as a young fellow of great
expectations."
My dream was out; my wild fancy was surpassed by sober reality... J
• Who does the title clearly refer to?

• What are the "great expectations" referred to in this extract?
• Considering how the book turns out, how does the title sound?
11 Talk lt Over.
As a class, discuss your answers to the previous questions. Then, talk about why you think
Dickens chose to call the novel Great Expectations.
1111
12 Fill lt In.
0 Listen to the lecture. Use the words above each graphic organizer to fill it in .
• grows and changes • feels compassion • unchanging • hardworking

• kind • learns from his mistakes
Jot
• wants revenge • ends up sorry • beautiful • rich • unkind • eccentric
• went to jail • good at heart • bad to the core • Miss Havisham's former fiance
• Estella's real father • forged signatures
13 Think About lt.

• Which two characters are most similar, and which are most different?
• As the story progresses, does Pip become more like Joe, or less like Joe?
14 Talk lt Over.
Discuss the answers to the previous questions with a partner. As a class, discuss the following
question.
• Besides his part in the plot, what is Joe's importance in the story?
6umas Jo pads'\'f
I
J
lAnalyze the Symbols

18 Match lt.
0 Listen to the lecture and match the symbols to their meanings.
Meaning
symbo\
A living in the past, refusing to move forward
l2IJ stopped docks B decay
l![J the wedding cake
L!D the wedding dress C death
19 Talk lt Over.
• Which symbol do you think is the most important? Why?
lAnalyze the Themes

20 Fill lt In.
Three important themes from Great Expectations are listed below. Fill in the graphic organizer
with words or lines from the passage that relate to these themes.
appearance
social class
21 Think About lt.

Which theme do you think is most important in the passage and why?
22 Talk lt Over.
7
-In-Depth Analysis: Victorian Literature
The Victorian era in England lasted from 1837 to aim , he does move up into a new class - the
1901 . During this time, the most popular literary middle class.
form was the novel. Indeed, the novel changed The emerging middle class is another important
drastically during these times. Victorian novels are theme in Victorian literature. With the Industrial
usually quite dense, with complicated plots, lots of Revolution in full swing, a new group be'gan to
characters, and realistic (and sometimes tediously emerge in English society. These people were not
detailed) physical descriptions. Charles Dickens' poor or members of the working class. Nor were
novels reflect these changes quite well. He writes they nobility or members of the upper class.
stories with many different characters, twisting and Instead, they were merchants, doctors, lawyers -
turning plots that keep readers guessing, and very in short, working professionals. Above the working
descriptive language that paints a picture of scenes poor, but below the aristocracy, this new group
of life in London. had to find a place for itself. Dickens captures this
All of these stylistic features are important, but idea, as well. In Great Expectations, for example,
there were thematic changes in novels as well. One Pip wants to be a member of the upper class - a
of the most important themes in Victorian literature gentleman. This doesn't work out, however.
is the drive for social advancement. People in all Instead, through his own hard work and
groups and in all social classes wanted to move up. perseverance, Pip is able to become part of the
Things were changing in Victorian Britain. People middle class, working as a merchant. This
were beginning to feel like they had more social il lustrates one of the most important values in the
mobility. lt was becoming easier to make money, middle class: hard work. lt also highlights a final
at least. Novels reflected this preoccupation with feature of Victorian novels - they often contain a
moving up. They told stories of people who fought strong moral message.
and worked to achieve a better position. Again, Victorian novels reflect the times in which they
Dickens' novels are great examples . Pip, from were written. They're often long , complex, and deal
Great Expectations, wants to become a real with the social changes of the time and place in
gentleman. Although he does not succeed in this which they were written.
Read the In-Depth Analysis. What are the characteristics of Victorian novels? Does
Great Expectations have these characteristics?
In groups of four, discuss your answers to the previous questions. Then, as a group,
write a short paragraph answering the following question. Use evidence from the
In-Depth Analysis and the passage from Great Expectations to back up your answer.
• Great Expectations was written in the Victorian Era . Is it a good example of a

Victorian novel? Why or why not?
rite
Joe's house and Miss Havisham's Satis House are very important settings in
& essay writing
Great Expectations. Write a 250- to 300-word essay about their significance to the
novel, and the role each plays in the moral lesson Pip has to learn.
11
Objectives

characters, setting, symbols, and themes of the novel • know
about Faustian themes in some depth • be able to use the
L Learn About ... Oscar Wilde

~ scar Wilde ( 1854-l 900) was a famous Irish writer and
~ celebrity. Today, he is best-known for his plays, poems,
children's stories, and his one full-length noveL The Picture of
Dorian Gray. In his time, however, he was very famous not
only for his writing, but for his lectures and for his sometimes
scandalous personal life . In addition, his plays were some of
the most popular plays of his time.
When he was forty-one, he became involved in a scandal
regarding his relationship with a young man. He ended up in
prison because of it. Though he continued to write while
imprisoned, the hard tabor, poor food, and wretched conditions
destroyed his health. After his release, he moved to the
Continent, and never returned to Britain. He died in Paris a little over three years later, with no
money and few remaining friends . He was buried in Paris, and his grave is visited by hundreds
of admirers every year. He is still an intriguing character to many people in modern times.
Predict
[step 1
portrait
young
1 Would you like to live forever? Why or why not? soul ag ing
2 Is it more important to be beautiful or to be contrast
ruin
good? Explain.
fair pleasLu·e sin
[step 2 mirror beauty

Look at the key words from the passage from The corruption
Picture of Dorian Gray. With a partner, discuss the evil
meaning of the words. Based on the words, predict
the main ideas of the passage.
ackground Information
What first sparks Lord Henry Wotton's

interest in Dorian?
2 Why doesn't Dorian get older?
3 Why does Dorian kill Basil?
4 Why does the painting look worse
after Dorian does good things?
What happens after Dorian
stabs the portrait?
scar Wilde's only novel, The Picture of Over time, Dorian's behavior gets worse and
0 Dorian Gray, tells the story of a young

man's descent into immorality. Dorian
Gray is a sweet and innocent young man at the
worse. His old friend, Basil, comes to visit him
one night. Basil asks Dorian if the terrible rumors
about him are true. Dorian admits to it and shows
beginning of the novel. His friend, Basil Basil the portrait, which looks awful. Suddenly,
Hallward, who is painting his picture, describes he becomes furious with Basil for making the
hi m as being beautiful and good. Basil's friend, painting, and stabs him to death.
Lord Henry Wotton, sees the unfinished picture Eventually, Dorian decides he wants to be good,
and expresses interest in meeting Dorian. not because he has a genuine change of heart,
Later, Dorian comes to Basil's house to sit for the but because he is obsessed with the beauty of the
pai nting. Lord Henry is still there, so the two men portrait. He wonders if it will look nice again once
talk for some time. In the course of a few hours, he starts to do good things. But after doing some
Dorian starts to adopt Lord Henry's view of life- good deeds, the portrait looks worse than ever. In
that people can and should do whatever they a fit of rage, Dorian stabs the portrait with a knife.
want regardless of the consequences as long as The servants hear a noise coming from upstairs
it brings them pleasure. Basil finishes the and race to see what happened. They see the
painting and gives it to Dorian, who expresses portrait of Dorian Gray, as beautiful as when it
he wish that the painting would age instead of was first painted, and a strange, old, evil-looking
hi m. man dead on the floor, with a knife through his
Dorian begins to live a life of pleasure, and one heart. lt is the body of Dorian Gray.
vhich values beauty above all else. He recklessly The novel caused quite a scandal at the time,
pursues pleasure without any thought of the due to the lightness with which Wilde dealt with
consequences of his deeds, leaving his home for what the Victorians considered extremely serious
days and weeks. Strangely, he notices that he is subject matter, and for containing too strong an
not getting any older. Instead, the painting is argument in favor of an immoral lifestyle. Wilde
aking on all the signs of aging and moral even had to make some major changes before
corruption. his publishers would agree to bring it out.
a
ln this passage, from Chapter 11, Dorian compares his outwardly flawless appearance with the
increasingly ugly and old appearance ofhis portrait. He has been living a life ofpleasure-seeking for
years at this point, and he still looks as young and beautiful as he did at the beginning ofthe novel.
Often, on returning home from one of those horrible, the signs of sin or the signs of age. He
mysterious and prolonged absences that gave would place his white hands beside the coarse
rise to such strange conjecture among those bloated hands of the picture, and smile. He
who were his friends, or thought that they were mocked the misshapen body and the failing
so, he [Dorian Gray] himself would creep limbs.
upstairs to the locked room, open the door with There were moments, indeed, at night, when,
the key that never left him now, and stand, with lying sleepless in his own delicately scented
a mirror, in front of the portrait that BasH chamber, or in the sordid room of the little m-
Hallward had painted of him, looking now at famed tavern near the docks which, under an
the evil and aging face on the canvas, and now assumed name and in disguise, it was his habit
at the fair young face that laughed back at him to frequent, he would think of the ruin he had
from the polished glass. The very sharpness of brought upon his soul with a pity that was all
the contrast used to quicken his sense of the more poignant because it was purely
pleasure. He grew more and more enamoured selfish. But moments such as these were rare.
of his own beauty, more and more interested in That curiosity about life which Lord Henry had
the corruption of his own soul. He would first stirred in him, as they sat together in the
examine with minute care, and sometimes with garden of their friend, seemed to increase with
a monstrous and terrible delight, the hideous gratification. The more he knew, the more he
lines that seared the wrinkling forehead or desired to know. He had mad hungers that
crawled around the heavy sensual mouth, grew more ravenous as he fed them.
wondering sometimes which were the more
LRespond
1 Was your prediction about the main ideas of the passage correct? Explain.
4 Which of the words from the phrase bank do you think best describe how Dorian feels in the
passage? Explain.
• excited scared
• ashamed • upset
• sad • interested
• indifferent
nderstand
4 Read the questions and choose the correct answers.
1 How does Dorian feel about the portrait? 3 What does Dorian NOT note in the
a lt scares him. painting?
b lt repulses him. a lines on the forehead
c lt fascinates him. b bloated hands
d lt embarrasses him. c misshapen body

d dirty appearance
2 What brings Dorian particular pleasure?
a the contrast between himself and the 4 What does Dorian desire
portrait more of?
b his unchanging and timeless beauty a life
c the skill with which the painting was b youth
made c knowledge
d the beauty that is revealed in the d sleep
painting
·gurative Language
Work with a partner. Find one example of olfactory imagery and one example of oxymoron in
the passage.
11
Lsummarize
6 First, fill in the graphic organizer
based on the passage you read.
Character(s) Setting
Jvlain f!dea(s)
lList~n
80 Listen to a lecture about The Picture of Dorian Gray. Then, answer the questions.
1 What is the speaker mostly talking about? 2 How does Wilde symbolize Dorian's soul ?
a beauty and goodness in the novel a with his outward looks
b how the transformation of Dorian b with the changes in the painting
takes place c with the words of his friends
c the sources of the story of Dorian d with his inner thoughts
Gray
d why Dorian Gray never aged or
looked bad
~About the Title
The Picture of oorian Gray is a fairly straightforward title, although it has two possible interpretations. For
one thing, the title refers to the actual portrait of Dorian that Basil painted. The title can also refer to the
novel itself. That is, the novel is actually a "picture" of Dorian Gray. Many titles play with words like this, and
have a double meaning. Both pictures (the actual portrait and the novel) reveal things about Dorian that the
rest of the world cannot see. The readers are the only people who know how degraded Dorian truly is- with
the exception of Dorian himself. So the picture in the title refers to the true picture of Dorian's inner self.
Another interesting observation about the title is that it emphasizes the "picture," not a "tale" or a "story. ~
The image takes center stage in the title. This reflects Dorian's obsession with the portrait and its beauty
(or lack thereon. lt also brings to mind the central theme of the novel: the difference between appearance
and truth .
9 Do you think Wilde chose a good title for his novel? Would you choose a different one?
-Analyze the Characters

10 Fill lt In.
0 Listen to the lecture. Then, use words from the phrase bank to fill in the graphic organizer.
You may use words more than once.
• beautiful • a tempter
• obsessed with beauty • has no regrets
• immoral • pleasure-seeking
• does not care about right and wrong
• innocent • young
Character Description
Dorian
lord Henry
1 Think About lt.

• What do the characters have in common?
• How are t he men different?
2 Talk lt Over.
Then, as a class, discuss the following question.
Why do yo u th ink t hat Dorian gave in to lord Hen ry and didn't listen to his friend Basil?
11
/
Importance
Place
14 Think About lt.

With a partner, discuss the importance of the setting in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
15 Talk lt Ov r.
As a class, discuss the graphic organizer. Then, answer the following question.
• Could the story of Dorian Gray take place in a different setting? Explain.
J
.... Analyze the Symbols

16 Fill lt In.
The most important symbol in the novel is the portrait of Dorian Gray. Use lines from the
passage that describe the painting and fill in the middle column of the graphic organizer.
Symbol Definition How it makes you_feel ...
the portrait
17 Think About lt.

Share your answers to the previous activity with a partner. Then, discuss what you think the
meaning of the painting is. Fill in the last column of the graphic organizer with your own ideas.
18 Talk lt Over.
• How does the author use the painting in the novel?
- Analyze the Themes
9 Filllt In.
Find lines in the passage that relate to each of the three themes from The Picture of Dorian Gray
and fill in the graphic organizer.

good and evil
~ auty/appearance
-o rtality and aging
Think About lt.

Which theme do you think is most important to the novel and why?
1 Talk lt Over.
11
L In-Depth Analysis: Faustian Themes
There is an old German tale about a man named Faust. He is very smart and a serious
student. But he's not satisfied. He wants to know more. So he makes a deal with an evil
spirit. Faust gets unlimited knowledge. ln exchange, after an agreed number of years, the
Devil takes Faust' s soul.
For years, Faust enjoys his limitless knowledge in self-serving ways. He doesn't use his
powers for good. He doesn't even use them to do great things. lnstead, he plays silly
pranks on people. Faust enjoys his pranks, but his happiness does not last forever.
Eventually, the evil spirit comes to claim Faust' s soul. Though he begs for mercy, the spirit
does not give in. Faust dies and spends eternity in Hell.
This legend is incredibly popular, both inside and outside Germany. lt has inspired
countless retelUngs and adaptations. People have written books, plays, movies, and even
musk based on the story ofF aust. lt is an important and recognizable theme in the literary
world.
The Faustian theme shows people that they should not overstep their natural boundaries.
That is, people should not try to achieve more than they can naturally achieve. People
should be satisfied with what they do have and accept their limitations. This is Faust' s fatal
flaw: being dissatisfied with his own knowledge. Certainly, the pursuit of knowledge is not
bad in and of itself. But this desire superseded everything else in Faust' s life - even his
own sense of morals. When a character acts in such a way, people should immediately
think ofF aust.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a kind of Faustian story. Dortan Gray gives up his soul in
order to have eternal youth and beauty. lt' s never said who or what the agent of this t
exchange is. But the reader does know that Dorian has unnaturally extended his life and
his good looks. Nothing good can come of this.
Dorian's crime is different than Faust's in that he does not immediately seek knowledge.
H~ main motivation is retaining his beauty and his youth. Still, the main idea is the same.
Dorian, like Faust, is dissatisfied with a natural limitation of being a human. He leaves
behind what is normal and right to pursue something abnormal. And in the end, he pays
for it.
Why are Faustian tales so popular? The answer is likely to be that they resonate with a lot
of people. The desire for more knowledge, eternal life, and eternal beauty are things that
many people have experienced. ln a Faustian story, people go after these things and are
always punished. lt shows people that although these are things that people would like to
have, pursuing them is unnatural and will lead to problems. ln this way, Faustian tales are
cautionary stories that warn people against going too far to get what they want.
y
22 Read the In-Depth Analysis and, with your answers to the Analyze the Characters section,
answer the following questions.
• What is the story of Faust?
• How is The Picture of Dorian Gray related to the story of Faust?
• In what way is Dorian similar to Faust?
• How is Dorian different from Faust?
23 Now, with a partner, discuss the following statement.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a modern example of a Faustian tale . Although the main character
does not enter into an agreement w ith any spirit, the message and the consequences of his
actions are still the same as in the original tale.
Take turns agreeing and disagreeing with the statement. Use points from the passage, the
unit, and the lectures to formulate your responses.
24 As a class, discuss the statement from the previous exercise.
-Write
25 The ideas of good and evil, and beauty and ugliness are very
important in The Picture of Dorian Gray. In addition, good and
evil are connected to the ideas of beauty and ugliness. In a
250- to 300-word essay, discuss the relationship between
these two sets of opposites in the novel.
11
If YOU were there ...
Main Ideas Your family migrated to America in the 1700s and started a small
1. Colonial governments farm in western Pennsylvania. Now, more and more people are
were influenced by political
changes in England. moving in. You would like to move farther west, into the Ohio River
2. English trade laws limited valley. But a new law says you cannot move west of the mountains
free trade in the colonies.
3. The Great Awakening and because it is too dangerous. Still, you are restless and want more
the Enlightenment led to land and more freedom.
ideas of political equality
among many colonists. Why might you decide to break the
4. The French and Indian War
gave England control of more law and move west'l
land in North America.
t
The Big Idea BUILDING BACKGROUND When they moved to America, the
The English colonies continued 11:: English colonists brought their ideas about government. They
to grow despite many challenges.
expected to have the same rights as citizens in England. However, ~
many officials in England wanted tight control over the colonies. ~
Key Terms and People As a result, some colonists, like this family, were unhappy with the ·~
town meeting, p. 55
policies of colonial governments. 'l
English Bill of Rights, p. 55 ~F"' t ·• i<£H#*-w--~ .J
triangular trade, p. 57
Middle Passage, p. 58
Great Awakening, p. 58 Colonial Governments
Enlightenment, p. 59 The English colonies in North America all had their own govern-
Pontiac, p. 61 ments. Each government was given power by a charter. The English
monarch had ultimate authority over all of the colonies. A group of
royal advisers called the Privy Council set English colonial policies.
Colonial Governors and Legislatures

Each colony had a governor who served as head of the govern-
ment. Most governors were assisted by an advisory council. In
~
royal colonies the English king or queen selected the governor
and the council members. In proprietary colonies, the proprietors
Gm 8.1.1 Describe the relation- chose all of these officials. In a few colonies, such as Connecticut,
ship between the moral and political the people elected the governor.
ideas of the Great Awakening and the
development of revolutionary fervor.
In some colonies the people also elected representatives to help
make laws and set policy. These officials served on assemblies. Each
8.2.1 Discuss the significance of
the Magna Carta, the English Bill of colonial assembly passed laws that had to be approved first by the
Rights, and the Mayflower Compact. advisory council and then by the governor.
54 CHAPTER 2
Established in 1619, Virginia's assembly
was the first colonial legislature in North
America.Atfirstitmetasasinglebody, butitwas
later split into two houses. The first house was
known as the Council of State. The governor's
advisory council and the London Company
selected its members. The House of Burgesses
was the assembly's second house. The mem-
bers were elected by colonists.
In New England the center of politics was
the town meeting. In town meetings people
talked about and decided on issues of local
interest, such as paying for schools.
In the southern colonies, people typically
lived farther away from one another. There-
fore, many decisions were made at the county
level. The middle colonies used both county
meetings and town meetings to make laws.
Political Change in England

In 1685 James II became king of England. He
was determined to take more control over
the English government, both in England
and in the colonies.
James believed that the colonies were ~
too independent. In 1686 he united the

northern colonies under one government
~it· s
called the Dominion of New England. James
named Sir Edmund Andros royal governor of
the Dominion. The colonists disliked Andros NORTH
CAROLINA
because he used his authority to limit the
powers of town meetings. ATLANTIC
SOUTH OCEAN
CAROLINA
English Bill of Rights New England colonies
Parliament replaced the unpopular King Middle colonies
GEORGIA
James and passed the English Bill of Rights '30' ~--
100 200 Miles

in 1689. This act reduced the powers of the ----,
100 200 Kilometers
English monarch. At the same time, Parlia-
ment gained power. As time went on, the
colonists valued their own right to elect rep-
resentatives to decide local issues. Following
these changes, the colonies in the Dominion 1. Location Where were the New England Colonies
quickly formed new assemblies and charters. located in relation to the other colonies?
2. Human-Environment Interaction What natural
feature marked the western boundary of the
Southern colonies?
'\o
---------
-------~-\$- r;
~
Colonial Courts English Trade Laws
Colonial courts made up another important One of England's main reasons for found-
part of colonial governments. Whenever ing and controlling its American colonies
possible, colonists used the courts to con- was to earn money from trade. In the late
trol local affairs. The courts generally reflect- 1600s England, like most western European
ed the beliefs of their local communities. nations, practiced mercantilism, a system of
For example, many laws in Massachusetts creating and maintaining wealth through
enforced the Puritans' religious beliefs. Laws carefully controlled trade. A country gained
based on the Bible set the standard for the wealth if it had fewer imports-goods bought
The Zenger
case was the
community's conduct.
Sometimes colonial courts also pro-
tected individual freedoms. For example, in
1733 officials arrested John Peter Zenger for
printing a false statement that damaged the
l from other countries-than exports-goods
sold to other countries.
To support this system of mercantil-
ism, between 1650 and 1696 Parliament
first major case passed a series of Navigation Acts limiting
establishing reputation of the governor of New York. colonial trade. For example, the Navigation
freedom of the Andrew Hamilton, Zenger's attorney, argued Act of 1660 forbade colonists from trading
press in British that Zenger could publish whatever he wished
North America. specific items such as sugar and cotton with
Today this is an
as long as it was true. Jury members believed any country other than England. The act
important right of that colonists had a right to voice their ideas also required colonists to use English ships
all Americans. openly and found him not guilty. to transport goods. Parliament later passed
other acts that required all trade goods to
l;jf;!al!Uij!:!ii:p Analyzing Information pass through English ports, where duties, or
Why were colonial assemblies and colonial import taxes, were added to the items.
courts created, and what did they do?
Trade between Britain and its

colonies took a triangular shape.
Different goods were transported
on the routes of the triangles
and traded at ports for local
goods.
Movement Why is the movement of goods shown on

the map called the triangular trade?
England claimed that the Navigation Acts Triangular Trade
were good for the colonies. After all, the Trade between the American colonies and Great
colonies had a steady market in England for Britain was not direct. Rather, it generally took
their goods. But not all colonists agreed. Many the form of triangular trade -a system in
colonists wanted more freedom to buy or sell which goods and slaves were traded among
goods wherever they could get the best price. the Americas, Britain, and Africa. There were
Local demand for colonial goods was small several routes of the triangular trade. In one
compared to foreign demand. route colonists exchanged goods like beef
Despite colonial complaints, the trade and flour with plantation owners in the West
restrictions continued into the 1700s. Some Indies for sugar, some of which they shipped
traders turned to smuggling, or illegal trad- to Britain. The sugar was then exchanged
ing. They often smuggled sugar, molas- for manufactured products to be sold in the
ses, and rum into the colonies from non- colonies. Colonial merchants traveled great
English islands in the Caribbean. Parliament distances to find the best markets.
responded with the Molasses Act of 1733,
which placed duties on these items. British
officials, however, rarely carried out this law.
By the early 1700s English merchants
were trading around the world. Most Ameri-
can merchants traded directly with Great
Olaudah Equiano
1745-1797
Britain or the West Indies. By importing and
Olaudah Equiano was born in Africa
exporting goods such as sugar and tobacco, in present-day Nigeria. In 1756 he was
some American merchants became wealthy. sold into slavery. Equiano survived the
Middle Passage, traveling in a slave
ship across the Atlantic. After arriv-
ing in the colonies, a Virginia planter
purchased him and again sold him to
a British naval officer. While working as
a sailor, Equiano eventually earned enough
money to purchase his own freedom in 1766.
Equiano later settled in England and devoted
himself to ending slavery.
Analyzing Information How did Equiano gain

his freedom?
Middle Passage Great Awakening and
One version of the triangular trade began Enlightenment
with traders exchanging rum for slaves on
In the early 1700s revolutions in both
the West African coast. The traders then sold
religious and nonreligious thought trans-
the enslaved Africans in the West Indies for
formed the Western world. These move-
molasses or brought them to sell in the main-
ments began in Europe and affected life in
land American colonies.
the American colonies.
The slave trade brought millions of Afri-
cans across the Atlantic Ocean in a voyage
called the Middle Passage. This was a terri-
Great Awakening
fying and deadly journey that could last as After years of population growth, religious
long as three months. leaders wanted to spread religious feeling
Enslaved Africans lived in a space not throughout the colonies. In the late 1730s
even three feet high. Slave traders fit as these ministers began holding revivals, emo-
many slaves as possible on board so they tional gatherings where people came together
could earn greater profits. Thousands of to hear sermons.
captives died on slave ships during the Many American colonists experienced
Middle Passage. In many cases, they died "a great awakening" in their religious lives.
from diseases such as smallpox. As farmers This Great Awakening -a religious move-
began to use fewer indentured servants, slaves ment that swept through the colonies in
became even more valuable. the 1730s and 1740s-changed colonial
religion. It also affected social and political
Identifying Cause and Effect life. Jonathan Edwards of Massachusetts was
What factors caused the slave trade to grow? How one of the most important leaders of the
did this affect conditions on the Middle Passage? Great Awakening. His dramatic sermons told
58 CHAPTER 2
sinners to seek forgiveness for their sins or The French and Indian War
face punishment in Hell forever. British min-
ister George Whitefield held revivals from By the 1670s tensions had arisen between
New England colonists and the Wampanoag.
Georgia to New England.
Metacomet, a Wampanoag leader also known
The Great Awakening drew people of dif-
as King Philip, opposed the colonists' efforts
ferent regions, classes, and races. Women,
to take his people's lands. In 1675 these ten-
members of minority groups, and poor peo-
sions finally erupted in a conflict known
ple often took part in services. Ministers from
as King Philip's War. The colonial militia-
different colonies met and shared ideas with
one another. This represented one of the few civilians serving as soldiers-fought Ameri-
can Indian warriors. Both sides attacked each
exchanges between colonies.
other's settlements, killing men, women, and
The Great Awakening promoted ideas that
children. The fighting finally ended in 1676,
may also have affected colonial politics. Ser-
but only after about 600 colonists and some
mons about the spiritual equality of all people
3,000 Indians had been killed, including
led some colonists to begin demanding more
Metacomet.
political equality. Revivals became popular
places to talk about political and social issues.
People from those colonies with less political Native American Allies
freedom were thus introduced to more demo- Some Native Americans allied with the col-
cratic systems used in other colonies. onists to fight against Metacomet and his
Enlightenment forces. These Indians had developed trade
During the 1600s Europeans began to re- relations with colonists. They wanted tools,
examine their world. Scientists began to better weapons, and other goods that Europeans
understand the basic laws that govern nature. could provide. In exchange, the colonists
Their new ideas about the universe began the wanted furs, which they sold for large prof-
Scientific Revolution. The revolution changed its in Europe. As a result, each side came to
how people thought of the world. depend upon the other.
Many colonists were also influenced by French colonists traded and allied with
the Enlightenment. This movement, which the Algonquian and Huron. English colonists
took place during the 1700s, spread the idea traded and allied with the Iroquois League.
that reason and logic could improve society. This powerful group united American Indi-
Enlightenment thinkers also formed ideas ans from six different groups. Many American
about how government should work. Indians trusted the French more than they did
Some Enlightenment thinkers believed the English. The smaller French settlements
that there was a social contract between gov- were less threatening than the rapidly grow-
ernment and citizens. Philosophers such as ing English colonies. No matter who their
John Locke thought that people had natural allies were, many Indian leaders took care to
rights such as equality and liberty. Eventual- protect their people's independence. As one
ly, ideas of the Scientific Revolution and the leader said:
Enlightenment influenced colonial leaders. 11
We are born free. We neither depend upon [the
governor of New France] nor [the governor of
'''tnl·m•~•,,,, .• Summarizing How did the
New York]. We may go where we please ... and
Great Awakening and the Enlightenment influence buy and sell what we please. 11
r colonial society?
-Garangula, quoted in The World Turned Upside Down,
edited by Colin G. Calloway
THE ENGLISH COLONIES 59

--
War Erupts
During the late 1600s to mid-1700s, France
and Great Britain struggled for control of
territory in North America. British colo-
nists wanted to settle in the Ohio River
valley, where they could take advantage of
the valuable fur trade and also have room
for their colonies to expand. The French
believed this settlement would hurt their
fur trade profits. A standoff developed
in the Ohio Valley where the French had
built three forts. Fighting erupted in 1753
as the British military moved to take over
the valley.
When a young Virginian named George
Washington arrived with more soldiers,
he found the area under French control.
Washington and his troops built a
small, simple fort that he named Fort
Necessity. After his troops suffered many
Disputed by
Britain and Spain
casualties-captured, injured, or killed
Disputed by soldiers-Washington finally surrendered.
Britain, Spain
and Russia His defeat in 1754 was the start of the French
B 13 Colonies
boundary
and Indian War. Meanwhile, in 1756 fight-
1,000 Miles
1===::::::;::::~----' ing began in Europe, starting what became
known as the Seven Years' War.
Treaty of Paris
The turning point of the war came in 1759.
That year British general James Wolfe cap-
tured Quebec, gaining the advantage in the
war. However, the war dragged on for four
more years. Finally, in 17 63 Britain and
France signed the Treaty of Paris, officially
ending the war.
The terms of the treaty gave Canada to
Britain. Britain also gained all French lands
east of the Mississippi River except the city
of New Orleans and two small islands in the
Gulf of St. Lawrence. From Spain, which had
allied with France in 1762, Britain received
Florida. In an earlier treaty, Spain had received
Louisiana, the land that France had claimed
west of the Mississippi River. The Treaty of
1. Regions Which countries gained North American territory
Paris changed the balance of power in North
between 1754 and 1763?
2. Human-Environment Interaction What natural feature helped America. Soon British settlers began moving
form the boundary between British and Spanish territory in 1763? west to settle new lands.
Western Frontier
Most colonial settlements were located along
the Atlantic coast. Colonial settlers, or pioneers, Pontiac
slowly moved into the Virginia and Carolina 1720-1769
backcountry and the Ohio River valley. Pontiac, an Ottawa chief who had fought for France,
Indian leaders like Chief Pontiac opposed tried to resist British settlement west of the Appa-
British settlement of this new land. Pontiac's lachians. Calling them "dogs dressed in red who
have come to rob us;' he attacked the British in
Rebellion began in May 17 63 when his forces
the Ohio country in 1763. Pontiac's rebellion
attacked British forts on the frontier. Within
was put down, and he surrendered in 1766.
one month, they had destroyed or captured
seven forts. Pontiac then led an attack on Fort Analyzing Information How did Pontiac try to
Detroit. The British held out for months. stop the British?
British leaders feared that more fighting
would take place on the frontier if colonists
kept moving onto American Indian lands. To
avoid more conflict, King George III issued SUMMARY AND PREVIEW In this section
the Proclamation of 1763. This law banned you read about colonial governments, the
British settlement west of the Appalachian slave trade, and the conflicts with foreign
Mountains. The law also ordered settlers to countries and with Native Americans that
leave the upper Ohio River valley. the colonies faced as they grew. In the next
section you'll learn about the increasing
•tJ:wwr''"" '' Summarizing Why did tension between the colonies and Great
George Ill issue the Proclamation of 1763? Britain that led to independence.
Section 4 Assessment
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People Gm 8.1.1, 8.2.1
1. a. Describe How were colonial governments orga- organizer below and use it to list the causes and
nized? effects of the Great Awakening.
b. Analyze How did political change in England Great Awakening
Cause Effect
affect colonial governments?
2. a. Explain What is mercantilism?
b. Analyze How did the Navigation Acts support
the system of mercantilism?
c. Evaluate Did the colonies benefit from mercan-
tilism? Why or why not?
3. a. Identify What was the Great Awakening?
b. Compare How was the Enlightenment similar
to the Great Awakening?
4. a. Explain What caused the French and Indian
War? 6. Reviewing the Information This section focused
b. Evaluate Defend the British decision to ban on what life was like in all the English colonies
colonists from settling on the western frontier. discussed so far. Does this information give you
any new ideas about the colony you'll use in your
Critical Thinking infomercial?
5. Identifying Cause and Effect Copy the graphic

2o•w o•
The slave system that arose in the I

American colonies was strongly influenced II
I
by geographic forces. The climate of the !
southern colonies was suited to growing
certain crops, like cotton, tobacco, and
sugarcane. These crops required a great deal
of labor to grow and to process. To meet this
great demand for labor, the colonists looked
to one main source-enslaved Africans.
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
sailed to slave ports, where they unloaded

their human cargo. Slave ports like Boston,
Newport, and Charleston were located near
farming areas and the mouths of rivers.
· The Middle Passage

The terrifying and deadly voyage across
the Atlantic was known as the Middle
Passage. Enslaved Africans were chained
and crowded together under ships' decks
on this long voyage, as this drawing shows.
brought to the West Indies to work on

large sugar plantations. Sugarcane thrived
in the West Indies, but it required huge
amounts of labor to grow.
40
o•
20"E ·40" E
AFRJCA
~"
Kidnapped and Taken to a Slave Ship

Mahommah G. Baquaqua was captured and sold into slavery as a
young man. In this 7854 account, he recalls being taken to the
African coast to board a slave ship.
"I was taken down to the river and placed on board a boat; the river
was very large and branched off in two different directions, previous
to emptying itself into the sea ... We were two nights and one day on
this river, when we came to a . . . place . . . [where] the slaves were all
put into a pen, and placed with our backs to the fire ... When all were
ready to go aboard, we were chained together, and tied with ropes
round about our necks, and were thus drawn down to the sea shore~'
0
1493-1600
Main Ideas You live in the New England colonies in the 1700s. Recently,
1. British efforts to raise taxes British officials have placed new taxes on tea-your favorite
on colonists sparked protest.
2. The Boston Massacre caused beverage. You've never been very interested in politics, but you're
colonial resentment toward beginning to think that people far across the ocean in Britain
Great Britain.
3. Colonists protested the British shouldn't be able to tell you what to do. Some of your friends
tax on tea with the Boston have joined a group that refuses to buy British tea.
Tea Party.
4. Great Britain responded to
colonial actions by passing
Would you give up your favorite drink
the Intolerable Acts. to join the boycott?
l -
The Big Idea
Tensions developed as the
British government placed BUILDING BACKGROUND As the British colonies grew and
tax after tax on the colonies. became prosperous, the colonists got used to running their own
lives. Britain began to seem very far away. At ~he same time, officials
Key Terms and People in Britain still expected the colonies to obey them and to earn money
Samuel Adams, p. 65 for Britain. Parliament passed new laws and imposed new taxes. But
Committees of Correspondence, the colonists found various ways to challenge them.
p.65
Stamp Act of 1765, p. 66
Boston Massacre, p. 67
Tea Act, p. 68 Great Britain Raises Taxes
Boston Tea Party, p. 68
Intolerable Acts, p. 68 Great Britain had won the French and Indian War, but Parliament
_still had to pay for it. The British coptinued to keep a standing, or
permanent, army in North America to protect the colonists against
Indian attacks. To help pay for this army, Prime Minister George
Grenville asked Parliament to tax the colonists. In 17 64 Parlia-
ment passed the Sugar Act, which set duties on molasses and sugar
~ imported by colonists. This was the first act passed specifically. to
aJ raise money in the colonies.
C§fj 8.1.1 Describe the relation- British officials also tried harder to arrest smugglers. Colonial
ship between the moral and political merchants were required to list all the trade goods they carried
ideas of the Great Awakening and the
aboard their ships. These lists had to be approved before ships
development of revolutionary fervor.
could leave colonial ports. This made it difficult for traders to avoid
8.2.1 Discuss the significance of
the Magna Carta, the English Bill of
paying duties. The British navy also began to stop and search ships
Rights, and the Mayflower Compact. for smuggled goods.
64 CHAPTER 2
Parliament also changed the colonies' direct representatives in Parliament. Colo-
legal system by giving greater powers to nial assemblies had little influence on Parlia-
the vice-admiralty courts. These courts had ment's decisions.
no juries, and the judges treated suspected At a Boston town meeting in May 1764,
smugglers as guilty until proven innocent. In local leader Samuel Adams agreed with Otis.
regular British courts, accused persons were He believed that Parliament could not tax
treated as innocent until proven guilty. the colonists without their permission. The
ideas of Otis and Adams were summed up in
Taxation without Representation the slogan "No Taxation without Representa-
Parliament's actions upset many colonists tion," which spread throughout the colonies.
who had grown used to being independent. Adams helped found the Committees of
Merchants thought the taxes were unfair Correspondence. Each committee got in touch
and hurt business. Many believed that Great with other towns and colonies. Its members
Britain had no right to tax the colonies at all shared ideas and information about the new
without their consent. British laws and ways to challenge them.
James Otis argued that the power of the A popular method of protest was the boy-
Crown and Parliament was limited. Otis said cott, in which people refused to buy British
they could not "take from any man any part goods. The first colonial boycott started in
of his property, without his consent in per- New York in 1765. It soon spread to other
son or by representation." No one in Britain colonies. Colonists hoped that their efforts
had asked the colonists if they wanted to would hurt the British economy and might
be taxed. Ill- addition, the colonists had no convince Parliament to end the new taxes.

Stamp Act Pressure on Parliament to repeal, or do
The British government continued to search away with, the Stamp Act grew quickly.
for new ways to tax the American colonies, A group of London merchants complained
further angering many colonists. For exam- that their trade suffered from the colonial
ple, Prime Minister Grenville proposed the boycott. Parliament repealed the Stamp Act
Stamp Act of 1765. This act required colonists in 1766.
to pay for an official stamp, or seal, when they Members of Parliament were upset that
bought paper items. The tax had to be paid colonists had challenged their authority.
on legal documents, licenses, newspapers, Thus, Parliament issued the Declaratory Act,
pamphlets, and even playing cards. Colonists which stated that Parliament had the power
who refused to buy stamps could be fined or to make laws for the colonies "in all cases
sent to jail. whatsoever." The Declaratory Act further
Grenville did not expect this tax to spark worried the colonists. The act stripped away
protest. After all, in Britain people already much of their independence.
paid similar taxes. But colonists saw it differ-
Townshend Acts
ently. The Stamp Act was Parliament's first
In June 1767 Parliament passed the Town-
attempt to raise money by taxing the colo-
shend Acts. These acts placed duties on
nists directly, rather than by taxing imported
glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea. To enforce
goods.
the Townshend Acts, British officials used
Protests against the Stamp Act began
writs of assistance. These allowed tax collec-
almost immediately. Colonists formed a
tors to search for smuggled goods. Colonists
secret society called the Sons of Liberty. Sam-
hated the new laws because they took power
uel Adams helped organize the group in Bos-
away from colonial governments.
ton. This group sometimes used violence to
The colonists responded to the Town-
frighten tax collectors. Many colonial courts
shend Acts by once again boycotting many
shut down because people refused to buy the
British goods. Women calling themselves the
stamps required for legal documents. Busi-
Daughters of Liberty supported the boycott.
nesses openly ignored the law by refusing to
In February 1768 Samuel Adams wrote a letter
buy stamps.
arguing that the laws violated the legal rights
In May 1765 a Virginia lawyer named
of the colonists. The Massachusetts legislature
Patrick Henry presented a series of resolutions
sent the letter to other colonies' legislatures,
to the Virginia House of Burgesses. These res-
who voted to join the protest.
olutions stated that the Stamp Act violated
At the same time, tax collectors in Massa-
colonists' rights. In addition to taxation with-
chusetts seized the ship Liberty on suspicion
out representation, the Stamp Act denied the
of smuggling. This action angered the ship's
accused a trial by jury. Henry's speech in sup-
owner and the Sons of Liberty. They attacked
port of the resolutions convinced the assem-
the houses of customs officials in protest. In
bly to support some of his ideas.
response, the governor broke up the Mas-
sachusetts legislature. He also asked troops
Repealing the Stamp Act
to restore order. British soldiers arrived in
In Boston the members of the Massachusetts
Boston in October 17 68.
legislature called for a Stamp Act Congress. In
October 17 65, delegates from nine colonies
met in New York. They issued a declaration '97''·m•·•;••"·• Sequencing What series of
that the Stamp Act was a violation of their events led to the arrival of British troops in Boston
rights and liberties. in 1768?
66 CHAPTER 2
Primary Source
NEWSPAPER ARTICLE
The Boston Massacre
~ 1 An account of the Boston Massacre appeared in the Boston
Gazette and Country Journal soon after the event.
"The People were immediately alarmed with the Report of

this horrid Massacre, the Bells were set a Ringing, and great
Numbers soon assembled at the Place where this tragical
Scene had been acted; their Feelings may be better con-
ceived than expressed; and while some were taking Care of
the Dead and Wounded, the Rest were in Consultation what
to do in these dreadful Circumstances.
But so little intimidated were they [Bostonians], notwithstand-

ing their being within a few Yards of the Main Guard, and
seeing the 29th Regiment under Arms, and drawn up in King
street; that they kept their Station and appeared, as an Offi-
cer of Rank expressed it, ready to run upon the very Muzzles
of their Muskets:'
-Boston Gazette and Country Journal, March 12, 1770 Why do you think the people described were
not intimidated by the soldiers?
Boston Massacre Samuel Adams and other protesters

quickly spread the story of the shootings.
Many Bostonians saw the presence of British
They used it as propaganda-a story giving
troops as a threat by the British government
only one side in an argument-against the
against its critics in Massachusetts. Some col-
British. Colonists called the shootings the
onists agreed with Samuel Adams, who said,
Boston Massacre. Paul Revere created an
"I look upon [British soldiers] as foreign ene-
elaborate color print titled "The Bloody Mas-
mies." The soldiers knew that they were not
sacre perpetrated in King Street" (above).
welcome. Both sides resented each other, and
The soldiers and their officer, Thomas
name-calling, arguments, and fights between
Preston, were charged with murder. Two
Bostonians and the soldiers were common.
Boston lawyers, Josiah Quincy and John
The tension exploded on March 5, 1770.
Adams-Samuel Adams's cousin-agreed
A lone British soldier standing guard had an
to defend the soldiers. They argued that
argument with a colonist and struck him. A
the troops had acted in self-defense. The
crowd gathered around the soldier, throw-
Boston jury agreed, finding Preston and
ing snowballs and shouting insults. Soon a
six soldiers not guilty. Two soldiers were
small number of troops arrived. The crowd
convicted of killing people in the crowd by
grew louder and angrier by the moment. Some
accident. These men were branded on the
yelled, "Come on you rascals ... Fire if you dare!"
hand and released. The trial helped calm
Suddenly, the soldiers fired into the crowd,
people down, but many were still angry at
instantly killing three men, including sailor
the British.
Crispus Attucks. "Half Indian, half negro, and
altogether rowdy," as he was called, Attucks is
the best-remembered casualty of the incident. • ,, if;' •Jtq;a, •' '' ·• Analyzing What was the
Two others died within a few days. significance of the Boston Massacre?

Colonists reacted to British laws with
anger and violence. Parliament contin-
ued to pass tax after tax.
The Sugar Act is passed to raise The Stamp Act taxes newspapers,
money from the colonies for Britain. licenses, and colonial paper products.
Samuel Adams founds the Commit- A series of resolutions is published

tees of Correspondence to improve stating that the Stamp Act violates
communication among the colonies. the rights of colonists.
The Boston Tea Party without paying the duty. Unsure of what to do,
the captains waited in the harbor.
To reduce tensions in the colonies, Parlia-
On the night of December 16, 1773,
ment repealed almost all of the Townshend
colonists disguised as Indians sneaked onto
Acts. However, it kept the tax on tea. British
the three tea-filled ships. After dumping over
officials knew that the colonial demand for
340 tea chests into Boston Harbor, the colo-
tea was high despite the boycott. But colo-
nists headed home to remove their disguises.
nial merchants were smuggling most of this
This event became known as the Boston Tea
imported tea and paying no duty on it.
Party. Soon the streets echoed with shouts of
The British East India Company offered
"Boston harbour is a teapot tonight!"
Parliament a solution. The company had
huge amounts of tea but was not allowed to Summarizing What factors
sell it directly to the colonists. If the com- led to the Boston Tea Party?
pany could sell directly to the colonists,
it could charge low prices and still make
money. Cheaper tea might encourage colo- The Intolerable Acts
nists to stop smuggling. Less smuggling Lord North, the new British prime min-
would result in more tax money: ister, was furious when he heard about
Parliament agreed and passed the Tea Act the Boston Tea Party. Parliament dedded
in 1773, which allowed the British East India to punish Boston. In the spring of 1774 it
Company to sell tea directly to the colonists. passed the Coercive Acts. Colonists called
Many colonial merchants and smugglers these laws the Intolerable Acts. The acts had
feared that the British East India Company's several effects.
cheap tea would put them out of business. 1. Boston Harbor was closed until Boston
As a result, colonists united against the paid for the ruined tea.
Tea Act. 2. Massachusetts's charter was canceled:
Three ships ded with tea from the The governor decided if and when the
British East India Co any arrived in Boston legislature could meet.
Harbor in 1773. The Son of Liberty demand- 3. Royal officials accused of crimes were
ed that the ships leave. B t the governor of sent to Britain for trial. This let them
Massachusetts would not let the ships leave face a more friendly judge and jury.
68 CHAPTER 2
British soldiers fire into a crowd of The Tea Act is passed, making British Boston Harbor is closed, and British
colonists, killing five men. tea cheaper than colonial tea. troops are quartered.
Colonists protest and bring Colonists protest by dumping Colonists' resentment toward
the soldiers to trial. shipments of British tea into Britain builds.
Boston Harbor.
In what year did the conflict between

Britain and the colonists turn violent?
4. General Thomas Gage became the new

governor of Massachusetts. SUttttARY AND PREVIEW In this section
The British hoped that these steps would you learned about the increasing dissatis-
bring back order in the colonies. Instead they faction between the colonists and Great
simply increased people's anger at Britain. Britain. In the next chapter you'll learn
about the result of these conflicts-the
=n:w·u·~·:"?? '' Analyzing What was the American Revolution.
purpose of the Intolerable Acts?
Section 5 Assessment
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People ~ 8.1.1, 8.2.1

1. a. Explain Why did Great Britain raise taxes in its British Parliament between 1764
American colonies? and 1774 and the result of each law.
b. Evaluate Which method of protesting taxes do
Law Result
you think was most successful for colonists? Why?
2. a. Describe What events led to the Boston 1.
Massacre? 2.
b. Elaborate Why do you think John Adams and
3.
Josiah Quincy agreed to defend the British soldiers
4.
that were involved in the Boston Massacre?
3. a. Recall What was the purpose of the Tea Act? 5.
b. Draw Conclusions What message did the
Boston Tea Party send to the British government?
4. a. Explain Why did Parliament pass the Intoler-
able Acts? 6. Gathering Information Now you have some infor-
b. Draw Conclusions Why do you think the colo- mation about the political situation in Boston in the
nists believed that these laws were "intolerable"? late 1700s. Why might someone from Britain want
to immigrate to Boston at this time? Would you
Critical Thinking . consider the city of Boston, rather than a whole
5. Identifying Cause and Effect Copy the graphic colony, for the s~bject of your infomercial?
organizer. Use it to identify the laws passed by the

1m Students construct various timelines of key
events, people, and periods of the historical era they
are studying.
Interpreting nme Lines

f.) Study the order of events on each time line.
Note the length of time between events.
Knowing the sequence, or order, in which histori- Compare what was taking place on different
cal events took place is important to understand- time lines around the same time period.
ing these events. Time lines visually display the
C) Look for relationships between events. Pay par-
sequence of events during a particular period
ticular attention to how an event on one time
of time. They also let you easily see time spans
line might relate to an event on another.
between events, such as how long after one event a
related event took place-and what events occurred
in between. In addition, comparing time lines for
different places makes relationships between distant
events easier to identify and understand. Interpret the time lines below to answer the follow-
ing questions.
1. What is each time line's framework?
2. How long was England without a king?
Follow these guidelines to read, interpret, and com- 3. What event in England allowed the colonists
pare time lines. to get rid of the Dominion of New England
in 1689?
0 Determine each time line's framework. Note
the years it covers and the periods of time into 4. Massachusetts' independence long troubled
which it is divided. Be aware that a pair of time English officials. What do the time lines
lines may not have the same framework. suggest about why it was allowed to continue
until1686?
Events in England
/64Z /649 /660 /688
Civtl war br-eaks out Charles) is Monarch~ is Par!tt1Menf overthr-ows

between King Charles ) executed; Par!tt1Menf r-esfor-ed; Charles )) King JaMes )) and
and ParliaMent. fakes power-. becoMes king. puts new king on thr-one.
Events in the Colonies

/64/ 1659 /686 /689
Massachusetts shows Vir-grnia pledges Massachusetts is united with Colonies disband DoMrnion of
independence b~ passing /o~a/f~ fo Charles )) ofhu colonies rn DoMrnion of New England and r-e-establish
own code of Jaws. as k.rng of Eng/ and. New England b~ Krng JaMes)). separate gover-nMents.
70 CHAPTER 2
chapter
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau,
2
Herman Melville, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar
Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, and Emily Dickinson.
America’s literary independence was slowed
by a lingering identification with England, an
excessive imitation of English or classical liter-
ary models, and difficult economic and political
conditions that hampered publishing.
democratic origins and
revolutionary writers, Revolutionary writers, despite their genuine
1776-1820 patriotism, were of necessity self-conscious,
and they could never find roots in their Ameri-
T
can sensibilities. Colonial writers of the revo-
he hard-fought American Revolution
lutionary generation had been born English,
against Britain (1775-1783) was the first
had grown to maturity as English citizens, and
modern war of liberation against a colo-
had cultivated English modes of thought and
nial power. The triumph of American indepen-
English fashions in dress and behavior. Their
dence seemed to many at the time a divine sign
parents and grandparents were English (or
that America and her people were destined for
European), as were all their friends. Added to
greatness. Military victory fanned nationalistic
this, American awareness of literary fashion
hopes for a great new literature. Yet with the
still lagged behind the English, and this time
exception of outstanding political writing, few
lag intensified American imitation. Fifty years
works of note appeared during or soon after the
after their fame in England, English neoclassic
Revolution.
writers such as Joseph Addison, Richard Steele,
American books were harshly reviewed in
Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, Oliver Gold-
England. Americans were painfully aware of
smith, and Samuel Johnson were still eagerly
their excessive dependence on English liter-
imitated in America.
ary models. The search for a native literature
Moreover, the heady challenges of building
became a national obsession. As one American
a new nation attracted talented and educated
magazine editor wrote, around 1816, “Depen-
people to politics, law, and diplomacy. These
dence is a state of degradation fraught with
pursuits brought honor, glory, and financial
disgrace, and to be dependent on a foreign
security. Writing, on the other hand, did not
mind for what we can ourselves produce is to
pay. Early American writers, now separated
add to the crime of indolence the weakness of
from England, effectively had no modern pub-
stupidity.”
lishers, no audience, and no adequate legal
Cultural revolutions, unlike military revo-
protection. Editorial assistance, distribution,
lutions, cannot be successfully imposed but
and publicity were rudimentary.
must grow from the soil of shared experience.
Until 1825, most American authors paid
Revolutions are expressions of the heart of the
printers to publish their work. Obviously only
people; they grow gradually out of new sensi-
the leisured and independently wealthy, like
bilities and wealth of experience. It would take
Washington Irving and the New York Knicker-
50 years of accumulated history for America to
bocker group, or the group of Connecticut poets
earn its cultural independence and to produce
knows as the Hartford Wits, could afford to
the first great generation of American writers:
indulge their interest in writing. The exception,
Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper,
Benjamin Franklin, though from a poor
14
family, was a printer by trade and rious examples of pirating. Mat-
could publish his own work. thew Carey, an important Ameri-
Charles Brockden Brown was can publisher, paid a London agent
more typical. The author of sev- — a sort of literary spy — to send
eral interesting Gothic romances, copies of unbound pages, or even
Brown was the first American proofs, to him in fast ships that
author to attempt to live from his could sail to America in a month.
writing. But his short life ended Carey’s men would sail out to meet
in poverty. the incoming ships in the har-
The lack of an audience was bor and speed the pirated books
another problem. The small culti- into print using typesetters who
vated audience in America wanted divided the book into sections and
well-known European authors, worked in shifts around the clock.
partly out of the exaggerated Such a pirated English book could
respect with which former colo- be reprinted in a day and placed on
nies regarded their previous rul- the shelves for sale in American
ers. This preference for English bookstores almost as fast as in
works was not entirely unreason- England.
able, considering the inferiority Because imported authorized
of American output, but it wors- editions were more expensive and
ened the situation by depriving could not compete with pirated
American authors of an audience. ones, the copyright situation dam-
Only journalism offered financial aged foreign authors such as Sir
remuneration, but the mass audi- Walter Scott and Charles Dickens,
ence wanted light, undemanding along with American authors. But
verse and short topical essays — at least the foreign authors had
not long or experimental work. already been paid by their original
The absence of adequate copy- publishers and were already well
right laws was perhaps the clear- known. Americans such as James
est cause of literary stagnation. Fenimore Cooper not only failed
American printers pirating Eng- to receive adequate payment, but
lish best-sellers understandably N oah W ebster they had to suffer seeing their
were unwilling to pay an Ameri- works pirated under their noses.
can author for unknown material. Cooper’s first successful book, The
The unauthorized reprinting of Spy (1821), was pirated by four dif-
foreign books was originally seen ferent printers within a month of
as a service to the colonies as well its appearance.
as a source of profit for printers Ironically, the copyright law of
like Franklin, who reprinted works 1790, which allowed pirating, was
of the classics and great European nationalistic in intent. Drafted
books to educate the American by Noah Webster, the great lexi-
public. cographer who later compiled an
Engraving © The Bettmann
Printers everywhere in America Archive American dictionary, the law pro-
followed his lead. There are noto- tected only the work of American
15
authors; it was felt that English writers should life illustrates the impact of the Enlightenment
look out for themselves. on a gifted individual. Self-educated but well-
Bad as the law was, none of the early publish- read in John Locke, Lord Shaftesbury, Joseph
ers were willing to have it changed because Addison, and other Enlightenment writers,
it proved profitable for them. Piracy starved Franklin learned from them to apply reason to
the first generation of revolutionary American his own life and to break with tradition — in
writers; not surprisingly, the generation after particular the old-fashioned Puritan tradition
them produced even less work of merit. The — when it threatened to smother his ideals.
high point of piracy, in 1815, corresponds with While a youth, Franklin taught himself lan-
the low point of American writing. Neverthe- guages, read widely, and practiced writing for
less, the cheap and plentiful supply of pirated the public. When he moved from Boston to Phil-
foreign books and classics in the first 50 years adelphia, Pennsylvania, Franklin already had
of the new country did educate Americans, the kind of education associated with the upper
including the first great writers, who began to classes. He also had the Puritan capacity for
make their appearance around 1825. hard, careful work, constant self-scrutiny, and
the desire to better himself. These qualities
THE AMERICAN ENLIGHTENMENT steadily propelled him to wealth, respectability,
T
he 18th-century American Enlightenment and honor. Never selfish, Franklin tried to help
was a movement marked by an emphasis other ordinary people become successful by
on rationality rather than tradition, scien- sharing his insights and initiating a character-
tific inquiry instead of unquestioning religious istically American genre — the self-help book.
dogma, and representative government in place Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack, begun
of monarchy. Enlightenment thinkers and writ- in 1732 and published for many years, made
ers were devoted to the ideals of justice, liberty, Franklin prosperous and well-known through-
and equality as the natural rights of man. out the colonies. In this annual book of useful
encouragement, advice, and factual informa-
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) tion, amusing characters such as old Father
Benjamin Franklin, whom the Scottish phi- Abraham and Poor Richard exhort the reader
losopher David Hume called America’s “first in pithy, memorable sayings. In “The Way
great man of letters,” embodied the Enlighten- to Wealth,” which originally appeared in the
ment ideal of humane rationality. Practical Almanack, Father Abraham, “a plain clean old
yet idealistic, hard-working and enormously Man, with white Locks,” quotes Poor Richard at
successful, Franklin recorded his early life in length. “A Word to the Wise is enough,” he says.
his famous Autobiography. Writer, printer, pub- “God helps them that help themselves.” “Early
lisher, scientist, philanthropist, and diplomat, to Bed, and early to rise, makes a Man healthy,
he was the most famous and respected private wealthy, and wise.” Poor Richard is a psy-
figure of his time. He was the first great self- chologist (“Industry pays Debts, while Despair
made man in America, a poor democrat born encreaseth them”), and he always counsels
in an aristocratic age that his fine example hard work (“Diligence is the Mother of Good
helped to liberalize. Luck”). Do not be lazy, he advises, for “One
Franklin was a second-generation immi- Today is worth two tomorrow.” Sometimes he
grant. His Puritan father, a chandler (candle- creates anecdotes to illustrate his points: “A
maker), came to Boston, Massachusetts, from little Neglect may breed great Mischief....For
England in 1683. In many ways Franklin’s want of a Nail the Shoe was lost; for want
16
B enjamin F ranklin
Engraving courtesy Library of Congress

17
of a Shoe the Horse was lost; and for want of a never lost his democratic sensibility, and he
Horse the Rider was lost, being overtaken and was an important figure at the 1787 convention
slain by the Enemy, all for want of Care about at which the U.S. Constitution was drafted. In
a Horseshoe Nail.” Franklin was a genius at his later years, he was president of an antislav-
compressing a moral point: “What maintains ery association. One of his last efforts was to
one Vice, would bring up two Children.” “A promote universal public education.
small leak will sink a great Ship.” “Fools make
Feasts, and wise Men eat them.” Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur
Franklin’s Autobiography is, in part, another (1735-1813)
self-help book. Written to advise his son, it Another Enlightenment figure is Hector St.
covers only the early years. The most famous John de Crèvecoeur, whose Letters from an
section describes his scientific scheme of self- American Farmer (1782) gave Europeans a
improvement. Franklin lists 13 virtues: tem- glowing idea of opportunities for peace, wealth,
perance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, and pride in America. Neither an American nor
industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, clean- a farmer, but a French aristocrat who owned
liness, tranquility, chastity, and humility. He a plantation outside New York City before
elaborates on each with a maxim; for example, the Revolution, Crèvecoeur enthusiastically
the temperance maxim is “Eat not to Dullness. praised the colonies for their industry, toler-
Drink not to Elevation.” A pragmatic scientist, ance, and growing prosperity in 12 letters that
Franklin put the idea of perfectibility to the depict America as an agrarian paradise — a
test, using himself as the experimental subject. vision that would inspire Thomas Jefferson,
To establish good habits, Franklin invented Ralph Waldo Emerson, and many other writers
a reusable calendrical record book in which up to the present.
he worked on one virtue each week, record- Crèvecoeur was the earliest European to
ing each lapse with a black spot. His theory develop a considered view of America and the
prefigures psychological behaviorism, while new American character. The first to exploit
his systematic method of notation anticipates the “melting pot” image of America, in a
modern behavior modification. The project of famous passage he asks:
self-improvement blends the Enlightenment
belief in perfectibility with the Puritan habit of What then is the American, this new
moral self-scrutiny. man? He is either a European, or the
descendant of a European, hence that
F
ranklin saw early that writing could best strange mixture of blood, which you will
advance his ideas, and he therefore delib- find in no other country. I could point out
erately perfected his supple prose style, to you a family whose grandfather was
not as an end in itself but as a tool. “Write an Englishman, whose wife was Dutch,
with the learned. Pronounce with the vulgar,” whose son married a French woman,
he advised. A scientist, he followed the Royal and whose present four sons have now
(scientific) Society’s 1667 advice to use “a four wives of different nations....Here
close, naked, natural way of speaking; positive individuals of all nations are melted into
expressions, clear senses, a native easiness, a new race of men, whose labors and
bringing all things as near the mathematical posterity will one day cause changes in
plainness as they can.” the world.
Despite his prosperity and fame, Franklin
18
THE POLITICAL PAMPHLET: whom English might be a second
Thomas Paine (1737-1809) language. Thomas Jefferson’s
The passion of Revolutionary original draft of the Declaration
literature is found in pamphlets, of Independence is clear and logi-
the most popular form of political cal, but his committee’s modifica-
literature of the day. Over 2,000 tions made it even simpler. The
pamphlets were published during Federalist Papers, written in sup-
the Revolution. The pamphlets port of the Constitution, are also
thrilled patriots and threatened lucid, logical arguments, suitable
loyalists; they filled the role of for debate in a democratic nation.
drama, as they were often read
aloud in public to excite audiences. NEOCLASSISM: EPIC,
American soldiers read them aloud MOCK EPIC, AND SATIRE
in their camps; British Loyalists Unfortunately, “literary” writ-
threw them into public bonfires. ing was not as simple and direct
as political writing. When trying
T
homas Paine’s pamphlet to write poetry, most educated
Common Sense sold over authors stumbled into the pitfall of
100,000 copies in the first elegant neoclassicism. The epic, in
three months of its publication. It particular, exercised a fatal attrac-
is still rousing today. “The cause of tion. American literary patriots
America is in a great measure the felt sure that the great American
cause of all mankind,” Paine wrote, Revolution naturally would find
voicing the idea of American excep- expression in the epic — a long,
tionalism still strong in the United dramatic narrative poem in ele-
States — that in some fundamental vated language, celebrating the
sense, since America is a demo- feats of a legendary hero.
cratic experiment and a country Many writers tried but none suc-
theoretically open to all immigrants, ceeded. Timothy Dwight, (1752-
the fate of America foreshadows the 1817), one of the group of writers
fate of humanity at large. known as the Hartford Wits, is an
Political writings in a democracy T homas P aine example. Dwight, who eventually
had to be clear to appeal to the vot- became the president of Yale Uni-
ers. And to have informed voters, versity, based his epic, The Con-
universal education was promoted quest of Canaan (1785), on the
by many of the founding fathers. Biblical story of Joshua’s strug-
One indication of the vigorous, if gle to enter the Promised Land.
simple, literary life was the pro- Dwight cast General Washington,
liferation of newspapers. More commander of the American army
newspapers were read in America and later the first president of the
during the Revolution than any- United States, as Joshua in his
where else in the world. Immigra- allegory and borrowed the couplet
Portrait courtesy Library of
tion also mandated a simple style. Congress form that Alexander Pope used to
Clarity was vital to a newcomer, for translate Homer. Dwight’s epic
19
was as boring as it was ambitious. English Another satirical work, the novel Modern
critics demolished it; even Dwight’s friends, Chivalry, published by Hugh Henry Brack-
such as John Trumbull (1750-1831), remained enridge in installments from 1792 to 1815,
unenthusiastic. So much thunder and lightning memorably lampoons the excesses of the age.
raged in the melodramatic battle scenes that Brackenridge (1748-1816), a Scottish immi-
Trumbull proposed that the epic be provided grant raised on the American frontier, based
with lightning rods. his huge, picaresque novel on Don Quixote;
it describes the mis-adventures of Captain
N
ot surprisingly, satirical poetry fared Farrago and his stupid, brutal, yet appealingly
much better than serious verse. The human, servant Teague O’Regan.
mock epic genre encouraged American
poets to use their natural voices and did not POET OF THE AMERICAN
lure them into a bog of pretentious and pre- REVOLUTION
dictable patriotic sentiments and faceless con- Philip Freneau (1752-1832)
ventional poetic epithets out of the Greek poet One poet, Philip Freneau, incorporated the
Homer and the Roman poet Virgil by way of the new stirrings of European Romanticism and
English poets. escaped the imitativeness and vague universal-
In mock epics like John Trumbull’s good- ity of the Hartford Wits. The key to both his suc-
humored M’Fingal (1776-1782), stylized emo- cess and his failure was his passionately demo-
tions and conventional turns of phrase are cratic spirit combined with an inflexible temper.
ammunition for good satire, and the bom- The Hartford Wits, all of them undoubted
bastic oratory of the Revolution is itself ridi- patriots, reflected the general cultural con-
culed. Modeled on the British poet Samuel servatism of the educated classes. Freneau
Butler’s Hudibras, the mock epic derides a Tory, set himself against this holdover of old Tory
M’Fingal. It is often pithy, as when noting of attitudes, complaining of “the writings of an
condemned criminals facing hanging: aristocratic, speculating faction at Hartford,
in favor of monarchy and titular distinctions.”
No man e’er felt the halter draw. With Although Freneau received a fine education
good opinion of the law. and was as well acquainted with the classics
as any Hartford Wit, he embraced liberal and
M’Fingal went into over 30 editions, was democratic causes.
reprinted for a half-century, and was appreci- From a Huguenot (radical French Protestant)
ated in England as well as America. Satire background, Freneau fought as a militiaman
appealed to Revolutionary audiences partly during the Revolutionary War. In 1780, he was
because it contained social comment and criti- captured and imprisoned in two British ships,
cism, and political topics and social problems where he almost died before his family man-
were the main subjects of the day. The first aged to get him released. His poem “The Brit-
American comedy to be performed, The Con- ish Prison Ship” is a bitter condemnation of the
trast (produced 1787) by Royall Tyler (1757- cruelties of the British, who wished “to stain
1826), humorously contrasts Colonel Manly, an the world with gore.” This piece and other revo-
American officer, with Dimple, who imitates lutionary works, including “Eutaw Springs,”
English fashions. Naturally, Dimple is made “American Liberty,” “A Political Litany,” “A Mid-
to look ridiculous. The play introduces the first night Consultation,” and “George the Third’s
Yankee character, Jonathan. Soliloquy,” brought him fame as the “Poet of
20
the American Revolution.” ing the early years. Nationalism
Freneau edited a number of inspired publications in many
journals during his life, always fields, leading to a new appre-
mindful of the great cause of ciation of things American. Noah
democracy. When Thomas Jef- Webster (1758-1843) devised an
T
ferson helped him establish the American Dictionary, as well as
militant, anti-Federalist National an important reader and speller
Gazette in 1791, Freneau became for the schools. His Spelling Book
the first powerful, crusading sold more than 100 million copies
newspaper editor in America, and over the years. Updated Webster’s
the literary predecessor of William dictionaries are still standard
Cullen Bryant, William Lloyd Gar- he 18th- today. The American Geography, by
rison, and H.L. Mencken. centry American Jedidiah Morse, another landmark
As a poet and editor, Freneau Enlightenment reference work, promoted knowl-
adhered to his democratic ideals. edge of the vast and expanding
His popular poems, published in
was a movement American land itself. Some of the
newspapers for the average read- marked by an most interesting, if nonliterary,
er, regularly celebrated American emphasis on writings of the period are the jour-
subjects. “The Virtue of Tobacco” rationality rather nals of frontiersmen and explorers
concerns the indigenous plant, a such as Meriwether Lewis (1774-
mainstay of the southern econo-
than tradition, 1809) and Zebulon Pike (1779-
my, while “The Jug of Rum” cel- scientific inquiry 1813), who wrote accounts of
ebrates the alcoholic drink of the instead of expeditions across the Louisiana
West Indies, a crucial commod- unquestioning Territory, the vast portion of the
ity of early American trade and a North American continent that
religious dogma,
major New World export. Common Thomas Jefferson purchased from
American characters lived in “The and representative Napoleon in 1803.
Pilot of Hatteras,” as well as in government in
poems about quack doctors and place of monarchy. WRITERS OF FICTION
T
bombastic evangelists. Enlightenment he first important fiction
Freneau commanded a natural writers widely recognized
and colloquial style appropriate to
thinkers and writers today, Charles Brockden
a genuine democracy, but he could were devoted Brown, Washington Irving, and
also rise to refined neoclassic lyri- to the ideals of James Fenimore Cooper, used
cism in often-anthologized works justice, liberty, and American subjects, historical per-
such as “The Wild Honey Suckle” spectives, themes of change, and
(1786), which evokes a sweet-
equality as the nostalgic tones. They wrote in
smelling native shrub. Not until natural rights of many prose genres, initiated new
the “American Renaissance” that man. forms, and found new ways to
began in the 1820s would Ameri- make a living through literature.
can poetry surpass the heights that With them, American literature
Freneau had scaled 40 years earlier. began to be read and appreciated
Additional groundwork for later in the United States and abroad.
literary achievement was laid dur-
21
Charles Brockden Brown (1771-1810) Nathaniel Hawthorne. Despite his talent, he
Already mentioned as the first professional probably would not have become a full-time
American writer, Charles Brockden Brown was professional writer, given the lack of financial
inspired by the English writers Mrs. Radcliffe rewards, if a series of fortuitous incidents had
and English William Godwin. (Radcliffe was not thrust writing as a profession upon him.
known for her terrifying Gothic novels; a novel- Through friends, he was able to publish his
ist and social reformer, Godwin was the father Sketch Book (1819-1820) simultaneously in
of Mary Shelley, who wrote Frankenstein and England and America, obtaining copyrights
married English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.) and payment in both countries.
Driven by poverty, Brown hastily penned four The Sketch Book of Geoffrye Crayon (Irving’s
haunting novels in two years: Wieland (1798), pseudonym) contains his two best remembered
Arthur Mervyn (1799), Ormond (1799), and stories, “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend
Edgar Huntley (1799). In them, he developed of Sleepy Hollow.” “Sketch” aptly describes
the genre of American Gothic. The Gothic Irving’s delicate, elegant, yet seemingly casual
novel was a popular genre of the day fea- style, and “crayon” suggests his ability as a
turing exotic and wild settings, disturbing colorist or creator of rich, nuanced tones and
psychological depth, and much suspense. Trap- emotional effects. In the Sketch Book, Irving
pings included ruined castles or abbeys, ghosts, transforms the Catskill mountains along the
mysterious secrets, threatening figures, and Hudson River north of New York City into a
solitary maidens who survive by their wits and fabulous, magical region.
spiritual strength. At their best, such novels American readers gratefully accepted Irving’s
offer tremendous suspense and hints of magic, imagined “history” of the Catskills, despite the
along with profound explorations of the human fact (unknown to them) that he had adapted
soul in extremity. Critics suggest that Brown’s his stories from a German source. Irving gave
Gothic sensibility expresses deep anxieties America something it badly needed in the
about the inadequate social institutions of the brash, materialistic early years: an imaginative
new nation. way of relating to the new land.
Brown used distinctively American settings. No writer was as successful as Irving at
A man of ideas, he dramatized scientific theo- humanizing the land, endowing it with a name
ries, developed a personal theory of fiction, and and a face and a set of legends. The story
championed high literary standards despite of “Rip Van Winkle,” who slept for 20 years,
personal poverty. Though flawed, his works waking to find the colonies had become inde-
are darkly powerful. Increasingly, he is seen pendent, eventually became folklore. It was
as the precursor of romantic writers like Edgar adapted for the stage, went into the oral tradi-
Allan Poe, Herman Melville, and Nathaniel tion, and was gradually accepted as authentic
Hawthorne. He expresses subconscious fears American legend by generations of Americans.
that the outwardly optimistic Enlightenment Irving discovered and helped satisfy the raw
period drove underground. new nation’s sense of history. His numerous
works may be seen as his devoted attempts to
Washington Irving (1789-1859) build the new nation’s soul by recreating his-
The youngest of 11 children born to a well- tory and giving it living, breathing, imaginative
to-do New York merchant family, Washington life. For subjects, he chose the most dramatic
Irving became a cultural and diplomatic ambas- aspects of American history: the discovery
sador to Europe, like Benjamin Franklin and of the New World, the first president and
22
national hero, and the westward different cultures. The son of a
exploration. His earliest work was Quaker family, he grew up on his
a sparkling, satirical History of father’s remote estate at Otsego
New York (1809) under the Dutch, Lake (now Cooperstown) in cen-
ostensibly written by Diedrich tral New York State. Although
Knickerbocker (hence the name this area was relatively peaceful
of Irving’s friends and New York during Cooper’s boyhood, it had
writers of the day, the “Knicker- once been the scene of an Indian
bocker School”). massacre. Young Fenimore Coo-
per grew up in an almost feudal
James Fenimore Cooper environment. His father, Judge
(1789-1851) Cooper, was a landowner and
James Fenimore Cooper, like leader. Cooper saw frontiersmen
Irving, evoked a sense of the and Indians at Otsego Lake as a
past and gave it a local habi- boy; in later life, bold white set-
tation and a name. In Cooper, tlers intruded on his land.
though, one finds the powerful Natty Bumppo, Cooper’s
myth of a golden age and the renowned literary character,
poignance of its loss. While Irving embodies his vision of the fron-
and other American writers before tiersman as a gentleman, a Jef-
and after him scoured Europe in fersonian “natural aristocrat.”
search of its legends, castles, and Early in 1823, in The Pioneers,
great themes, Cooper grasped the Cooper had begun to discover
essential myth of America: that it Bumppo. Natty is the first famous
was timeless, like the wilderness. frontiersman in American litera-
American history was a trespass ture and the literary forerunner
on the eternal; European history of countless cowboy and back-
in America was a reenactment woods heroes. He is the idealized,
of the fall in the Garden of Eden. upright individualist who is better
The cyclical realm of nature was than the society he protects. Poor
glimpsed only in the act of destroy- and isolated, yet pure, he is a
ing it: The wilderness disappeared J ames F enimore touchstone for ethical values and
in front of American eyes, vanish- C ooper prefigures Herman Melville’s Billy
ing before the oncoming pioneers Budd and Mark Twain’s Huck Finn.
like a mirage. This is Cooper’s Based in part on the real life of
basic tragic vision of the ironic American pioneer Daniel Boone
destruction of the wilderness, the — who was a Quaker like Coo-
new Eden that had attracted the per — Natty Bumppo, an out-
colonists in the first place. standing woodsman like Boone,
Personal experience enabled was a peaceful man adopted by
Cooper to write vividly of the an Indian tribe. Both Boone and
transformation of the wilderness the fictional Bumppo loved nature
Photo courtesy Library of
and of other subjects such as the Congress and freedom. They constantly kept
sea and the clash of peoples from moving west to escape the oncom-
23
ing settlers they had guided into tension between the lone indi-
the wilderness, and they became vidual and society, nature and cul-
legends in their own lifetimes. ture, spirituality and organized
Natty is also chaste, high-mind- religion. In Cooper, the natural
ed, and deeply spiritual: He is world and the Indian are funda-
the Christian knight of medieval mentally good — as is the highly
romances transposed to the virgin civilized realm associated with his
forest and rocky soil of America. most cultured characters. Inter-
The unifying thread of the five mediate characters are often sus-
novels collectively known as the pect, especially greedy, poor white
Leather-Stocking Tales is the life settlers who are too uneducated
of Natty Bumppo. Cooper’s fin- or unrefined to appreciate nature
est achievement, they constitute or culture. Like Rudyard Kipling,
a vast prose epic with the North E.M. Forster, Herman Melville,
American continent as setting, and other sensitive observers of
Indian tribes as characters, and widely varied cultures interacting
great wars and westward migra- with each other, Cooper was a
tion as social background. The cultural relativist. He understood
novels bring to life frontier Ameri- that no culture had a monopoly on
ca from 1740 to 1804. virtue or refinement.
Cooper’s novels portray the suc- Cooper accepted the American
cessive waves of the frontier set- condition while Irving did not.
tlement: the original wilderness Irving addressed the American set-
inhabited by Indians; the arrival of ting as a European might have —
the first whites as scouts, soldiers, by importing and adapting Euro-
traders, and frontiersmen; the pean legends, culture, and history.
coming of the poor, rough settler Cooper took the process a step far-
families; and the final arrival of ther. He created American settings
the middle class, bringing the first and new, distinctively American
professionals — the judge, the characters and themes. He was the
physician, and the banker. Each first to sound the recurring tragic
incoming wave displaced the ear- P hillis W heatley note in American fiction.
lier: Whites displaced the Indians,
who retreated westward; the “civi- WOMEN AND MINORITIES
A
lized” middle classes who erected lthough the colonial period
schools, churches, and jails dis- produced several women
placed the lower-class individu- writers of note, the revolu-
alistic frontier folk, who moved tionary era did not further the work
further west, in turn displacing of women and minorities, despite
the Indians who had preceded the many schools, magazines,
them. Cooper evokes the endless, newspapers, and literary clubs
inevitable wave of settlers, seeing that were springing up. Colonial
Engraving © The Bettmann
not only the gains but the losses. Archive women such as Anne Bradstreet,
Cooper’s novels reveal a deep Anne Hutchinson, Ann Cotton,
24
and Sarah Kemble Knight exerted considerable Pagan land Taught my benighted soul
social and literary influence in spite of primitive to understand That there’s a God, that
conditions and dangers; of the 18 women who there’s a Savior too;
came to America on the ship Mayflower in 1620, Once I redemption neither sought nor
only four survived the first year. When every knew. Some view our sable race with
able-bodied person counted and conditions were scornful eye, “Their colour is a diabolic
fluid, innate talent could find expression. But as dye.” Remember, Christians, negroes,
cultural institutions became formalized in the black as Cain, May be refin’d, and join th’
new republic, women and minorities gradually angelic train.
were excluded from them.
Other Women Writers
Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753-1784) A number of accomplished Revolutionary-
Given the hardships of life in early America, era women writers have been rediscovered
it is ironic that some of the best poetry of the by feminist scholars. Susanna Rowson (c.
period was written by an exceptional slave 1762-1824) was one of America’s first profes-
woman. The first African-American author sional novelists. Her seven novels included the
of importance in the United States, Phillis best-selling seduction story Charlotte Temple
Wheatley was born in Africa and brought to (1791). She treats feminist and abolitionist
Boston, Massachusetts, when she was about themes and depicts American Indians with
seven, where she was purchased by the pious respect.
and wealthy tailor John Wheatley to be a com-
A
panion for his wife. The Wheatleys recognized nother long-forgotten novelist was
Phillis’s remarkable intelligence and, with the Hannah Foster (1758-1840), whose
help of their daughter, Mary, Phillis learned to best-selling novel The Coquette (1797)
read and write. was about a young woman torn between virtue
Wheatley’s poetic themes are religious, and and temptation. Rejected by her sweetheart, a
her style, like that of Philip Freneau, is neoclas- cold man of the church, she is seduced, aban-
sical. Among her best-known poems are “To doned, bears a child, and dies alone.
S.M., a Young African Painter, on Seeing His Judith Sargent Murray (1751-1820) published
Works,” a poem of praise and encouragement under a man’s name to secure serious attention
for another talented black, and a short poem for her works. Mercy Otis Warren (1728-1814)
showing her strong religious sensitivity filtered was a poet, historian, dramatist, satirist, and
through her experience of Christian conver- patriot. She held pre-Revolutionary gatherings
sion. This poem unsettles some contemporary in her home, attacked the British in her racy
critics — whites because they find it conven- plays, and wrote the only contemporary radical
tional, and blacks because the poem does not history of the American revolution.
protest the immorality of slavery. Yet the work Letters between women such as Mercy Otis
is a sincere expression; it confronts white Warren and Abigail Adams, and letters gener-
racism and asserts spiritual equality. Indeed, ally, are important documents of the period. For
Wheatley was the first to address such issues example, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband,
confidently in verse, as in “On Being Brought John Adams (later the second president of the
from Africa to America”: United States), in 1776 urging that women’s
independence be guaranteed in the future U.S.
’Twas mercy brought me from my constitution. ■
25
Chapter 3
You Try It! Section 1
The following passage is from the chapter you are about to read. First Continental
Read it and then answer the questions below. Congress (p. 78)
minutemen (p. 79)
Redcoats (p. 80)
1
Second Continental
Americans and the War Effort Congress (p. 80)
Continental Army (p. 80)
During the war more than 230,000 sol- From
George Washington (p. 80)
Chapter3,
diers served in the Continental Army. The p. 90 Battle of Bunker Hill (p. 81)
typical soldier was young, often under the
legal age of 16. Most had little money, no Section 2
Common Sense (p. 83)
property, and few opportunities in life. The Thomas Paine (p. 83)
army offered low pay, often rotten food, hard Thomas Jefferson (p. 84)
work, cold, heat, poor clothing and shelter, Declaration of
Independence (p. 84)
harsh discipline, and a high chance of becom-
Patriots (p. 84)
ing a casualty. Yet for some young men and Loyalists (p. 84)
boys, it represented change and excitement.
Finding and keeping dedicated soldiers Section 3
mercenaries (p. 92)
throughout the long, hard war would be a
Battle of Trenton (p. 93)
constant chore. In time, the Continental Battle of Saratoga (p. 94)
Congress required states to supply soldiers. Marquis de Lafayette (p. 95)
Men who could afford it often paid others, Bernardo de Galvez (p. 95)
such as slaves or apprentices, to fight in their John Paul Jones (p. 97)
George Rogers Clark (p. 97)
places.
Section 4
Francis Marion (p. 99)
After you have read the passage, answer the following questions. Comte de Rochambeau (p. 100)
Battle of Yorktown (p. 100)
1. The main idea of the second paragraph is stated in a sentence. Treaty of Paris of 1783 (p. 101)
Which sentence expresses the main idea?
Academic Vocabulary
2. What is the first paragraph about? What facts and details are Success in school is related to
included in the paragraph? Based on your answers to these knowing academic vocabulary-
questions, what is the main idea of the first paragraph? the words that are frequently used
in school assignments and discus-
sions. In this chapter, you will learn
the following academic words:
reaction (p. 79)
strategy (p. 94)
As you read Chapter 3, identify the main

ideas of the paragraphs you are reading.
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 77

Main Ideas You are a member of the British Parliament in the 1770s. You
1. The First Continental Congress and other officials have very different ideas about how to treat
demanded certain rights from
Great Britain. the American colonists. Some tell the king that the Americans
2. Armed conflict between British are disobedient children who must be punished. Others point out
soldiers and colonists broke
out with the "shot heard that they are British citizens who have certain rights. Now the king
'round the world." must decide whether or not to impose harsher laws to punish the
3. The Second Continental Con-
gress created the Continental rebellious colonists.
Army to fight the British.
What advice would you give the king?
'
The Big Idea
The tensions between the
f,f ""~ ""!
colonies and Great Britain led
to armed conflict. BUILDING BACKGROUND Taxes and harsh new laws led some
colonists to protest against the British. In some places, the protests
Key Terms and People turned violent. The British government, however, refused to listen
First Continental Congress, p. 78 to the colonists, ignoring their demands for more rights. That setthe
minutemen, p. 79 stage for war.
..II
Redcoats, p. 80
Second Continental Congress, p. 80
Continental Army, p. 80
George Washington, p. 80
First Continental Congress
Battle of Bunker Hill, p. 81 The closing of the port of Boston was the final insult that led all
of the colonies except Georgia to send delegates to the First Conti-
nental Congress -a gathering in the fall of 1774 of delegates from
throughout the colonies. At Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia, they
engaged in tense debates. Virginia delegate Patrick Henry and oth-
er radicals believed that violence was unavoidable. Delegates from
Pennsylvania and New York had strict orders to seek peace.
At this historic crossroads, the delegates compromised. They
halted all trade with Britain and alerted the colonial militias to
prepare for war. Meanwhile, they drafted a Declaration of Rights,
[i;J a list of 10 resolutions that included the right to ((life, liberty,
and property."
lim 8.1. Students understand the King George refused to consider the Declaration of Rights.
major events preceding the founding
of the nation and relate their signifi-
Instead, British colonial leaders ordered their troops to prepare to
cance to the development of Ameri- seize the colonial militias' weapons.
can constitutional democracy.
78 CHAPTER 3
''Shot Heard 'round the colonial militia had a major weapons
the World" storehouse there. In reaction, he sent his
soldiers to destroy it.
In early 1775 Patrick Henry predicted that Local spies got the news to the patriot
news of hostilities in Boston would come at group, the Sons of Liberty. On a prearranged
any moment. Addressing the hesitation of signal, Paul Revere, William Dawes, and
some of his fellow Virginia legislators, Henry Samuel Prescott set off on horseback to sound
uttered these famous words: the alert that the British were coming.
ACADEMIC
11 Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace-but there Across the countryside, drums and church VOCABULARY
is no peace. The war is actually begun!. .. I know bells called to duty the minutemen -mem- reaction
not what course others may take; but as for me, bers of the civilian volunteer militia. At response
give me liberty or give me death! 11 dawn the British troops arrived at the town
- Patrick Henry, quoted in Eyewitnesses and Others
of Lexington, near Concord, where 70 armed
One month later, on the night of Aprill8, minutemen awaited the British advance.
a force of 700 British soldiers headed for Con- "Don't fire unless fired upon," the cap- ·
cord, a town about 20 miles west of Boston. tain yelled to his minutemen. "But if they
British general Thomas Gage had heard that mean to have a war, let it begin here!"

Suddenly, a shot rang out. To this day, no Second Continental
one knows who fired this "shot heard 'round
the world."
Congress
The battle ended in minutes with only In May 1775, delegates from 12 colonies met
a few shots fired. When the musket smoke in Philadelphia for the Second Continental
cleared, 8 minutemen lay dead, and 10 were Congress. This second gathering of delegates
wounded. The British, with only one man from the colonies was still far from uni-
wounded, marched on to Concord. They fied. Some called for a war, others for peace.
destroyed the weapons they found. Once again, they compromised. The Con-
As the British retreated to Boston, the roads gress did not break away from Britain, but it
swarmed with minutemen, firing from behind declared the Massachusetts militia to be the
every tree, fence, and building. The British Red- Continental Army. This military force would
coats, soldiers wearing red uniforms, made carry out the fight against Britain. Congress
an easy target. By the end of the day more than named a Virginian, George Washington, to
250 British soldiers were dead, wounded, or command the army.
missing. The minutemen counted fewer than As Washington prepared for war, the
100 casualties. Congress pursued peace. On July 5 the del-
egates signed the Olive Branch Petition, ask-
•·nwuu·rarraa.rr Identifying Cause and Effect ing the king to restore harmony between
What led to the fighting at Lexington and Concord, Britain and the colonies. King George refused
and how did it affect the colonies' conflict with to read it and looked for new ways to punish
Great Britain? the colonies.
General Washington arrived two

weeks later and took command
of 14,000 troops. In 1776 they
drove the British from Boston.
1. Place What geographic advantage did control of Boston provide?

2. Movement How did British troops retreat from Boston? How can
you tell?
Battle of Bunker Hill British guns could not reach the top of
While Congress discussed peace, Massa- the hill. On March 7, General William Howe
chusetts went on the offensive. Desperate retreated from Boston. The birthplace of the
for supplies, leaders in Boston authorized rebellion was back in colonial hands.
Benedict Arnold to raise a force of 400 men
to attack the British at Fort Ticonderoga.
li1!nl-nail!il3iii Identifying Cause and Effect
How did geography influence the early battles
On May 10, 1775, during an early morning
around Boston?
storm, the Patriots quickly took the fort and
its large supply of weapons.
Meanwhile, the poorly supplied minute- SUMMARY AND PREVIEW The colonists
men kept the British pinned down inside the could not avtlid war with Great Britain. In
dty of Boston. As the British were making the next section you will read about the
plans to break the colonial siege south of Bos- Declaration of Independence.
ton, they awoke on june 17 to a stunning sight.
The colonial forces had quietly dug in at Breed's
Hill, a point overlooking northern Boston. The
Redcoats would have to cross Boston Harbor in Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People lim 8.1
boats and fight their way up the hill. 1. a. Identify What was the First Continental Congress?
As the British force of 2,400 advanced, the b. Make Inferences Why did the First Continental Con-
1,600 Americans waited. Low on gunpowder, gress send the Declaration of Rights to the king?
the commander ordered his troops not to fire c. Elaborate Why do you think King George Ill refused to
"until you see the whites of their eyes." consider the colonists' Declaration of Rights?
2. a. Identify Who warned the colonists of the British
Finally, the colonists rained down their
advance toward Concord?
fire on the attackers. Climbing the exposed
b. Analyze Why did the British army march on Lexington
hillside with their heavy packs, the Redcoats and Concord?
were cut down. Twice they retreated. Stepping c. Elaborate What do you think is meant by the expres-
over the dead and wounded along the way, sion the "shot heard 'round the world"?
they marched back up the hill for a third try. 3 a. Describe What was the purpose of the Second
The colonists were now out of ammu- Continental Congress?
nition. As the British rushed toward them, b. Draw Conclusions How was the Continental Army
Patriots threw rocks. They swung their empty able to drive British forces out of Boston?
c. Evaluate How would you evaluate the performance
guns like clubs. They fought with their bare
of the Continental Army in the early battles of the war?
hands. At last, the Americans had to retreat.
Explain your answer.
For the British, it was a tragic victory.
They suffered more than 1,000 casualties, Critical Thinking
about double the American losses. This bat- 4. Summarizing Copy the graphic organizer below. Use it to
tle, called the Battle of Bunker Hill, proved summarize the actions and results of the First and Second
the colonists could take on the British. Continental Congresses.
Continental Congress Actions Taken Results
British Retreat from Boston First
Two weeks later, on July 3, General George Second
Washington arrived to take command of
the Continental Army of about 14,000 men. FOCUS ON SPEAKING 7
...,.
After months of preparation, in March 1776, 5. Thinking about the Beginning You'll have about five
Washington used the Fort Ticonderoga can- minutes for your report and only a minute or two to talk
nons to threaten the British from Nook's Hill about the beginning of the war. What are the one or two
overlooking Boston. most important things you want to say about the beginning?

George Washington
Second Continental
What would you do if you were asked Congress; selected
to lead a new country? commander of the
Continental Army
When did he live? 1732-1799 1789 Inaugurated as
president
Where did he live? George Washington was a true American, born in the Vir-
ginia colony. As president, he lived in New York City and Philadelphia, the nation's 1793 Begins second
first two capitals. When he retired, he returned to his plantation at Mount Vernon. term as president
1796 Publishes his

What did he do? Although Washington was a wealthy farmer, he spent most of
Farewell Address and
his life in the military and in politics. Leading the colonial forces to victory in the
retires to his planta-
Revolutionary War, he then helped shape the new government of the United States. tion at Mount Vernon
On April30, 1789, he was sworn in as the first president of the United States.
1799 Dies at Mount
Why is he so important? George Washington Vernon; his will frees
inspired Americans and helped to unite them. One his slaves
of his great accomplishments as president was to
keep the peace with Britain and France. Upon
leaving the presidency, he urged Americans to
avoid becoming divided.
Drawing Conclusions How might Washington's leader-

ship in the Revolutionary War have prepared him for
his role as president?
Mount Vernon was

Washington's plantation.
You live on a farm in New York in 1776. The conflicts with the Brit- Main Ideas
ish have torn your family apart. Your father is loyal to King George 1. Thomas Paine's Common
and wants to remain British. But your mother is a f1erce Patriot, Sense led many colonists
to support independence.
and your brother wants to join the Continental Army. Your father 2. Colonists had differing reac-
and others who feel the same way are moving to British-held tions to the Declaration of
Independence.
Canada. Now you must decide what you will do.
Would you decide to go to Canada •
The Big Idea
or support the Patriots'? The colonies formally declared
their independence from
Great Britain.
BUILDING BACKGROUND The outbreak of war took some colo-

nists by surprise. Many American colonists, like the farmer above, did Key Terms and People
Common Sense, p. 83
not favor independence from Britain. Gradually, though, the idea of
I Thomas Paine, p. 83
~ independence became more popular.
Thomas Jefferson, p. 84
Declaration of Independence, p. 84
Patriots, p. 84
Paine's Common Sense Loyalists, p. 84
"[T]here is something very absurd in supposing a continent to be

perpetually [forever] governed by an island." This argument against
British rule over America appeared in Common Sense, a 4 7-page
pamphlet published in January 1776 that urged separation from
Great Britain. Common Sense was published anonymously-that is,
without the author's name. The author, Thomas Paine, argued that
citizens, not kings and queens, should make laws. At a time when
monarchs ruled much of the world, this was a bold idea.
News of the work spread throughout the colonies, eventually
selling some 500,000 copies. Paine reached a wide audience by
writing as a common person speaking to common people. Common
Sense changed the way many colonists viewed their king. It made a ~ 8.1.2 Analyze the philoso-
strong case for economic freedom and for the right to military self- phy of government expressed in
defense. It cried out against tyranny-that is, the abuse of govern- the Declaration of Independence,
with an emphasis on government
ment power. Thomas Paine's words rang out in his time, and they as a means of securing individual
have echoed throughout American history. rights (e.g., key phrases such as
"all men are created equal, that
READING (HECK Supporting a Point of View Would you have agreed they are endowed by their Creator
with Thomas Paine? Explain your answer. with certain unalienable Rights").
E AMERICAN REVOLUTION 83
Independence for Colonies Third, Jefferson argued that the colonies
had the right to break from Britain. He was
Many colonial leaders agreed with Paine. They influenced by the Enlightenment idea of the
thought that the colonies should be free. In sodal contract, which states that govern-
June 1776 the Second Continental Congress ments and rulers must protect the rights of
created a committee to write a document dtizens. In exchange, the people agree to be I
declaring the colonies' independence. governed. Jefferson said that because King I
George III had broken the sodal contract, the
A New Philosophy of Government ~I
colonists should no longer obey him.
The committee members were John Adams, On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress · I
Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert approved the Declaration of Independence.
The Continental R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman. Jefferson This act broke all ties to the British Crown. ~
Congress voted was the document's main author. [
for independence The United States of America was born.
on July 2. How-
The Declaration of Independence for- ··J
ever, because the mally announced the colonies' break from Choosing Sides
Declaration was Great Britain. In doing so, it expressed three Colonists known as Patriots chose to fight
not approved until
July 4, the fourth
main ideas. The first idea Jefferson argued for independence. Loyalists -sometimes
is celebrated was that all men possess unalienable rights. called Tories-were those who remained
today as Indepen- He stated that these basic rights include "life, loyal to Great Britain. Historians estimate
dence Day.
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." that 40 to 45 percent of Americans were
Jefferson's next argument was that King Patriots, while 20 to 30 percent were Loyal-
George III had violated the colonists' rights ists. The rest were neutral.
by passing unfair laws and interfering with Once the Declaration was signed, Loyalists
colonial governments. Jefferson accused the and Patriots became opponents. More than
king of taxing colonists without their con- 50,000 Loyalists fled during the Revolution.
sent and he felt that the large British army in The war tore apart families. Even the great
the colonies violated colonists' rights. Patriot Benjamin Franklin had a Loyalist son.
84 CHAPTER 3
SUrlttARY AND PREVIEW In 1776 the col-
onists declared their independence. The
Declaration of Independence has inspired
Americans throughout history with its
message of freedom and equality. In order
to maintain their freedom, however, col-
onists would have to battle the British
army and win a war. In the next section
0 JohnAdams 0 Benjamin Franklin you will learn about some of the battles
f) Roger Sherman 0 Charles Thomson
that took place early during the Revolu-
0 Robert R. Livingston 8 John Hancock
0 Thomas Jefferson tionary War. Early in the war, it seemed as
if the British would defeat the colonists.
1be Declaration of lnclepenclence was adopted on
July 4, 1776. rtlis painting shows 47 of the 56 sign-
en of the document 1be man sitting on the right
is John Hancock. who was the president of the
Second Continental Congress. He is accepting the
Declaration from the committee that wrote it Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
How realistic do you think this painting is? 1. a. Identify Who was Thomas Paine?
b. Make Inferences Why do you think Thomas Paine
originally published Common Sense anonymously?
Other Reactions to the Declaration c. Elaborate Do you think that most colonists would have
supported independence from Britain without Thomas
Today we can see that the Declaration ignored Paine's publication of Common Sense? Explain your
many colonists. At least one delegate's wife, answer.
Abigail Adams, tried to influence her hus- 2. a. Identify What two sides emerged in response to the
band to include women in the Declaration. Declaration of Independence? What did each side favor?
Although many women were Patriots, the b. Explain What arguments did the authors of the
Declaration did not address their rights. Declaration of Independence give for declaring the
Nor did the Declaration recognize the colonies free from British control?
c. Predict How might some groups use the Declaration of
rights of enslaved African Americans. The
Independence in the future to gain rights?
Revolution raised questions about whether
slavery should exist in a land that valued lib- Critical Thinking
erty. Some Patriot writers had compared liv- 3. Summarizing Copy the web below. Use it to identify the
ing under British rule to living as slaves. The main ideas in the Declaration of Independence.
difference between the ideals of liberty and
the practice of slavery was a subject of great
t. disagreement among Americans.
In July 1776 slavery was legal in all of the
colonies. By the 1780s the New England col-
onies were taking steps to end slavery. Even
so, the conflict over slavery continued long
FOCUS ON SPEAKING 7,
..,.
.?
after the Revolutionary War had ended. 4. Gathering Ideas about the Declaration of Independence
Imagine you were living at the time of the Am~rican
.··nwwa·narra1t:B' Finding Main Ideas Revolution. What was new and surprising about the
What groups were unrepresented in the Declaration of colonists' actions? In one or two minutes, what is the
Independence? most important thing you can say about the colonies'
declaring independence?

In Congress, July 4, 1776
JJJLSJJI I& Thomas
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States ofAmerica,
Jefferson
wrote the first draft of the When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people
Declaration in a little more to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another,
than two weeks. How is the
Declaration's idea about
and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal sta-
why governments are tion to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent
formed still important to our respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the
country today? causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that
they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that
among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure
impel force
these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just
endowed provided
powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form _?f Gov-
usurpations wrongful
ernment becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to
seizures of power
alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation
evinces clearly displays
on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall
despotism unlimited power
seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed,
tyranny oppressive power
exerted by a government
will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for
or ruler light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown, that
candid fair mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to
right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the
same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it
is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide
new Guards for their future security.-Such has been the patient sufferance
of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to
alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King
of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having
in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.
To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for
Here the the public good.
Declaration
lists the charges that the He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and press-
colonists had against King ing importance, unless suspende'd in their operation till his Assent
George Ill. How does the should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected
language in the list appeal
to attend to them.
to people's emotions?
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts
of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representa-
tion in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to
relinquish release, yield
tyrants only.
inestimable priceless
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, formidable causing dread
and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole pur- annihilation destruction
pose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. convulsions violent
disturbances
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with
naturalization of foreigners
manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
the process by which
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be foreign-born persons
elected; whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have become citizens
returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in appropriations of lands
setting aside land for
the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and settlement
convulsions within.
tenure term
He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States; for that pur- a multitude of many
pose obstructing the Laws of Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to quartering lodging, housing
pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the condi-
tions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to
Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their
offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Offi-
cers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the
Consent of our legislature.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the
Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our
constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their
Acts of pretended legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders
which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: Colonists had
been angry
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: over British tax policies since
just after the French and
For imposing taxes on us without our Consent: Indian War. Why were the
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury: colonists protesting British
tax policies?
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Province,
arbitrary not based on law establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Bound-
render make aries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for intro-
abdicated given up ducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
foreign mercenaries For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and alter-
soldiers hired to fight for a
ing fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
country not their own
perfidy violation of trust For suspending our own Legislature, and declaring themselves invested
insurrections rebellions with Power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
petitioned for redress
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection
asked formally for a
correction of wrongs and waging War against us.
unwarrantable jurisdiction He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and
unjustified authority destroyed the lives of our people.
magnanimity generous
spirit He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to com-
conjured urgently called plete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with
upon circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barba-
consanguinity common rous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
ancestry
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to
acquiesce consent to
bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their
friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to
bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages,
whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all
ages, sexes and conditions.
Here the In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in
Declaration the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only
calls the king a tyrant. What by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act
do you think tyrant means in
which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free People.
this passage?
Nor have We been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have
warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend
an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the cir-
cumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to
their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the
ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which; would
inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have
been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore,
acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold
them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in Gen-
eral Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for
the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the
good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these
United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States;
that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that
all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and
ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they Here is where
have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish the document
Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States declares the independence of
may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reli- the colonies. Whose authority
does the Congress use to
ance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each
declare independence?
other our Lives, our Fortunes an.d our sacred Honor.
John Hancock Benjamin Harrison Lewis Morris

Button Gwinnett Thomas Nelson, Jr. Richard Stockton ltW&§.il.inD The congress
adopted the
Lyman Hall Francis Lightfoot Lee John Witherspoon final draft of the Declaration of
Independence on July 4, 1776.
George Walton Carter Braxton Francis Hopkinson A formal copy, written on
William Hooper Robert Morris John Hart parchment paper, was signed
on August 2, 1776.
joseph Hewes Benjamin Rush Abraham Clark
John Penn Benjamin Franklin josiah Bartlett
Edward Rutledge John Morton William Whipple
Thomas Heyward, Jr. George Clymer Samuel Adams
Thomas Lynch, Jr. James Smith John Adams
Arthur Middleton George Taylor Robert Treat Paine
IIJfiijljq
I Ali f
The following
is part of a
Samuel Chase James Wilson Elbridge Gerry passage that the Congress
William Paca George Ross Stephen Hopkins removed from Jefferson's
original draft: "He has waged
Thomas Stone Caesar Rodney William Ellery cruel war against human
nature itself, violating its
Charles Carroll George Read Roger Sherman most sacred rights of life
of Carrollton and liberty in the persons of
Thomas McKean Samuel Huntington a distant people who never
George Wythe offended him, captivating and
William Floyd William Williams
carrying them into slavery
Richard Henry Lee
Philip Livingston Oliver Wolcott in another hemisphere, or to
Thomas Jefferson incur miserable death in their
Francis Lewis Matthew Thornton transportation thither."
Why do you think the
Congress deleted this
passage?
• The bac kground to the American Civil War,
1 861 -65
Victory i n the Mexican-American War brought vast new territories into the United
States, and the question of how they should be run brought into focus existing
divisions within the country.
When the United States first became a country after defeating the British in 1774
they adopted a FEDERAL model of government and the individual states formed
the Union. In this federal model power is shared between the federal (or central)
government, and state governments, and from the beginning there were debates
about how much power the federal government should have over the lives of the
people and the separate states in which they lived.
FIG U RE 3
Map showing states and territories in 1 8 54.
0 SOOkm
BRITIS H N O RTH A M E RICA
(CANADA)
N
N E B RASKA
T ERRITORY
M I N N ESOTA
T ERRITORY T
1854
UTAH T ERRITORY
KANSAS T ERRITORY
1854 Free state or territory
Slave state or territory
Opened to slavery by principle
of popular sovereignty,
Compromise of 1850
Opened to slavery by principle
of popular sovereignty,
T EXAS Kansas- Nebraska Act of 1854
• Gadsen purchase - a strip of
..... ./ - · ... . , land that runs from Texas to
\
\ California along the bottom
\
·, of New Mexico Territory. The
\ <71J idea was that it could and
·,
-..... . later did provide a feasible
�
�:
route for a southern railway to
\J California.
L tude 36° North
Differences between N orth and S outh

There were significant differences between the Northern and Southern states,
which grew wider during the period 1800-40. These differences had their origins
in the geography and climate of North America. The Southern states were more
suitable for plantation agriculture, growing rice, tobacco and particularly cotton.
Supplying the cotton industries of Britain and Europe made the South rich and
this is where investors in the South, including in the new lands in the south-west
towards Texas, put their money. Crucially the plantation system relied upon slave
labour. Roughly a quarter of the South's population was economically dependent
1 America 1840-1895:
on slavery; but there was also arable and food crop farming so the South could
feed itself.
In comparison, the Northern states industrialised, with towns and cities
developing alongside agriculture. It was to the Northern states that the many
immigrants to America came and stayed. They arrived in the North because that
was where the shipping lines ran to and they stayed because they did not want to
try and compete with slave labour.
Meanwhile in the North slavery was disappearing. The last Northern state to
end slavery was New Jersey in 1804. At the same time an ABOLITIONIST movement,
working for the total end to slavery, developed in the Northern states.
Differences aside, historians argue that the two economies of North and South
complemented each other so in that respect the Union worked well. But the fact
that they had different interests meant that the Northern and Southern states
sometimes disagreed on federal government policy. For example when regulating
trade with Britain, the main market for Southern cotton, the Southern states
wanted open trade while the Northern ones wanted protection for some of their PRACTICE QUESTION
industries. When such disagreements arose the equal numbers of Northern free Descri be two differences between the
and Southern slave states balanced each other, neither could vote down the other's Northern and So uthern states in the
interests so everyone was forced to look for a compromise. 1840s.
Abol itionism
Formal organised opposition to slavery in the USA began as early as 1817 when
the American Colonisation Society began work. It bought land in West Africa and
worked to resettle freed slaves there in what was to eventually become the country
of Liberia. This gradual approach gathered only limited support from white and
black Americans. Only about 12,000 freed slaves had been helped to migrate to
Liberia by 1860.
In the meantime the wider anti-slavery movement that emerged in 1831 demanded
an immediate end to slavery. The Anti-Slavery Society was set up in 1832 and
gained momentum after slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire in
1833. It also went further in demanding equal civil and religious rights for freed
slaves. Unsurprisingly it was far stronger in the Northern states. The issue of slavery
therefore became part of the political debate in the United States and part of the
argument between the Northern and Southern states.
Westwa rd expansion
When the USA expanded westwards the federal government divided the land into
new territories. As each territory was settled and its population grew, the people
within it could apply for full statehood. They would then be admitted as a state
into the Union. As the free states of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois entered the Union
so too did the slave states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, thus maintaining
the voting balance between North and South. But when in 1819 Missouri was
ready to enter as a slave state, the Northern states initially opposed this. In the end
the Missouri Compromise, 1820, was reached by which Missouri could enter as a
slave state while Maine entered as a non-slave state, but no more slave states were
to be allowed north of the line of latitude 36 degrees north.
The Com prom ise of 1 850

After 1848, a s the United States expanded into the vast new territories captured
from Mexico, it still contained an equal number of free and slave states, 15 of
each. The political debate over the new territories was whether slavery should be
allowed to continue there, and this threatened to break up the Union. While many
in the South wanted to allow the expansion of slavery, many Northerners, known
sometimes as FREE-SOlLERS, did not. In 1850 a new compromise, the Compromise of
lit'!tlllillll=l
1850, was reached, including the following points:
Uncle Tom 's Cabin
• California would be admitted to the Union as a free state, breaking the balance
In 18 51 Uncle Tom 's Cabin by Harriet of free and slave states.
Beecher Stowe was p u blished. Her hero, • The decision whether to permit slavery in the new south-west territories would
Uncle Tom, a long-suffering slave, is be taken by their own governments.
torn from his fami ly when he is sold • A more effective Fugitive Slave Act was passed making it easier for slave catchers
separate ly from them. Tom goes on to to recapture runaway slaves in the Northern states and return them to their
rescue the daughter of his new master owners in the South.
and is we l l treated as a reward. When
This compromise kept the peace between North and South, but the possibility
his master dies Tom is so ld by the crue l
of the two breaking apart was growing stronger. Increasingly Southerners
widow to an evil owner who whips
were considering secession (that is, leaving or breaking away) from the Union.
poor Tom to death. Stowe's portraya l
Meanwhile the Fugitive Slave Act made the institution of slavery very visible to
of slavery as an evil instit ution that
Northerners and so anti-slavery feeling grew even stronger there.
destroyed the fami ly was enormously
pop u lar and so ld 1. 2 million copies by
1853, going on to become the best
sel ling nove l of the century. How far
it increased anti-slavery feeling in the
Northern states is open to de bate. One From 1 7 8 6 r unaway slaves were helped
historian David Potter suggested that to escape northwards a long a secret
Northern attitudes were 'never q uite ro ute, by a secret networ k. In the period
the same ' after Uncle Tom 's Cabin. 1840 - 60, an estimated 50,000 slaves
Meanwhi le to some So utherners, Stowe were he lped to escape and sett le in
was 'a vi le wretch in petticoats'. the Northern states or in Canada. One
nota ble individ ua l associated with this
was Harriet Tu bman, born c. 18 2 2 and
died 10 March 19 13, A u b urn, New Yor k
State. She was born a s lave, escaped and
made many trips bac k into the So uth to
help others to escape too. She he lped
John Brown recr uit men for his raid on
Harpers Ferry (see page 24), was a Union
spy d uring the Civi l War and afterwards
wor ked for women 's SUFFRAGE . At the
time of writing she is one of the fema le
candidates to be on a ten -dollar bill. The
statue pictured stands as a memoria l in
Harlem, New Yor k.
Kansas-Nebraska Act 1 854

Within four years the Union was threatened again. This time the trigger was a
disagreement over the route of a TRANSCONTINENTAL railroad. The Southerners were
behind Secretary of War Jefferson Davis' favoured Southern route and encouraged
the Gadsden Purchase - the buying of a barren stretch of land through what is
IIIIIWI today New Mexico and Arizona - from Mexico for $10 million.
C o m p a re t h e contri b u t i o n s of t h e two
The alternative proposal was for a line further north through Nebraska and this
H a rriets, Stowe a n d Tu b m a n , to t h e
prompted the creation of two new territories, Nebraska and Kansas. To gain
e m a n ci p a t i o n of s l aves i n t h e U SA . W h i c h
wo m a n wo u l d you p u t o n t h e ten - d o l l a r b i l l
Southern support for this, they were not to be free territories and eventually free
a n d why?
states. Instead, as in 1850, the issue of slavery was to be left open to popular
sovereignty - that is for the people of the territories to decide for themselves.
1 America 1840-1895: xpansion and Consolidation
The breakd own of the Missouri Compromise

At the same time it was agreed that this new Kansas-Nebraska Act meant that the
Missouri Compromise had been superseded or that it no longer applied. So new
states north of the Missouri Compromise line could potentially become slave states
even though this was unlikely. This decision changed the nature of US politics for IIIIIWI
good. Instead of the two old political parties whose members were split between
Study F i g u re 4. How does t h i s m a p h e l p to
pro- and anti-slavery, and who gained support in both Northern and Southern exp l a i n the i n creas i n g i m porta n ce of s l avery
states, a new political party emerged, the REPUBLICANS, whose supporters were in the in US p o l itics?
Northern states and who were anti-slavery.
FIG U RE 4
The spread of cotton growing using sl ave l abour between 1 8 3 9 and 1 8 60.
fl r, ; l
I N D IANA )- , Q H IO
'
\ I LLINOIS I I
� \ -, I 1 '- J "'" ._ ..... ...... ,1 /
KANSAS
)-- � ...- J
I I / ,. ',
I M ISSOURI ' --� KENTUC KY ___ /
1
- - , - - - - - - - - - - i_ I - - - - - - - - - - I I :�� - - - - - - - - - -
;
� �/- -
'/ /
-, -
\ O K LA H OMA I -! NN!:SSEE
L - -/
\ I _ _
\ ARKANSAS
I
,r -- - - -- · -- ; \
,,, I I
I
...... ...... .... , ..... ..... , , ,...� ; I
I
I
\
� \
I I
"
,... - - - - - - M ISSI>PFPI AlABAMA
I I I
,
',
N
T
TEXAS
Cotton growing area by 1 839

Expansion by 1 849
M EXICO D Expansion by 1 860 0 300 m
B leed ing Kansas

Most people agreed that Nebraska would never be a slave state but in Kansas it was
a different matter. Both those for and those against slavery began to encourage like
minded settlers to move to Kansas in an attempt to gain control of the government
of the state. Then they believed they could win the vote on whether it would
become a slave or a free state. By 1856 Kansas had two opposing governments,
both illegally formed, and as the prospect of a political solution faded both sides
armed. In 1856, 700 pro-slavery supporters entered the free-state town of Lawrence
and smashed newspaper presses, stole property and burned buildings, although
there was only one fatality. The 'sack' of Lawrence prompted a free-sailer, John PRACTICE QUES TION
Brown, to lead four sons and three other men to attack the Potawatomie Creek In what way did the United States'
pro-slavery settlement. There they killed five men in front of their families. In westward expansion ma ke the
the months that followed the violence spread and there were more raids across disagreements between the North and
Kansas that left roughly 200 killed ( including one of Brown's sons) and much South worse in the 1840s and 18 50s?
property destroyed. After federal government involvement, a political decision was Exp lain your answer.
eventually reached in 1858 that Kansas would be a free state.
John Brown and H a rpers Ferry
SO U RC E 5
Following Potawatomie, John Brown kept a low profile although he was still
The Last Momen ts of John Brown, painted
involved in fundraising and recruiting for the abolition of slavery. He came back
1 8 82-84 by Thomas H ovenden. It shows
J ohn B rown under arrest at H arpers F erry.
to national attention on the night of 16 October 1859 when with a band of 1 9
followers h e seized the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. This i s believed to
have been an attempt to arm a slave rebellion but it failed. Instead the townspeople
and local troops surrounded the building and then it was recaptured by a force
of US Marines led by Army Lieutenant-Colonel Robert E. Lee. Several men were
killed, including more of Brown's sons. Brown himself was tried for treason against
Virginia and hanged.
Initial Southern reaction was that Brown was a mad fanatic but, as his links with
Northern abolitionists emerged and some Northern abolitionists made a martyr
of him, opinion changed. To some Southerners his raid was proof that the North
intended to destroy them.
Lincoln elected President 1 860

When the Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential
election, Southern fears that the Republicans would abolish slavery reached a new
peak. Lincoln was a strong opponent of the expansion of slavery but said he would
not interfere with it where it existed. That was not enough to convince many in the
li:UWJ South. Before he was even sworn in as President, South Carolina voted to leave the
Union, as did six other states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi
1 H ow h a s t h e a rtist p resented B rown - a s
a cri m i n a l or as a h e ro?
and Texas. Together they formed the Confederacy. From that point on it seemed
Z H ow does he do t h i s ?
compromise was no longer possible, although politicians still tried. Just a spark was
needed to ignite open war.
IQijelj!lj
A b ra h a m l i n co l n
• B o r n i n H o d g envi l l e, Ke n t u c ky
in 1809.
• Early career as a l awyer
b efore e n te r i n g p o l itics. H e
retu rned t o l e g a l p ra ctice
IQijeljllj
afte r o p p o s i n g the J efferson Davi s
M exican-American War. • B o r n i n Fai rvi ew, Kentucky i n
• Re-entered p o l itics 1807 o r 1808.
i n 18 54 and beca m e • E a r l y career as a s o l d i e r.
a l e a d e r o f t h e n ew Later ran a p l a ntati o n a n d
Re p u b l i c a n Pa rty. I n beca m e a s l ave owner
18 58 , w h i l e r u n n i n g fo r before e n te r i n g p o l iti cs.
CONGRESS, he took p a rt in a • He fo u g h t a n d was
series of h i g h - p rofi l e d e bates wo u n d e d i n the
with his D e m ocrat o p p o n e n t M exican-America n Wa r.
Ste p h e n A . D o u g l a s a n d s p o ke o u t • Afte r that war he ret u r n e d
a g a i nst t h e expa n s i o n of s l ave ry. t o p o l itics with a s e a t i n
• I n 18 60 he s u ccessfu l l y ra n fo r President a n d h i s election convi n ced C o n g ress a n d went o n to
m a n y i n t h e South of t h e need to secede fro m t h e U n i o n. beco m e Secretary of War.
• H i s E m a n ci p a t i o n Procl a m at i o n in J a n u a ry 18 63 was a key m ove • As the s p l it between N o rth a n d S o u t h w i d e n e d h e was a s u p p o rter
towa rds e n d i n g s l avery. of states' rig hts b u t a rg u e d a g a i nst seces s i o n .
• I n J u ly 18 6 3 h i s G ettys b u rg a d d ress g iven at t h e battlefi e l d • E l ected t h e President of Co nfe d e racy in 18 6 1 .
cem etery clearly i d e ntified t h e C i v i l War a s a war a g a i nst s l ave ry. • Afte r t h e C i v i l Wa r h e w a s i m prisoned fo r t w o yea rs b u t t h e n
• ASSASSINATED by J o h n W i l kes Booth j ust six days afte r t h e re lea sed.
Co nfe d e racy h a d s u rre n d ered i n 18 65. • D i e d in N ew O r l e a n s in 18 8 9.
PRACTICE QUES TIONS

Read In terpretations A and B and answer Q uestions 1 -3.
1 How does Interpretation B differ from
I nterpretation A Thomas J ohnson, from his book, Twen ty-Eight Years a Slave, published
Interpretation A a bout what the conflict
in 1 9 09. J ohnson was born a sl ave in Virginia where he was bought and sold several times.
After the Civil War he was freed and moved north where he became a church minister and
between North and So uth was a bo u t in
eventually a missionary in Africa. the American Civil War?
Exp lain your answer using
In 1860, there was great excitement over the election of Mr Abraham Lincoln as President
Interpretations A and B and your
of the United States. The slaves prayed to God for his success because we knew he was in
contextua l know ledge.
sympathy with the abolition of slavery. The election was the signal for a great conflict in which
the question was: Shall there be slavery? The South said: Yes. All the coloured people that I 2 Why might the a uthors of
spoke to believed that if the North gained victory they would have their freedom. Interpretations A and B have a different
interpretation of what the conflict
between the North and So uth in the
I nterpretation B J efferson Davis, from his memoirs, The Rise and Fall of Con federate American Civi l War was a bout?
Governmen t, written in 1 8 8 1 . Davis was the son of a pl antation owner who, in 1 845, Exp lain your answer using
entered Congress for the state of Mississippi. When Mississippi and six other states l eft
the Union and set up their own Confederate government in 1 8 61 , D avis was el ected as
President.
3 Which interpretation do yo u find more
The Confederates fought for the defence of a fundamental right to withdraw from a Union convincing a bo u t what the conflict
which they had, as independent communities, voluntarily entered. The existence of slavery was between North and So uth in the
in no way the cause of the conflict but was only a minor issue. American Civi l War was a bo u t?
Exp lain yo ur answer using
FOCUS TAS K
Why d i d the C i v i l Wa r break out i n 1861?
Here is a list of long- and short-term ca uses of the Civil War:
• Differences between North and So uth
• A bolitionism
• Westward expansion
• The spread of cotton growing
• P u blication of Uncle Tom 's Cabin
• The underground rai lroad
• Transcontinental rai lroad
• Bleeding Kansas
• John Brown and the Harpers Ferry Raid
• The e lection of Linco ln as President
1 For each write down one example of why it made war more li kely.
2 Give each a mar k out of 10 for its importance in bringing a bout war, with 1 being
the most important.
3 Choose what yo u thin k are the five most important causes and write a short
paragraph on each, exp laining why yo u have chosen it.
4 If you too k away any of those causes, wo uld war still have bro ken o u t in 186 1?
The social and economic impact of the
SOU RCE 6
American Civil War Recruitment poster designed to encourage African American men to
Recru itment and conscription enlist in the Union army.
At the start of the Civil War volunteers rushed to join the

armies of both sides. Local recruiting offices were set up
and volunteer regiments tended to be composed of men
from a particular area. Initially officers up to the rank of
colonel were elected by other officers and enlisted men, and
uniforms varied between units. People expected a short war
but it quickly became apparent that that would not be the
case and soon the volunteers were not enough.
The Confederacy introduced CONSCRIPTION first in April 1862.
All able-bodied men between 18 and 35 were required to
serve for three years. By the end of the war this had been
extended to all men between the ages of 17 and 50. The
Union introduced conscription in March 1863 for all able
bodied men between the ages of 20 and 45. In the South
there were exemptions for planters with 20 or more slaves.
In both North and South those unwilling to fight could
provide a substitute not of draft age or pay a fee $300 or $500,
respectively. There was widespread opposition to conscription
in both the North and South, which limited its enforcement.
SOU RCE 7
Emancipation Recruitment poster designed to encourage Virginians to enlist in the
Confederate army, May 1 8 6 1 .
On 1 January 1 863 President Lincoln signed the
Emancipation Proclamation. This was a key moment. Up
to then Lincoln had insisted that the war was to restore the
Union and not to free the slaves, but growing numbers of
Head Quarters, Virginia F orces,
slaves began to turn up in Union army camps. The question
then was should they be freed. In the end Lincoln decided
that emancipation was necessary for three reasons:
sm r
1 It would give the North a moral cause, public opinion was
moving in that direction already and he felt this would
boost morale.
2 Slave labour was propping up the Confederate war effort
with slaves working in MUNITIONS works and army camps.
3 Making the war into one against slavery would
remove any danger of France or Britain supporting the
Confederacy.
One immediate effect of emancipation was that African
Americans could enrol in the armed forces. Moves were made ...
•
a,:...�
....
._
••
.....:c:...
::.=, �... "�..-r.:!.
....._
Ia - � - ..-,
• A"��'!:-- · ��·.-;-c;;*:,c ;;..�
....... "- * \:!...,. ,... o.f Krof._ M-.;t.,. ,.. � · ,.._., rJ........,., _,
... . ,..... . ..
' � � ...- a,.. a ....._
to form all-black units and by mid-1863 they were involved ...... .... _. ......._ ... ....
..
... ... � - ·� - � ....,...,. "-"-'7 'f "'� - . ... ... ....., � � ,_, ,___ .. ..
in the fighting. They did not always receive equal treatment ACIMtl I ,Ac,Ciw l 111..14 .. ..r ra i l IP _I ... a nd tht .,.n t i •n l o( Vir
� .. I ,,,..... 0ra t41f', •oC J�e - l loc-t17 or &lr� ...., D.e t h ." aal .. u- e"ry
and there were no black officers. Initially black soldiers '-1• 1 - el Ute Ohl O.. le loa ! l.et ..., • • l •e ..... th� l u•alli� fool of •
""'"'"' ... 1'11 1 r.e. er !.fa "" • �rtl '" ,... lnltr • hal wr dW bra ..eiT
received lower pay than white soldiers, but this was changed ...re..t l "r C - .,.. . ....,. dn.-f� hoacw of eu r w i ,.. aad ola ...blen,
-.1 die Mei'OII p•H o( - ._.,.. I
(DHe •1 orUJ•]
in June 1864. When some were captured by the Confederates
they were not treated as prisoners of war but were returned A•C
to slavery in the state they came from or in some instances 11 . G. H.& M 1 .. �,
Co• d' '\J• ·
executed. Over 38,000 had died by the war's end. ac Ca aeon.

DECK, Lt. Col . ..-a. V J.
11111�131 • :E.
•
0 ."- ; Jl�. l'a. Vol.

1 Which cause of the C ivil Wa r can you see evidence of in both posters?
2 I n what d ifferent ways do t h e posters try to persuade m e n to e n l ist?
Economic i m pact on the North

As the pre-war economies of North and South were complementary the war was
Army nati o n a l ities
inevitably going to damage some industries. The Northern shoe industry lost a big
part of its market which was in the South. It was noticeable that the Confederate Both Confederate and Union armies
army was never short of munitions but was short of boots for its men! The cotton fre quently organised units along
textile industry lost access to its raw materials - Southern cotton. Other industries community and ethnic lines. The
directly related to the war flourished, such as the manufacture of arms and Union army had French, German, Irish,
uniforms and the railroads that moved men and munitions. Scandinavian and Scottish High lander
units. The Confederate army had
It was the wealthy manufacturers and traders who tended to profit most from German, Mexican -Texan and Cree k and
the war. Ordinary workers found their wages lagging behind prices as wartime Cherokee nation units. Towards the very
taxes and INFLATION pushed them up. This was made worse by the presence in the end of the war the Confederacy was so
workplace of women and boys replacing men. They were happy to accept lower desperate for men that it passed a law
wages as this represented an improvement for them. When workers pushed for a l lowing the arming of 300,000 slave
wage increases they were accused of being unpatriotic and in 1864 troops were so ldiers, a lthough this was too late for
diverted from the battlefield to put down protests in war industries. any p lan to be put into action.
By the end of the war the industries of the North were ready for rapid growth.
Economic im pact on the South

FIG U RE 8
If the effect of the war in the North was mixed, it was an economic disaster in the
Rising inflation in the Confederacy.
South. The war destroyed the railroad system as Union troops tore up tracks, bent
rails and burnt rolling stock. Cotton growing was badly disrupted by the Union 1861 72 %
advances. Production fell from 4 million bales in 1861 to 300,000 bales in 1865. 1862 70 %
The only industries to grow were those associated with the war effort, such as 1863 190%
munitions. 1864 250 %
Food shortages became a major problem in the South towards the end of the war 1865 500%
as agricultural crop yields fell due to manpower shortages, as the men were in * F i g u res for May each year, a l t h o u g h it s h o u l d be
the army. But there were food riots in some cities as early as 1863. Meanwhile, noted that inflation rose sti l l h i g h e r a n d t h e n fe l l
back betwee n M a y 1 8 63 a n d M a y 1 8 64 w h e n t h e
some plantation owners continued to grow cotton in search of profits rather than
C o nfe d e rate gove r n m e n t contro l l e d t h e m o n ey
listening to their government's appeals to grow food. In one respect cotton growers
s u p p ly.
did help the South. They were cut off from Britain and their European markets
by the Union naval BLOC KADE but they were able to trade for food with the North,
which was itself desperate for supplies for its cotton industry. So even during the
fighting there was some trade across the lines.
The South also suffered from terrible inflation. The Confederate government at
first tried to fund the war through new taxes but was so unsuccessful in collecting
them that it resorted to printing more money. This led to H YPERINFLATION and the
more money the government printed the worse it became.
Socia l im pact
During the war, as men went off to fight, many women volunteered as unpaid
nurses while thousands took on new roles as farmers, plantation managers and
munitions-plant workers. While many returned to their traditional roles when
the war ended, the experience had changed the status of women. Moreover the
high numbers of casualties created a generation of widows, spinsters and wives of
disabled husbands. Immediately after the war, however, an appeal for the vote for
women as well as for black males received little support.
PRACTICE QUES TIONS

1 Descri be how the Civil War damaged the Southern economy.
2 Descri be how the lives of African Americans were affected by the Civil War.
1. 3 Consolidation - forging the
nation
FOC U S
By 186 5 the fighting in the American Civi l War was over and the cha l lenge facing
politicians was how to re bui ld the nation. Whi le the war was over, the batt le for e q uality
for African Americans was just beginning. Meanwhi le the end of the war led to a flood
of settlers and soldiers onto the Great Plains. This led to more fighting, although on a
m uch sma l ler scale, which was only ended by the defeat of the P lains Indians and their
confinement to reservations.
In this part of the topic you will st udy the following:
• The aftermath of the American Civi l War and the extent to which reconstr uction was
achieved.
• The continued settlement of the West and the extent to which the homesteaders
successfu l ly made a life for themselves there.
• The resolution of the ' Indian pro blem' after 186 5 and the factors involved in this.
• The aftermath of the American Civil War

When the war ended the key task facing the United States was RECONSTRUCTION. The
Union needed to be restored and the defeated South needed to be reintegrated.
There were a number of questions to consider, foremost of which were how the
Confederacy's leaders and soldiers should be treated and what should happen to
the 3.5 million former slaves.
SOU RCE 1
The balance of fed eral and state powers
The Thirteenth Amendment, 1 8 65.
Closely linked with the problem of the former Confederates and former slaves was
Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary the issue of the balance of federal and state powers. During the struggles of the
servitude, except as a punishment for crime
reconstruction period the federal government was in conflict with the Southern
whereof the party shall have been duly
states over the freedom and equality of African Americans, and had to intervene
convicted, shall exist within the United States,
or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
in matters such as the rights of CITIZENS, which those states considered were their
concerns only. It was for this reason that Section 2 of the Thirteenth Amendment
Section 2. Congress shall have power to
(see Source 1) was added and that the word 'State' was explicitly included in the
enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Fourteenth Amendment (see Source 2) .
Presidential reconstruction under And rew J ohnson

Political arguments about how reconstruction should be carried out began well
before the war itself ended. As the Union armies advanced, Southern states came
back under Union control. President Lincoln's policy was to give these Southern
states military governors to begin with and then they were allowed to form civil
state governments with a view to them rejoining the Union. This brought Lincoln
into conflict with some Republicans in Congress who wanted a slower process that
would bar many ex-Confederates from political life. As the war ended Lincoln was
assassinated so the task of reconstruction fell to President Andrew Johnson.
Under Johnson's plan all seven Southern states still without reconstruction
governments - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South
Carolina and Texas - could return to the Union. Almost all Southerners who
took an oath of allegiance would be pardoned and have their property returned.
Of course their slaves could not be returned because there were now no slaves.
These Southerners could then take part in the political process of elections.
1 America 1840-1895:
Those excluded were ex-Confederate civil government officials and military

officers and those with taxable property worth $20,000 (Johnson was hostile to
rich plantation owners) . In practice those excluded were able to apply for a pardon
and Johnson granted over 13,000.
The Thi rteenth Amendment

The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery and gave Congress the power to
enforce this. To make doubly sure of this the new state governments in the South
had to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment. They had to formally agree that slavery
could not exist in the United States. Furthermore, to make sure that the Confederacy
was dead and buried, these Southern states had to REPUDIATE the loans that the
Confederacy had built up during the Civil War. Only then could they rejoin the
Union. When elected, some state governments refused to do this. In some Southern
states little seemed to have changed since before the war. The presidential dispute
with the Republicans in Congress over reconstruction worsened.
B lack codes
Moreover all seven Southern states passed 'black codes'. Under these laws freed
slaves could marry, own property, make legal contracts and testify against other
black Americans in court, but most prohibited racial intermarriage, jury service
by black Americans and testimony in court by blacks against whites. They
also contained provisions for annual contracts between black Americans and
landowners. In effect, while the ex-slaves were free, they were not fully free. The
status of black Americans in the Southern states thus became a major political
issue. The Republicans in Congress believed that the Southern states would not SOU RCE 4
deal fairly with black Americans unless they were forced to do so. E xtract from the F ourteenth Amendment,
1 8 66.
Civil Rig hts Act All persons born or naturalised in the United
In 1866 Congress passed the Civil Rights Act which President Johnson vetoed. States . . . are citizens of the United States
Congress overrode his VETO and by ratifying it as the Fourteenth Amendment and of the State wherein they reside.
ensured it could not easily be overturned. The Act was intended to protect the
rights of ex-slaves by making them citizens. It could not guarantee black suffrage
but tried to ensure this by threatening that Southern states would have reduced ••mm•
1 H ow does t h e p a s s i n g of t h e b l a c k codes
representation in the federal government if they refused to give black men the
s u p p o rt t h e a rg u m e n t that t h e Civil War
vote. This was the first attempt by the federal government to limit state control of
was a war fo u g h t over s l ave ry?
civil and political rights. This amendment also disqualified from political office
2 After rea d i n g pages 30-3 1, exp l a i n why
all those pre-war officers, both in civil government and the military, who had t h e word ' State' was i n s e rted i nto t h e
supported the Confederacy. Their disqualification could be removed by Congress if F o u rteenth A m e n d m ent.
two-thirds voted for it. So they were not permanently excluded from political life.
FIG U RE 2 FIG U RE 3
The l egislative process in the United States. Separation of government powers under the US Constitution.
All legislation begins as a bill in Congress. Congress, the Legislature makes the law.
When a bill is passed it goes to the President for The President, the Executive carries out the laws passed by Congress.
approval. If the President approves it, it becomes an Act.
The Supreme Court, the Judiciary decides cases and controversies.

The President can veto a bill to stop it becoming a law.
Having the three separate parts of government

Congress can overrule a Presidential veto. is known as the system of checks and balances.
Reconstruction in the South, 1 866-7 7
President Johnson and the Republican Party i n Congress remained i n dispute
over reconstruction. Essentially the Republicans wanted to ensure the vote for
African Americans and wanted to keep ex-Confederates out of power until there
was no longer a danger of a new rebellion. In 1867 Congress passed a new Act
which overturned the state governments formed under the Lincoln and Johnson
plans. The Act divided the South into five temporary military districts each run by
a General. New elections of state governments were to be held in which all black
Americans, and those whites not barred by the Fourteenth Amendment, could
vote. Once the state had rewritten its constitution and approved the Fourteenth
Amendment it could be re-admitted to the Union and political reconstruction
would be complete.
Johnson vetoed the Act but again
FIG U R E 5 Congress overrode his veto and the
Reconstruction of the Southern states. Act became law. However, in order to
put Congressional reconstruction into
IOWA effect, military power was needed and
Johnson hindered this by replacing
D Reconstruction states military officers who were sympathetic
set up u n d e r J o h n s o n to the idea.
( 1 874) W h e n t h e C o n s e rvatives
o r D e m ocrats took back
state contro l I m peachment crisis, 1 868
N EW M EXICO
The political battle now moved to the
IN D IAN TERRITORY
power of the president. The Republicans
in Congress passed two new laws that
limited the power of the president.
In particular they did not want the
TEXAS (1 873)
Secretary of War, Henry Stanton,
removed as they needed his support to
enforce their Reconstruction Acts. After
Johnson removed Stanton for a second
M EXICO
time in 1868 the Republicans IMPEAC HED
him. The charges were that Johnson had
exceeded his powers as president and
had not enforced the Reconstruction
Acts. At the end of his trial the vote was against Johnson by 35 votes to 1 9, just
short of the two-thirds majority required to remove him from office. So Johnson
continued to serve out the remaining period of his term in office.
I m peach m e n t of a Pres i d e n t The Fifteenth Amendment, 1 869

Under the United States Constitution The final reconstruction objective of the Republicans was to guarantee black male
the President can be removed from suffrage in both the Northern and the Southern states. This led to the Fifteenth
office thro ugh the process known Amendment, whose key provision was that the vote could not be denied on the
as impeachment. The gro unds for basis of race or colour or previous enslavement. The Democrats' argument against
impeachment are 'treason, bribery or this was that it violated states' rights by denying them the right to decide who could
other high crimes and misdemeano urs'. vote. The Republicans won and the Amendment was passed. However, there were
If a case can be made then the upper loopholes in the legislation as it did not prohibit restrictions on voting such as
house of Congress, the Senate, holds property requirements or literacy tests, which were two ways in which Southern
a trial. This needs to find the president states stopped African Americans voting. Meanwhile efforts to win the vote for
guilty by a two -thirds majority vote. If women were unsuccessful.
it does the President can be removed
from office. So far in its history no U S In 1869 Ulysses S. Grant was elected President, by 1870 all the Southern states had
President has been removed from office. been re-admitted to the Union and the struggle over political reconstruction was at
an end.
FIG U RE 6
Reconstruction Amendments to the United States Constitution.
Date Amendment M a i n provisions

J a n u a ry 1 9 6 5 T h i rteenth P ro h i b ited s l avery i n t h e U n ited States.
J u n e 18 6 6 F o u rteenth Defi n e d citize n s h i p a s i n c l u d i n g all people born o r

n a t u ra l ised i n t h e U n ited States.
F e b r u a ry 18 69 F ifteenth P ro h i b ited t h e denial of t h e vote because of race, co l o u r o r

p revi o u s servitude.
Reconstruction in the South - the struggle continues

after 1 870
As the individual Southern states were re-admitted to the Union, political life
could begin again. In each there was the same struggle over the role of African
Americans, between the conservative old order, the Democrats, and the Republican
new order. It was a struggle in which African Americans themselves played an
important part. Although many freed slaves were uneducated and destitute there
were others who had been born free and those who had served in the Union army.
Military veterans' service in the army had given them experience of leadership,
opportunities for education, a sense of national pride and a strong desire for
freedom from white control.
The most obvious evidence of this was the establishment of independent black
churches across the South. The Baptist Church, with its decentralised structure,
was most popular and by 1890 there were over a million black Baptists in the
South. These churches were also important in the development of black education
through funding the building of schools and the payment of teachers. Freed
African Americans also organised thousands of mutual-aid clubs and societies.
SOU RCE 7 PRACTICE QUES TION

Group portrait of the first coloured senator and representatives, 1 8 72. Describe two ways in which Afri can
Ameri cans helped themse lves in the
aftermath of the Civi l War (or during
re constru ction).
SOU RCE 8 Carpetbaggers and scallywags
Music-sheet cover caricature of a carpetbagger.
Many African Americans entered politics. Over 600
served in state governments and a few served in Congress.
However, the leading roles in state governments
were played by white Republican politicians. Most
influential were those originally from the North. They
were committed to black rights. These included former
Union soldiers who came South in search of business
opportunities in land, factories and railroads; and
professionals such as lawyers, teachers and preachers.
They were CARICATURED by Southern Democrats as
'carpetbaggers' - Northern opportunists who came south
for money and power with so few possessions that they
could be stuffed into a travelling bag made of carpet
'i material.
The other group of white Republicans were Southerners,
mostly poorer farmers from the mountain regions of the
Southern states. They were not part of the old plantation
owning elite, had tended to support the Union during
the war and did not own slaves themselves. They were
even more hated than the carpetbaggers and were called
'scallywags'. They were accused of being opportunists
out to make money for themselves. They held the most
political offices during reconstruction although they
�Vo r cl;s
rr . E}lfRR�2?
hy
. Esq
tended to drift back to supporting the Democrats as they
were not deeply concerned about black rights.
-
)�Jfr�d val\ l\oc�O\�·
-
Reconstruction government achievements
While the Republicans remained in control they managed
�
. '
a number of significant achievements. They established
ST. L lS
Pub l tsl\ed by BAL:ME R&.VI'Ell£(\ , 206 t'f rifL� ;>trm the first state school systems with 600,000 black pupils
in schools by 1877. They ensured that African Americans
achieved lasting rights to an education. They also ensured
IIIIIWI that in principle African Americans had equality before the law, the right to own
property, to set up businesses and to enter the professions.
1 Stu d y S o u rce 8 . Look at t h e fig u re o n
t h e l eft of t h e p i ct u re . W h o d o e s h e They repaired and rebuilt roads, buildings and bridges. There was corruption in
represent a n d how d o you know t h i s ? some states, but then that was true in some Northern states too. So Republican
2 What sort of bag is he carrying a n d what reconstruction achieved some lasting benefits. However, by 1877 the conservative
does h e h ave i n it? forces of the Democrats had regained power in all Southern states, bringing
3 What sort of h o u s e or property is shown reconstruction to an end. This happened for four reasons:
o n t h e r i g h t of t h e p i c t u re?
• The drift of Republicans, both Southern and Northern, to the DEMOCRATIC views
4 U s i n g these deta i l s a n d a nyth i n g else you
of their neighbours: it had been difficult holding views that were in conflict
c a n see, exp l a i n what message t h e a rtist
is tryi n g to convey.
with their friends and associates.
• The loss of Republican morale due to the actions of the KU KLUX KLAN
(see page 35).
• Vote rigging such as ballot stuffing where extra voting papers are added to the
ballot box or simply by miscounting the votes cast.
• The lack of political will of the federal government to support black rights. The
government was tired of the Southern struggle and focused instead upon other
issues such as westward expansion and the Indian Wars.
The Ku Klux Klan FOCUS TAS K

Most white Southerners remained hostile to the idea of freedom and equality
H ow successfu l was Re p u b l i can
for African Americans and this lay behind political opposition to Republican
Recon structi o n i n the South?
reconstruction. It also gave rise to terrorism. The Ku Klux Klan began in 1866 in
Tennessee and spread rapidly across the South. It drew members from all walks Read these two statements:
of Southern society. Klansmen hiding their identity behind white robes carried • ' Rep u blican reconstruction was a
out acts of terrorism, including whippings and murders, to intimidate blacks and failure.'
white Republicans. The federal government passed Enforcement Acts to protect • ' Rep u blican reconstruction was a
black voters. These included making illegal: the wearing of disguises, conspiracies, success.'
resisting officers of the law and intimidating officials. In 1871 President Grant 1 Create a ta ble with two co l umns
targeted an area of South Carolina for mass prosecutions and this broke the power using these statements as headings.
of the Klan. It did not, however, stop intimidation by PARAMILITARY groups such as Now note down the points or
the White League and the Red Shirts. These continued into the twentieth century. examp les from the text that support
each side.
Share cropping 2 Use yo ur ta ble to write a speech by
Once freed, many ex-slaves moved away from the plantations. Some left for the either:
- Jefferson Davis (see page
south-west, such as Texas, where planters paid higher wages; more moved into
towns and cities. Some spent years reuniting with their families that had been 24), who was sti l l a live in
separated by sale. With little money or technical skills, freed slaves faced the 187 7, entit led ' Rep u blican
prospect of becoming wage labourers, but many turned to share cropping. Under reconstr uction is a fail ure'.
this system the landowner provided the land, housing, tools and seed and a local Or
merchant provided food and supplies on CREDIT. At harvest time the share cropper - A Rep u blican supporter, entitled
received a share of the crop for their labour with the landowner taking the rest. ' Repu blican reconstr uction is a
The share cropper then used their share to pay off their debt to the merchant. success.
The advantage to the white landowner was that their land was being worked
and for the freed slaves they had more control over their own lives and the lives
of their families. But the system was inefficient and the share croppers were in PRACTICE QUESTION
continual debt. Descri be two reasons why slaves t urned
to share cropping.
Exodus to Ka nsas
Thousands of African Americans began migrating west to Kansas. They became
known as 'EXODUSTERS' as they were looking for freedom from the racism and
poverty of the post-war South just as the Israelites fled from Ancient Egypt. They
became farmers, ranchers and cowboys.
S O U RC E 9 SOU RCE 1 0
The new town of N icodemus, established by black Americans in The Shores family, who settled in Custer County, N ebraska, in 1 8 8 7.
Kansas in 1 8 7 7.
chapter
3
The development of the self became a major
theme; self-awareness, a primary method. If,
according to Romantic theory, self and nature
were one, self-awareness was not a selfish
dead end but a mode of knowledge opening
up the universe. If one’s self were one with
all humanity, then the individual had a moral
the romantic period, duty to reform social inequalities and relieve
1820-1860: human suffering. The idea of “self” — which
essayists and poets suggested selfishness to earlier generations
— was redefined. New compound words with
T
he Romantic movement, which origi- positive meanings emerged: “self-realization,”
nated in Germany but quickly spread to “self-expression,” “self-reliance.”
England, France, and beyond, reached As the unique, subjective self became impor-
America around the year 1820, some 20 years tant, so did the realm of psychology. Exceptional
after William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor artistic effects and techniques were developed
Coleridge had revolutionized English poetry to evoke heightened psychological states. The
by publishing Lyrical Ballads. In America as in “sublime” — an effect of beauty in grandeur
Europe, fresh new vision electrified artistic and (for example, a view from a mountaintop) —
intellectual circles. Yet there was an important produced feelings of awe, reverence, vastness,
difference: Romanticism in America coincided and a power beyond human comprehension.
with the period of national expansion and the Romanticism was affirmative and appropri-
discovery of a distinctive American voice. The ate for most American poets and creative essay-
solidification of a national identity and the ists. America’s vast mountains, deserts, and
surging idealism and passion of Romanticism tropics embodied the sublime. The Romantic
nurtured the masterpieces of “the American spirit seemed particularly suited to American
Renaissance.” democracy: It stressed individualism, affirmed
Romantic ideas centered around art as inspi- the value of the common person, and looked
ration, the spiritual and aesthetic dimension of to the inspired imagination for its aesthetic
nature, and metaphors of organic growth. Art, and ethical values. Certainly the New England
rather than science, Romantics argued, could Transcendentalists — Ralph Waldo Emerson,
best express universal truth. The Romantics Henry David Thoreau, and their associates —
underscored the importance of expressive art were inspired to a new optimistic affirmation
for the individual and society. In his essay “The by the Romantic movement. In New England,
Poet” (1844), Ralph Waldo Emerson, perhaps Romanticism fell upon fertile soil.
the most influential writer of the Romantic
era, asserts: TRANSCENDENTALISM
The Transcendentalist movement was a reac-
For all men live by truth, and stand in tion against 18th-century rationalism and a
need of expression. In love, in art, in manifestation of the general humanitarian
avarice, in politics, in labor, in games, we trend of 19th-century thought. The movement
study to utter our painful secret. The man was based on a fundamental belief in the unity
is only half himself, the other half is his of the world and God. The soul of each individu-
expression. al was thought to be identical with the world
26
— a microcosm of the world itself. in 1834, and Thoreau are most
The doctrine of self-reliance and closely associated with the town,
individualism developed through but the locale also attracted the
the belief in the identification of novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, the
the individual soul with God. feminist writer Margaret Fuller,
Transcendentalism was inti- the educator (and father of novel-
mately connected with Concord, ist Louisa May Alcott) Bronson
a small New England village 32 Alcott, and the poet William Ellery
kilometers west of Boston. Con- Channing. The Transcendental
cord was the first inland settle- Club was loosely organized in 1836
ment of the original Massachu- and included, at various times,
setts Bay Colony. Surrounded Emerson, Thoreau, Fuller, Chan-
by forest, it was and remains a ning, Bronson Alcott, Orestes
peaceful town close enough to Brownson (a leading minister),
Boston’s lectures, bookstores, and Theodore Parker (abolitionist and
colleges to be intensely cultivated, minister), and others.
but far enough away to be serene. The Transcendentalists pub-
Concord was the site of the first lished a quarterly magazine, The
battle of the American Revolu- Dial, which lasted four years and
tion, and Ralph Waldo Emerson’s was first edited by Margaret Full-
poem commemorating the battle, er and later by Emerson. Reform
“Concord Hymn,” has one of the efforts engaged them as well as
most famous opening stanzas in literature. A number of Transcen-
American literature: dentalists were abolitionists, and
some were involved in experimen-
By the rude bridge that arched tal utopian communities such as
the flood nearby Brook Farm (described
Their flag to April’s breeze in Hawthorne’s The Blithedale
unfurled, Romance) and Fruitlands.
Here once the embattled Unlike many European groups,
farmers the Transcendentalists never
stood R alph W aldo E merson issued a manifesto. They insisted
And fired the shot heard round on individual differences — on
the world. the unique viewpoint of the indi-
vidual. American Transcendental
Concord was the first rural art- Romantics pushed radical individ-
ist’s colony, and the first place ualism to the extreme. American
to offer a spiritual and cultural writers often saw themselves as
alternative to American material- lonely explorers outside society
ism. It was a place of high-minded and convention. The American
conversation and simple living hero — like Herman Melville’s
(Emerson and Henry David Tho- Photo courtesy National Portrait Captain Ahab, or Mark Twain’s
Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
reau both had vegetable gardens). Huck Finn, or Edgar Allan Poe’s
Emerson, who moved to Concord Arthur Gordon Pym — typically
27
faced risk, or even certain destruction, in foregoing generations beheld God and
the pursuit of metaphysical self-discovery. For nature face to face; we, through their eyes.
the Romantic American writer, nothing was Why should not we also enjoy an original
a given. Literary and social conventions, far relation to the universe? Why should not
from being helpful, were dangerous. There was we have a poetry of insight and not of
tremendous pressure to discover an authentic tradition, and a religion by revelation to us,
literary form, content, and voice — all at the and not the history of theirs. Embosomed
same time. It is clear from the many master- for a season in nature, whose floods of life
pieces produced in the three decades before stream around and through us, and invite
the U.S. Civil War (1861-65) that American us by the powers they supply, to action
writers rose to the challenge. proportioned to nature, why should we
grope among the dry bones of the past...?
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) The sun shines today also. There is more
Ralph Waldo Emerson, the towering figure wool and flax in the fields. There are
of his era, had a religious sense of mission. new lands, new men, new thoughts. Let
Although many accused him of subverting us demand our own works and laws and
Christianity, he explained that, for him “to be worship.
a good minister, it was necessary to leave the
church.” The address he delivered in 1838 at Emerson loved the aphoristic genius of the
his alma mater, the Harvard Divinity School, 16th-century French essayist Montaigne, and
made him unwelcome at Harvard for 30 years. he once told Bronson Alcott that he wanted to
In it, Emerson accused the church of acting “as write a book like Montaigne’s, “full of fun, poet-
if God were dead” and of emphasizing dogma ry, business, divinity, philosophy, anecdotes,
while stifling the spirit. smut.” He complained that Alcott’s abstract
style omitted “the light that shines on a man’s
E
merson’s philosophy has been called con- hat, in a child’s spoon.”
tradictory, and it is true that he conscious- Spiritual vision and practical, aphoristic
ly avoided building a logical intellectual expression make Emerson exhilarating; one
system because such a rational system would of the Concord Transcendentalists aptly com-
have negated his Romantic belief in intuition pared listening to him with “going to heaven in
and flexibility. In his essay “Self-Reliance,” a swing.” Much of his spiritual insight comes
Emerson remarks: “A foolish consistency is the from his readings in Eastern religion, espe-
hobgoblin of little minds.” Yet he is remarkably cially Hinduism, Confucianism, and Islamic
consistent in his call for the birth of American Sufism. For example, his poem “Brahma” relies
individualism inspired by nature. Most of his on Hindu sources to assert a cosmic order
major ideas — the need for a new national beyond the limited perception of mortals:
vision, the use of personal experience, the
notion of the cosmic Over-Soul, and the doctrine If the red slayer think he slay
of compensation — are suggested in his first Or the slain think he is slain,
publication, Nature (1836). This essay opens: They know not well the subtle ways
I keep, and pass, and turn again.
Our age is retrospective. It builds the
sepulchres of the fathers. It writes Far or forgot to me is near
biographies, histories, criticism. The Shadow and sunlight are the same;
28
The vanished gods to me Nietzsche, and William James.
appear;
And one to me are shame and Henry David Thoreau
fame. (1817-1862)
They reckon ill who leave me Henry David Thoreau, of French
out; and Scottish descent, was born
When me they fly, I am the in Concord and made it his per-
wings; manent home. From a poor fam-
I am the doubter and the doubt, ily, like Emerson, he worked his
And I the hymn the Brahmin way through Harvard. Throughout
sings his life, he reduced his needs to
the simplest level and managed
The strong gods pine for my to live on very little money, thus
abode, maintaining his independence. In
And pine in vain the sacred essence, he made living his career.
Seven, A nonconformist, he attempted to
But thou, meek lover of the live his life at all times according
good! to his rigorous principles. This
Find me, and turn thy back on attempt was the subject of many of
heaven. his writings.
Thoreau’s masterpiece, Walden,
This poem, published in the first or, Life in the Woods (1854), is the
number of the Atlantic Monthly result of two years, two months,
magazine (1857), confused read- and two days (from 1845 to 1847)
ers unfamiliar with Brahma, the he spent living in a cabin he built
highest Hindu god, the eternal at Walden Pond on property owned
and infinite soul of the universe. by Emerson. In Walden, Thoreau
Emerson had this advice for his consciously shapes this time into
readers: “Tell them to say Jehovah one year, and the book is care-
instead of Brahma.” fully constructed so the seasons
The British critic Matthew are subtly evoked in order. The
Arnold said the most important H enry D avid T horeau book also is organized so that the
writings in English in the 19th simplest earthly concerns come
century had been Wordsworth’s first (in the section called “Econ-
poems and Emerson’s essays. A omy,” he describes the expenses
great prose-poet, Emerson influ- of building a cabin); by the ending,
enced a long line of American the book has progressed to medi-
poets, including Walt Whitman, tations on the stars.
Emily Dickinson, Edwin Arling- In Walden, Thoreau, a lover of
ton Robinson, Wallace Stevens, travel books and the author of
Hart Crane, and Robert Frost. He several, gives us an anti-travel
is also credited with influencing book that paradoxically opens the
Photo © The Bettmann Archive
the philosophies of John Dewey, inner frontier of self-discovery as
George Santayana, Friedrich no American book had up to this
29
time. As deceptively modest as of the minstrels to the Lake
Thoreau’s ascetic life, it is no less Poets, Chaucer and Spenser
than a guide to living the classical and Shakespeare and Milton
ideal of the good life. Both poetry included, breathes no quite
and philosophy, this long poetic fresh and in this sense, wild
essay challenges the reader to strain. It is an essentially
examine his or her life and live it tame and civilized literature,
authentically. The building of the reflecting Greece and Rome.
cabin, described in great detail, is Her wilderness is a greenwood,
a concrete metaphor for the care- her wildman a Robin Hood.
ful building of a soul. In his jour- There is plenty of genial love
nal for January 30, 1852, Thoreau of nature in her poets, but not
explains his preference for living so much of nature herself. Her
rooted in one place: “I am afraid chronicles inform us when
to travel much or to famous places, her wild animals, but not the
lest it might completely dissipate wildman in her, became extinct.
the mind.” There was need of America.
Thoreau’s method of retreat
and concentration resembles Walden inspired William Butler
Asian meditation techniques. The Yeats, a passionate Irish national-
resemblance is not accidental: ist, to write “The Lake Isle of Innis-
like Emerson and Whitman, he free,” while Thoreau’s essay “Civil
was influenced by Hindu and Bud- Disobedience,” with its theory of
dhist philosophy. His most trea- passive resistance based on the
sured possession was his library moral necessity for the just indi-
of Asian classics, which he shared vidual to disobey unjust laws, was
with Emerson. His eclectic style an inspiration for Mahatma Gan-
draws on Greek and Latin classics dhi’s Indian independence move-
and is crystalline, punning, and as ment and Martin Luther King’s
richly metaphorical as the English struggle for black Americans’ civil
metaphysical writers of the late rights in the 20th century.
Renaissance. W alt W hitman Thoreau is the most attractive
In Walden, Thoreau not only of the Transcendentalists today
tests the theories of Transcenden- because of his ecological con-
talism, he re-enacts the collective sciousness, do-it-yourself inde-
American experience of the 19th pendence, ethical commitment to
century: living on the frontier. abolitionism, and political theory
Thoreau felt that his contribution of civil disobedience and peace-
would be to renew a sense of ful resistance. His ideas are still
the wilderness in language. His fresh, and his incisive poetic style
journal has an undated entry from and habit of close observation are
1851: still modern.
Photo courtesy Library of
Congress
English literature from the days
30
Walt Whitman (1819-1892) the marsh at night and feeds upon small crabs.”
Born on Long Island, New York, Walt Whit- Whitman seems to project himself into every-
man was a part-time carpenter and man of thing that he sees or imagines. He is mass
the people, whose brilliant, innovative work man, “Voyaging to every port to dicker and
expressed the country’s democratic spirit. Whit- adventure, / Hurrying with the modern crowd
man was largely self-taught; he left school at as eager and fickle as any.” But he is equally
the age of 11 to go to work, missing the sort of the suffering individual, “The mother of old,
traditional education that made most American condemn’d for a witch, burnt with dry wood, her
authors respectful imitators of the English. His children gazing on....I am the hounded slave, I
Leaves of Grass (1855), which he rewrote and wince at the bite of the dogs....I am the mash’d
revised throughout his life, contains “Song of fireman with breast-bone broken....”
Myself,” the most stunningly original poem More than any other writer, Whitman invent-
ever written by an American. The enthusiastic ed the myth of democratic America. “The
praise that Emerson and a few others heaped Americans of all nations at any time upon the
on this daring volume confirmed Whitman in earth have probably the fullest poetical nature.
his poetic vocation, although the book was not The United States is essentially the greatest
a popular success. poem.” When Whitman wrote this, he daringly
A visionary book celebrating all creation, turned upside down the general opinion that
Leaves of Grass was inspired largely by Emer- America was too brash and new to be poetic.
son’s writings, especially his essay “The Poet,” He invented a timeless America of the free
which predicted a robust, open-hearted, uni- imagination, peopled with pioneering spirits of
versal kind of poet uncannily like Whitman all nations. D.H. Lawrence, the British novelist
himself. The poem’s innovative, unrhymed, and poet, accurately called him the poet of the
free-verse form, open celebration of sexuality, “open road.”
vibrant democratic sensibility, and extreme
W
Romantic assertion that the poet’s self was one hitman’s greatness is visible in many
with the poem, the universe, and the reader of his poems, among them “Crossing
permanently altered the course of American Brooklyn Ferry,” “Out of the Cradle
poetry. Endlessly Rocking,” and “When Lilacs Last in
Leaves of Grass is as vast, energetic, and the Dooryard Bloom’d,” a moving elegy on the
natural as the American continent; it was the death of Abraham Lincoln. Another important
epic generations of American critics had been work is his long essay “Democratic Vistas”
calling for, although they did not recognize it. (1871), written during the unrestrained mate-
Movement ripples through “Song of Myself” rialism of industrialism’s “Gilded Age.” In this
like restless music: essay, Whitman justly criticizes America for its
“mighty, many-threaded wealth and industry”
My ties and ballasts leave me... that mask an underlying “dry and flat Sahara” of
I skirt sierras, my palms cover continents soul. He calls for a new kind of literature to revive
I am afoot with my vision. the American population (“Not the book needs
so much to be the complete thing, but the reader
The poem bulges with myriad concrete of the book does”). Yet ultimately, Whitman’s
sights and sounds. Whitman’s birds are not main claim to immortality lies in “Song of
the conventional “winged spirits” of poetry. His Myself.” Here he places the Romantic self at the
“yellow-crown’d heron comes to the edge of center of the consciousness of the poem:
31
I celebrate myself, and sing carried their genteel, European-
myself, oriented views to every section of
And what I assume you shall the United States, through public
assume, lectures at the 3,000 lyceums (cen-
For every atom belonging to me ters for public lectures) and in the
as good belongs to you. pages of two influential Boston
magazines, the North American
Whitman’s voice electrifies Review and the Atlantic Monthly.
even modern readers with his The writings of the Brahmin
proclamation of the unity and poets fused American and Euro-
vital force of all creation. He was pean traditions and sought to cre-
enormously innovative. From him ate a continuity of shared Atlantic
spring the poem as autobiography, experience. These scholar-poets
the American Everyman as bard, attempted to educate and elevate
the reader as creator, and the the general populace by intro-
still-contemporary discovery of ducing a European dimension to
“experimental,” or organic, form. American literature. Ironically,
their overall effect was conser-
THE BRAHMIN POETS vative. By insisting on European
In their time, the Boston Brah- things and forms, they retarded
mins (as the patrician, Harvard- the growth of a distinctive Ameri-
educated class came to be called) can consciousness. Well-meaning
supplied the most respected and men, their conservative back-
genuinely cultivated literary arbi- grounds blinded them to the dar-
ters of the United States. Their ing innovativeness of Thoreau,
lives fitted a pleasant pattern of Whitman (whom they refused to
wealth and leisure directed by the meet socially), and Edgar Allan Poe
strong New England work ethic (whom even Emerson regarded as
and respect for learning. the “jingle man”). They were pil-
In an earlier Puritan age, the lars of what was called the “genteel
Boston Brahmins would have tradition” that three generations
been ministers; in the 19th cen- H enry W adsworth of American realists had to battle.
tury, they became professors, L ongfellow Partly because of their benign but
often at Harvard. Late in life they bland influence, it was almost 100
sometimes became ambassadors years before the distinctive Ameri-
or received honorary degrees can genius of Whitman, Melville,
from European institutions. Most Thoreau, and Poe was generally
of them travelled or were educat- recognized in the United States.
ed in Europe: They were familiar
with the ideas and books of Brit- Henry Wadsworth
ain, Germany, and France, and Longfellow (1807-1882)
often Italy and Spain. Upper class The most important Boston
in background but democratic Photo courtesy Brown Brothers Brahmin poets were Henry Wad-
in sympathy, the Brahmin poets sworth Longfellow, Oliver Wendell
32
Holmes, and James Russell Lowell. Longfellow, tradition with the new realism and regionalism
professor of modern languages at Harvard, was based on dialect that flowered in the 1850s and
the best-known American poet of his day. He came to fruition in Mark Twain.
was responsible for the misty, ahistorical, leg-
endary sense of the past that merged American Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894)
and European traditions. He wrote three long Oliver Wendell Holmes, a celebrated physi-
narrative poems popularizing native legends in cian and professor of anatomy and physiology
European meters — “Evangeline” (1847), “The at Harvard, is the hardest of the three well-
Song of Hiawatha” (1855), and “The Courtship known Brahmins to categorize because his
of Miles Standish” (1858). work is marked by a refreshing versatility. It
Longfellow also wrote textbooks on modern encompasses collections of humorous essays
languages and a travel book entitled Outre-Mer, (for example, The Autocrat of the Breakfast-
retelling foreign legends and patterned after Table, 1858), novels (Elsie Venner, 1861), biogra-
Washington Irving’s Sketch Book. Although con- phies (Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1885), and verse
ventionality, sentimentality, and facile handling that could be sprightly (“The Deacon’s Mas-
mar the long poems, haunting short lyrics like terpiece, or, The Wonderful One-Hoss Shay”),
“The Jewish Cemetery at Newport” (1854), “My philosophical (“The Chambered Nautilus”), or
Lost Youth” (1855), and “The Tide Rises, The fervently patriotic (“Old Ironsides”).
Tide Falls” (1880) continue to give pleasure. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the sub-
urb of Boston that is home to Harvard, Holmes
James Russell Lowell (1819-1891) was the son of a prominent local minister. His
James Russell Lowell, who became professor mother was a descendant of the poet Anne
of modern languages at Harvard after Longfel- Bradstreet. In his time, and more so thereafter,
low retired, is the Matthew Arnold of American he symbolized wit, intelligence, and charm not
literature. He began as a poet but gradually lost as a discoverer or a trailblazer, but rather as an
his poetic ability, ending as a respected critic exemplary interpreter of everything from society
and educator. As editor of the Atlantic and co- and language to medicine and human nature.
editor of the North American Review, Lowell
exercised enormous influence. Lowell’s A Fable TWO REFORMERS
N
for Critics (1848) is a funny and apt appraisal ew England sparkled with intellectual
of American writers, as in his comment: “There energy in the years before the Civil
comes Poe, with his raven, like Barnaby Rudge War. Some of the stars that shine more
/ Three-fifths of him genius and two-fifths brightly today than the famous constellation of
sheer fudge.” Brahmins were dimmed by poverty or accidents
Under his wife’s influence, Lowell became a of gender or race in their own time. Modern
liberal reformer, abolitionist, and supporter of readers increasingly value the work of aboli-
women’s suffrage and laws ending child labor. tionist John Greenleaf Whittier and feminist
His Biglow Papers, First Series (1847-48), cre- and social reformer Margaret Fuller.
ates Hosea Biglow, a shrewd but uneducated
village poet who argues for reform in dialect John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892)
poetry. Benjamin Franklin and Phillip Freneau John Greenleaf Whittier, the most active
had used intelligent villagers as mouthpieces poet of the era, had a background very similar
for social commentary. Lowell writes in the to Walt Whitman’s. He was born and raised on
same vein, linking the colonial “character” a modest Quaker farm in Massachusetts,
33
had little formal education, and journalist of note in America, Full-
worked as a journalist. For decades er wrote influential book reviews
before it became popular, he was and reports on social issues such
an ardent abolitionist. Whittier is as the treatment of women pris-
respected for anti-slavery poems oners and the insane. Some of
such as “Ichabod,” and his poetry these essays were published in
is sometimes viewed as an early her book Papers on Literature and
example of regional realism. Art (1846). A year earlier, she
Whittier’s sharp images, sim- had her most significant book,
ple constructions, and ballad-like Woman in the Nineteenth Century.
tetrameter couplets have the It originally had appeared in the
simple earthy texture of Robert Transcendentalist magazine, The
Burns. His best work, the long Dial, which she edited from 1840
poem “Snow Bound,” vividly rec- to 1842.
reates the poet’s deceased fam- Fuller’s Woman in the Nine-
ily members and friends as he teenth Century is the earliest
remembers them from childhood, and most American explora-
huddled cozily around the blaz- tion of women’s role in society.
ing hearth during one of New Often applying democratic and
England’s blustering snowstorms. Transcendental principles, Fuller
This simple, religious, intensely thoughtfully analyzes the numer-
personal poem, coming after the ous subtle causes and evil con-
long nightmare of the Civil War, is sequences of sexual discrimina-
an elegy for the dead and a healing tion and suggests positive steps
hymn. It affirms the eternity of the to be taken. Many of her ideas
spirit, the timeless power of love in are strikingly modern. She
the memory, and the undiminished stresses the importance of “self-
beauty of nature, despite violent dependence,” which women lack
outer political storms. because “they are taught to learn
their rule from without, not to
Margaret Fuller (1810-1850) unfold it from within.”
Margaret Fuller, an outstanding E mily D ickinson Fuller is finally not a femi-
essayist, was born and raised in nist so much as an activist and
Cambridge, Massachusetts. From reformer dedicated to the cause
a modest financial background, of creative human freedom and
she was educated at home by her dignity for all:
father (women were not allowed
to attend Harvard) and became a ...Let us be wise and not
child prodigy in the classics and impede the soul....Let us have
modern literatures. Her special one creative energy....Let it
passion was German Romantic lit- take what form it will, and let
erature, especially Goethe, whom us not bind it by the past to
Daguerreotype courtesy Harper
she translated. & Bros. man or woman, black or white.
The first professional woman
34
Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) often evokes the agonizing paradox of the
Emily Dickinson is, in a sense, a link between limits of the human consciousness trapped in
her era and the literary sensitivities of the turn time. She had an excellent sense of humor, and
of the century. A radical individualist, she was her range of subjects and treatment is amaz-
born and spent her life in Amherst, Massa- ingly wide. Her poems are generally known
chusetts, a small Calvinist village. She never by the numbers assigned them in Thomas H.
married, and she led an unconventional life Johnson’s standard edition of 1955. They bristle
that was outwardly uneventful but was full of with odd capitalizations and dashes.
inner intensity. She loved nature and found A nonconformist, like Thoreau she often
deep inspiration in the birds, animals, plants, reversed meanings of words and phrases and
and changing seasons of the New England used paradox to great effect. From 435:
countryside.
Much Madness is divinest sense —
D
ickinson spent the latter part of her life To a discerning Eye —
as a recluse, due to an extremely sensi- Much Sense — the starkest Madness —
tive psyche and possibly to make time ‘Tis the Majority
for writing (for stretches of time she wrote In this, as All, prevail —
about one poem a day). Her day also included Assent — and you are sane —
homemaking for her attorney father, a promi- Demur — you’re straightway dangerous
nent figure in Amherst who became a member And handled with a chain —
of Congress.
Dickinson was not widely read, but knew the Her wit shines in the following poem (288),
Bible, the works of William Shakespeare, and which ridicules ambition and public life:
works of classical mythology in great depth.
These were her true teachers, for Dickinson I’m Nobody! Who are you?
was certainly the most solitary literary figure Are you — Nobody — Too?
of her time. That this shy, withdrawn village Then there’s a pair of us?
woman, almost unpublished and unknown, cre- Don’t tell! they’d advertise — you know!
ated some of the greatest American poetry of How dreary — to be — Somebody!
the 19th century has fascinated the public since How public — like a Frog —
the 1950s, when her poetry was rediscovered. To tell one’s name — the livelong June —
Dickinson’s terse, frequently imagistic style To an admiring Bog!
is even more modern and innovative than
Whitman’s. She never uses two words when Dickinson’s 1,775 poems continue to intrigue
one will do, and combines concrete things critics, who often disagree about them. Some
with abstract ideas in an almost proverbial, stress her mystical side, some her sensitivity to
compressed style. Her best poems have no fat; nature; many note her odd, exotic appeal. One
many mock current sentimentality, and some modern critic, R.P. Blackmur, comments that
are even heretical. She sometimes shows a Dickinson’s poetry sometimes feels as if “a cat
terrifying existential awareness. Like Poe, she came at us speaking English.” Her clean, clear,
explores the dark and hidden part of the mind, chiseled poems are some of the most fascinat-
dramatizing death and the grave. Yet she also ing and challenging in American literature. ■
celebrated simple objects — a flower, a bee.
Her poetry exhibits great intelligence and
35
chapter
— lived in a complex, well-articulated, tradi-
tional society and shared with their readers
4
attitudes that informed their realistic fiction.
American novelists were faced with a history
of strife and revolution, a geography of vast
wilderness, and a fluid and relatively classless
democratic society. American novels frequently
the romantic period, reveal a revolutionary absence of tradition.
1820-1860: fiction Many English novels show a poor main char-
acter rising on the economic and social ladder,
perhaps because of a good marriage or the
W
alt Whitman, Nathaniel Hawthorne, discovery of a hidden aristocratic past. But this
Herman Melville, Edgar Allan buried plot does not challenge the aristocratic
Poe, Emily Dickinson, and the social structure of England. On the contrary,
Transcendentalists represent the first great lit- it confirms it. The rise of the main character
erary generation produced in the United States. satisfies the wish fulfillment of the mainly
In the case of the novelists, the Romantic vision middle-class readers.
tended to express itself in the form Hawthorne In contrast, the American novelist had to
called the “romance,” a heightened, emotional, depend on his or her own devices. America
and symbolic form of the novel. Romances were was, in part, an undefined, constantly moving
not love stories, but serious novels that used frontier populated by immigrants speaking
special techniques to communicate complex foreign languages and following strange and
and subtle meanings. crude ways of life. Thus the main character in
Instead of carefully defining realistic charac- American literature might find himself alone
ters through a wealth of detail, as most English among cannibal tribes, as in Melville’s Typee,
or continental novelists did, Hawthorne, Mel- or exploring a wilderness like James Fenimore
ville, and Poe shaped heroic figures larger than Cooper’s Leatherstocking, or witnessing lonely
life, burning with mythic significance. The typ- visions from the grave, like Poe’s solitary indi-
ical protagonists of the American Romance are viduals, or meeting the devil walking in the for-
haunted, alienated individuals. Hawthorne’s est, like Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown.
Arthur Dimmesdale or Hester Prynne in The Virtually all the great American protagonists
Scarlet Letter, Melville’s Ahab in Moby-Dick, have been “loners.” The democratic American
and the many isolated and obsessed characters individual had, as it were, to invent himself.
of Poe’s tales are lonely protagonists pitted The serious American novelist had to invent
against unknowable, dark fates that, in some new forms as well — hence the sprawl-
mysterious way, grow out of their deepest ing, idiosyncratic shape of Melville’s novel
unconscious selves. The symbolic plots reveal Moby-Dick, and Poe’s dreamlike, wander-
hidden actions of the anguished spirit. ing Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym. Few
One reason for this fictional exploration American novels achieve formal perfection,
into the hidden recesses of the soul is the even today. Instead of borrowing tested lit-
absence of settled, traditional community life erary methods, Americans tend to invent
in America. English novelists — Jane Austen, new creative techniques. In America, it
Charles Dickens (the great favorite), Anthony is not enough to be a traditional and definable
Trollope, George Eliot, William Thackeray social unit, for the old and traditional gets
36
left behind; the new, innovative end Arthur Dimmesdale, and the
force is the center of attention. sensuous, beautiful townsperson,
Hester Prynne. Set in Boston
THE ROMANCE around 1650 during early Puri-
T
he Romance form is dark tan colonization, the novel high-
and forbidding, indicating lights the Calvinistic obsession
how difficult it is to create an with morality, sexual repression,
identity without a stable society. guilt and confession, and spiritual
Most of the Romantic heroes die salvation.
in the end: All the sailors except For its time, The Scarlet Let-
Ishmael are drowned in Moby- ter was a daring and even sub-
Dick, and the sensitive but sinful versive book. Hawthorne’s gentle
minister Arthur Dimmesdale dies style, remote historical setting,
at the end of The Scarlet Letter. and ambiguity softened his grim
The self-divided, tragic note in themes and contented the general
American literature becomes dom- public, but sophisticated writers
inant in the novels, even before such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and
the Civil War of the 1860s mani- Herman Melville recognized the
fested the greater social tragedy of book’s “hellish” power. It treated
a society at war with itself. issues that were usually sup-
pressed in 19th-century America,
Nathaniel Hawthorne such as the impact of the new,
(1804-1864) liberating democratic experience
Nathaniel Hawthorne, a fifth- on individual behavior, especially
generation American of English on sexual and religious freedom.
descent, was born in Salem, Mas- The book is superbly organized
sachusetts, a wealthy seaport and beautifully written. Appropri-
north of Boston that specialized ately, it uses allegory, a technique
in East India trade. One of his the early Puritan colonists them-
ancestors had been a judge in an selves practiced.
earlier century, during trials in Hawthorne’s reputation rests on
Salem of women accused of being N athaniel H awthorne his other novels and tales as well.
witches. Hawthorne used the idea In The House of the Seven Gables
of a curse on the family of an evil (1851), he again returns to New
judge in his novel The House of the England’s history. The crumbling
Seven Gables. of the “house” refers to a family
Many of Hawthorne’s stories are in Salem as well as to the actual
set in Puritan New England, and structure. The theme concerns an
his greatest novel, The Scarlet Let- inherited curse and its resolution
ter (1850), has become the classic through love. As one critic has
portrayal of Puritan America. It noted, the idealistic protagonist
tells of the passionate, forbidden Holgrave voices Hawthorne’s own
love affair linking a sensitive, Photo courtesy OWI democratic distrust of old aristo-
religious young man, the Rever- cratic families: “The truth is, that
37
once in every half-century, at least, a family the least likely wilderness places, Hawthorne’s
should be merged into the great, obscure mass stories and novels repeatedly show broken,
of humanity, and forget about its ancestors.” cursed, or artificial families and the sufferings
of the isolated individual.
H
awthorne’s last two novels were less The ideology of revolution, too, may have
successful. Both use modern settings, played a part in glorifying a sense of proud yet
which hamper the magic of romance. alienated freedom. The American Revolution,
The Blithedale Romance (1852) is interesting from a psychohistorical viewpoint, parallels
for its portrait of the socialist, utopian Brook an adolescent rebellion away from the parent-
Farm community. In the book, Hawthorne criti- figure of England and the larger family of the
cizes egotistical, power-hungry social reform- British Empire. Americans won their indepen-
ers whose deepest instincts are not genuinely dence and were then faced with the bewilder-
democratic. The Marble Faun (1860), though ing dilemma of discovering their identity apart
set in Rome, dwells on the Puritan themes of from old authorities. This scenario was played
sin, isolation, expiation, and salvation. out countless times on the frontier, to the
These themes, and his characteristic set- extent that, in fiction, isolation often seems the
tings in Puritan colonial New England, are basic American condition of life. Puritanism
trademarks of many of Hawthorne’s best- and its Protestant offshoots may have further
known shorter stories: “The Minister’s Black weakened the family by preaching that the
Veil,” “Young Goodman Brown,” and “My Kins- individual’s first responsibility was to save his
man, Major Molineux.” In the last of these, or her own soul.
a naïve young man from the country comes
to the city — a common route in urbanizing Herman Melville (1819-1891)
19th-century America — to seek help from Herman Melville, like Nathaniel Hawthorne,
his powerful relative, whom he has never met. was a descendant of an old, wealthy family that
Robin has great difficulty finding the major, fell abruptly into poverty upon the death of the
and finally joins in a strange night riot in which father. Despite his patrician upbringing, proud
a man who seems to be a disgraced criminal is family traditions, and hard work, Melville found
comically and cruelly driven out of town. Robin himself in poverty with no college education. At
laughs loudest of all until he realizes that this 19 he went to sea. His interest in sailors’ lives
“criminal” is none other than the man he grew naturally out of his own experiences,
sought — a representative of the British who and most of his early novels grew out of his
has just been overthrown by a revolutionary voyages. In these we see the young Melville’s
American mob. The story confirms the bond wide, democratic experience and hatred of
of sin and suffering shared by all humanity. tyranny and injustice. His first book, Typee,
It also stresses the theme of the self-made was based on his time spent among the sup-
man: Robin must learn, like every democratic posedly cannibalistic but hospitable tribe of the
American, to prosper from his own hard work, Taipis in the Marquesas Islands of the South
not from special favors from wealthy relatives. Pacific. The book praises the islanders and
“My Kinsman, Major Molineux” casts light their natural, harmonious life, and criticizes
on one of the most striking elements in Haw- the Christian missionaries, who Melville found
thorne’s fiction: the lack of functioning families less genuinely civilized than the people they
in his works. Although Cooper’s Leather-Stock- came to convert.
ing Tales manage to introduce families into Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, Melville’s
38
masterpiece, is the epic story of nature, as it does in Emerson.
the whaling ship Pequod and its Behind Melville’s accumulation of
“ungodly, god-like man,” Captain facts is a mystic vision — but
Ahab, whose obsessive quest for whether this vision is evil or good,
the white whale Moby-Dick leads human or inhuman, is never
the ship and its men to destruction. explained.
This work, a realistic adventure The novel is modern in its
novel, contains a series of medi- tendency to be self-referential,
tations on the human condition. or reflexive. In other words, the
Whaling, throughout the book, is novel often is about itself. Mel-
a grand metaphor for the pursuit ville frequently comments on
of knowledge. Realistic catalogues mental processes such as writ-
and descriptions of whales and ing, reading, and understanding.
the whaling industry punctuate One chapter, for instance, is an
the book, but these carry symbolic exhaustive survey in which the
connotations. In chapter 15, “The narrator attempts a classification
Right Whale’s Head,” the narra- but finally gives up, saying that
tor says that the Right Whale is nothing great can ever be fin-
a Stoic and the Sperm Whale is a ished (“God keep me from ever
Platonian, referring to two classi- completing anything. This whole
cal schools of philosophy. book is but a draught — nay, but
Although Melville’s novel is the draught of a draught. O Time,
philosophical, it is also tragic. Strength, Cash and Patience”).
Despite his heroism, Ahab is Melville’s notion of the literary
doomed and perhaps damned in text as an imperfect version
the end. Nature, however beauti- or an abandoned draft is quite
ful, remains alien and potentially contemporary.
deadly. In Moby-Dick, Melville Ahab insists on imaging a hero
challenges Emerson’s optimistic ic, timeless world of absolutes in
idea that humans can understand which he can stand above his
nature. Moby-Dick, the great white men. Unwisely, he demands a fin-
whale, is an inscrutable, cosmic H erman M elville ished text, an answer. But the
existence that dominates the novel shows that just as there
novel, just as he obsesses Ahab. are no finished texts, there are
Facts about the whale and whal- no final answers except, perhaps,
ing cannot explain Moby-Dick; death.
on the contrary, the facts them- Certain literary references res-
selves tend to become symbols, onate throughout the novel. Ahab,
and every fact is obscurely related named for an Old Testament king,
in a cosmic web to every other fact. desires a total, Faustian, god-
This idea of correspondence (as like knowledge. Like Oedipus in
Melville calls it in the “Sphinx” Sophocles’ play, who pays tragical-
Portrait courtesy Harvard
chapter) does not, however, mean College Library ly for wrongful knowledge, Ahab is
that humans can “read” truth in struck blind before he is wounded
39
in the leg and finally killed. Moby-Dick ends ville stresses the importance of friendship and
with the word “orphan.” Ishmael, the narrator, the multicultural human community. After the
is an orphan-like wanderer. The name Ishmael ship sinks, Ishmael is saved by the engraved
emanates from the Book of Genesis in the Old coffin made by his close friend, the hero-
Testament — he was the son of Abraham and ic tatooed harpooner and Polynesian prince
Hagar (servant to Abraham’s wife, Sarah). Ish- Queequeg. The coffin’s primitive, mythological
mael and Hagar were cast into the wilderness designs incorporate the history of the cosmos.
by Abraham. Ishmael is rescued from death by an object of
Other examples exist. Rachel (one of the death. From death life emerges, in the end.
patriarch Jacob’s wives) is the name of the Moby-Dick has been called a “natural epic”
boat that rescues Ishmael at book’s end. Finally, — a magnificent dramatization of the human
the metaphysical whale reminds Jewish and spirit set in primitive nature — because of its
Christian readers of the Biblical story of Jonah, hunter myth, its initiation theme, its Edenic
who was tossed overboard by fellow sailors who island symbolism, its positive treatment of
considered him an object of ill fortune. Swal- pre-technological peoples, and its quest for
lowed by a “big fish,” according to the biblical rebirth. In setting humanity alone in nature, it
text, he lived for a time in its belly before being is eminently American. The French writer and
returned to dry land through God’s interven- politician Alexis de Tocqueville had predicted,
tion. Seeking to flee from punishment, he only in the 1835 work Democracy in America, that
brought more suffering upon himself. this theme would arise in America as a result
Historical references also enrich the novel. of its democracy:
The ship Pequod is named for an extinct New
England Indian tribe; thus the name suggests The destinies of mankind, man himself
that the boat is doomed to destruction. Whaling taken aloof from his country and his age
was in fact a major industry, especially in New and standing in the presence of Nature
England: It supplied oil as an energy source, and God, with his passions, his doubts,
especially for lamps. Thus the whale does liter- his rare propensities and inconceivable
ally “shed light” on the universe. Whaling was wretchedness, will become the chief, if not
also inherently expansionist and linked with the sole, theme of (American) poetry.
the idea of manifest destiny, since it required
Americans to sail round the world in search Tocqueville reasons that, in a democracy,
of whales (in fact, the present state of Hawaii literature would dwell on “the hidden depths of
came under American domination because it the immaterial nature of man” rather than on
was used as the major refueling base for Amer- mere appearances or superficial distinctions
ican whaling ships). The Pequod’s crew mem- such as class and status. Certainly both Moby-
bers represent all races and various religions, Dick and Typee, like Adventures of Huckleberry
suggesting the idea of America as a universal Finn and Walden, fit this description. They are
state of mind as well as a melting pot. Finally, celebrations of nature and pastoral subversions
Ahab embodies the tragic version of democratic of class-oriented, urban civilization.
American individualism. He asserts his dignity
as an individual and dares to oppose the inexo- Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)
rable external forces of the universe. Edgar Allan Poe, a southerner, shares with
The novel’s epilogue tempers the tragic Melville a darkly metaphysical vision mixed
destruction of the ship. Throughout, Mel- with elements of realism, parody, and bur-
40
lesque. He refined the short story Poe’s twilight realm between life
genre and invented detective fic- and death and his gaudy, Gothic
tion. Many of his stories prefigure settings are not merely decora-
the genres of science fiction, hor- tive. They reflect the overcivilized
ror, and fantasy so popular today. yet deathly interior of his char-
Poe’s short and tragic life was acters’ disturbed psyches. They
plagued with insecurity. Like are symbolic expressions of the
so many other major 19th-cen- unconscious, and thus are central
tury American writers, Poe was to his art.
orphaned at an early age. Poe’s Poe’s verse, like that of many
strange marriage in 1835 to his southerners, was very musical
first cousin Virginia Clemm, who and strictly metrical. His best-
was not yet 14, has been interpret- known poem, in his own lifetime
ed as an attempt to find the stable and today, is “The Raven” (1845).
family life he lacked. In this eerie poem, the haunted,
sleepless narrator, who has been
P
oe believed that strangeness reading and mourning the death
was an essential ingredient of his “lost Lenore” at midnight,
of beauty, and his writing is is visited by a raven (a bird that
often exotic. His stories and poems eats dead flesh, hence a symbol
are populated with doomed, intro- of death) who perches above his
spective aristocrats (Poe, like many door and ominously repeats the
other southerners, cherished an poem’s famous refrain, “never-
aristocratic ideal). These gloomy more.” The poem ends in a frozen
characters never seem to work or scene of death-in-life:
socialize; instead they bury them-
selves in dark, moldering castles And the Raven, never flitting,
symbolically decorated with bizarre still
rugs and draperies that hide the is sitting, still is sitting
real world of sun, windows, walls, On the pallid bust of Pallas just
and floors. The hidden rooms above my chamber door;
reveal ancient libraries, strange art E dgar A llan P oe And his eyes have all the
works, and eclectic oriental objects. seeming of
The aristocrats play musical instru- a demon’s that is dreaming,
ments or read ancient books while And the lamp-light o’er him
they brood on tragedies, often streaming throws his shadow
the deaths of loved ones. Themes on the floor;
of death-in-life, especially being And my soul from out that
buried alive or returning like a shadow
vampire from the grave, appear that lies floating on the floor
in many of his works, including Shall be lifted — nevermore!
“The Premature Burial,” “Ligeia,”
“The Cask of Amontillado,” and Photo © The Bettmann Archive Poe’s stories — such as
“The Fall of the House of Usher.” those cited above — have been
41
described as tales of horror. Stories like “The underside of the American dream of the self-
Gold Bug” and “The Purloined Letter” are made man and showed the price of material-
more tales of ratiocination, or reasoning. The ism and excessive competition — loneliness,
horror tales prefigure works by such American alienation, and images of death-in-life.
authors of horror fantasy as H.P. Lovecraft and Poe’s “decadence” also reflects the devalu-
Stephen King, while the tales of ratiocina- ation of symbols that occurred in the 19th
tion are harbingers of the detective fiction of century — the tendency to mix art objects
Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Ross promiscuously from many eras and places, in
Macdonald, and John D. MacDonald. There is the process stripping them of their identity and
a hint, too, of what was to follow as science reducing them to merely decorative items in
fiction. All of these stories reveal Poe’s fascina- a collection. The resulting chaos of styles was
tion with the mind and the unsettling scientific particularly noticeable in the United States,
knowledge that was radically secularizing the which often lacked traditional styles of its
19th-century world view. own. The jumble reflects the loss of coherent
In every genre, Poe explores the psyche. Pro- systems of thought as immigration, urbaniza-
found psychological insights glint throughout tion, and industrialization uprooted families
the stories. “Who has not, a hundred times, and traditional ways. In art, this confusion
found himself committing a vile or silly action, of symbols fueled the grotesque, an idea that
for no other reason than because he knows Poe explicitly made his theme in his classic
he should not,” we read in “The Black Cat.” To collection of stories Tales of the Grotesque and
explore the exotic and strange aspect of psy- Arabesque (1840).
chological processes, Poe delved into accounts
of madness and extreme emotion. The pain- WOMEN WRITERS AND REFORMERS
A
fully deliberate style and elaborate explanation merican women endured many inequal-
in the stories heighten the sense of the horrible ities in the 19th century: They were
by making the events seem vivid and plausible. denied the vote, barred from profes-
Poe’s combination of decadence and roman- sional schools and most higher education, for-
tic primitivism appealed enormously to Europe- bidden to speak in public and even attend
ans, particularly to the French poets Stéphane public conventions, and unable to own prop-
Mallarmé, Charles Baudelaire, Paul Valéry, and erty. Despite these obstacles, a strong women’s
Arthur Rimbaud. But Poe is not un-American, network sprang up. Through letters, personal
despite his aristocratic disgust with democ- friendships, formal meetings, women’s news-
racy, preference for the exotic, and themes of papers, and books, women furthered social
dehumanization. On the contrary, he is almost change. Intellectual women drew parallels
a textbook example of Tocqueville’s prediction between themselves and slaves. They coura-
that American democracy would produce works geously demanded fundamental reforms, such
that lay bare the deepest, hidden parts of as the abolition of slavery and women’s suf-
the psyche. Deep anxiety and psychic insecu- frage, despite social ostracism and sometimes
rity seem to have occurred earlier in America financial ruin. Their works were the vanguard
than in Europe, for Europeans at least had a of intellectual expression of a larger women’s
firm, complex social structure that gave them literary tradition that included the sentimental
psychological security. In America, there was novel. Women’s sentimental novels, such as
no compensating security; it was every man Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin,
for himself. Poe accurately described the were enormously popular. They appealed to
42
the emotions and often dramatized contentious President of the Woman Suffrage Association
social issues, particularly those touching the for 21 years, she led the struggle for women’s
family and women’s roles and responsibilities. rights. She gave public lectures in several
Abolitionist Lydia Child (1802-1880), who states, partly to support the education of her
greatly influenced Margaret Fuller, was a lead- seven children.
er of this network. Her successful 1824 novel After her husband died, Cady Stanton deep-
Hobomok shows the need for racial and reli- ened her analysis of inequality between the
gious toleration. Its setting — Puritan Salem, sexes. Her book The Woman’s Bible (1895)
Massachusetts — anticipated Nathaniel Haw- discerns a deep-seated anti-female bias in
thorne. An activist, Child founded a private Judaeo-Christian tradition. She lectured on
girls’ school, founded and edited the first jour- such subjects as divorce, women’s rights, and
nal for children in the United States, and religion until her death at 86, just after writing
published the first anti-slavery tract, An Appeal a letter to President Theodore Roosevelt sup-
in Favor of that Class of Americans Called Afri- porting the women’s vote. Her numerous works
cans, in 1833. This daring work made her noto- — at first pseudonymous, but later under her
rious and ruined her financially. Her History own name — include three co-authored vol-
of the Condition of Women in Various Ages and umes of History of Woman Suffrage (1881-1886)
Nations (1855) argues for women’s equality by and a candid, humorous autobiography.
pointing to their historical achievements.
S
Angelina Grimké (1805-1879) and Sarah ojourner Truth (c. 1797-1883) epito-
Grimké (1792-1873) were born into a large fam- mized the endurance and charisma of
ily of wealthy slaveowners in elegant Charles- this extraordinary group of women. Born
ton, South Carolina. These sisters moved to a slave in New York, she grew up speaking
the North to defend the rights of blacks and Dutch. She escaped from slavery in 1827, set-
women. As speakers for the New York Anti- tling with a son and daughter in the supportive
Slavery Society, they were the first women to Dutch-American Van Wagener family, for whom
publicly lecture to audiences, including men. In she worked as a servant. They helped her win
letters, essays, and studies, they drew parallels a legal battle for her son’s freedom, and she
between racism and sexism. took their name. Striking out on her own, she
Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902), aboli- worked with a preacher to convert prostitutes
tionist and women’s rights activist, lived for to Christianity and lived in a progressive com-
a time in Boston, where she befriended Lydia munal home. She was christened “Sojourner
Child. With Lucretia Mott, she organized the Truth” for the mystical voices and visions she
1848 Seneca Falls Convention for Women’s began to experience. To spread the truth of
rights; she also drafted its Declaration of Senti- these visionary teachings, she sojourned alone,
ments. Her “Woman’s Declaration of Indepen- lecturing, singing gospel songs, and preaching
dence” begins “men and women are created abolitionism through many states over three
equal” and includes a resolution to give women decades. Encouraged by Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
the right to vote. With Susan B. Anthony, she advocated women’s suffrage. Her life is told
Elizabeth Cady Stanton campaigned for suf- in the Narrative of Sojourner Truth (1850),
frage in the 1860s and 1870s, formed the anti- an autobiographical account transcribed and
slavery Women’s Loyal National League and edited by Olive Gilbert. Illiterate her whole life,
the National Woman Suffrage Association, and she spoke Dutch-accented English. Sojourner
co-edited the weekly newspaper Revolution. Truth is said to have bared her breast at a
43
women’s rights convention when sia. Its passionate appeal for an
she was accused of really being end to slavery in the United States
a man. Her answer to a man who inflamed the debate that, within
said that women were the weaker a decade, led to the U.S. Civil War
sex has become legendary: (1861-1865).
Reasons for the success of
I have ploughed and planted, Uncle Tom’s Cabin are obvious. It
and gathered into bars, and no reflected the idea that slavery in
man could head me! And ain’t I the United States, the nation that
a woman? I could work as much purportedly embodied democracy
and eat as much as a man — and equality for all, was an injus-
when I could get it —and bear tice of colossal proportions.
the lash as well! And ain’t I a
S
woman? I have borne thirteen towe herself was a perfect
children, and seen them most representative of old New
all sold off to slavery, and when England Puritan stock. Her
I cried out with my mother’s father, brother, and husband
grief, none but Jesus heard me! all were well-known, learned
And ain’t I a woman? Protestant clergymen and reform-
ers. Stowe conceived the idea of
This humorous and irreverent the novel — in a vision of an old,
orator has been compared to the ragged slave being beaten — as
great blues singers. Harriet Beech- she participated in a church ser-
er Stowe and many others found vice. Later, she said that the novel
wisdom in this visionary black was inspired and “written by God.”
woman, who could declare, “Lord, Her motive was the religious pas-
Lord, I can love even de white folk!” sion to reform life by making it
more godly. The romantic period
Harriet Beecher Stowe had ushered in an era of feeling:
(1811-1896) The virtues of family and love
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel reigned supreme. Stowe’s novel
Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life Among H arriet B eecher attacked slavery precisely because
the Lowly was the most popular S towe it violated domestic values.
American book of the 19th cen- Uncle Tom, the slave and cen-
tury. First published serially in tral character, is a true Christian
the National Era magazine (1851- martyr who labors to convert his
1852), it was an immediate suc- kind master, St. Clare, prays for
cess. Forty different publishers St. Clare’s soul as he dies, and
printed it in England alone, and is killed defending slave women.
it was quickly translated into 20 Slavery is depicted as evil not
languages, receiving the praise of for political or philosophical
such authors as Georges Sand in reasons but mainly because it
Photo courtesy Culver Pictures,
France, Heinrich Heine in Ger- Inc divides families, destroys normal
many, and Ivan Turgenev in Rus- parental love, and is inherently
44
un-Christian. The most touch- sent back to slavery and punish-
ing scenes show an agonized ment, she spent almost seven
slave mother unable to help her years hidden in her master’s town,
screaming child and a father sold in the tiny dark attic of her grand-
away from his family. These were mother’s house. She was sustained
crimes against the sanctity of by glimpses of her beloved children
domestic love. seen through holes that she drilled
Stowe’s novel was not original- through the ceiling. She finally
ly intended as an attack on the escaped to the North, settling in
South; in fact, Stowe had visited Rochester, New York, where Fred-
the South, liked southerners, and erick Douglass was publishing
portrayed them kindly. Southern the anti-slavery newspaper North
slaveowners are good masters Star and near which (in Seneca
and treat Tom well. St. Clare Falls) a women’s rights convention
personally abhors slavery and had recently met. There Jacobs
intends to free all of his slaves. became friends with Amy Post, a
The evil master Simon Legree, Quaker feminist abolitionist, who
on the other hand, is a north- encouraged her to write her auto-
erner and the villain. Ironically, biography. Incidents in the Life of
the novel was meant to reconcile a Slave Girl, published under the
the North and South, which were pseudonym “Linda Brent” in 1861,
drifting toward the Civil War a was edited by Lydia Child. It out-
decade away. Ultimately, though, spokenly condemned the sexual
the book was used by abolitionists exploitation of black slave women.
and others as a polemic against Jacobs’s book, like Douglass’s, is
the South. part of the slave narrative genre
extending back to Olaudah Equia-
Harriet Jacobs (1818-1896) no in colonial times.
Born a slave in North Carolina,
Harriet Jacobs was taught to read Harriet Wilson (1807-1870)
and write by her mistress. On her Harriet Wilson was the first Afri-
mistress’s death, Jacobs was sold F rederick D ouglass can-American to publish a novel
to a white master who tried to in the United States — Our Nig:
force her to have sexual relations. or, Sketches from the life of a Free
She resisted him, finding another Black, in a two-storey white house,
white lover by whom she had two North. Showing that Slavery’s
children, who went to live with Shadows Fall Even There (1859).
her grandmother. “It seems less The novel realistically dramatizes
degrading to give one’s self than the marriage between a white
to submit to compulsion,” she can- woman and a black man, and also
didly wrote. She escaped from her depicts the difficult life of a black
owner and started a rumor that Photo-ambrotype cour- servant in a wealthy Christian
tesy National Portrait Gallery,
she had fled North. Smithsonian Institution household. Formerly thought to be
Terrified of being caught and autobiographical, it is now under-
45
Objectives
title, characters, setting, symbols, and themes of the novel
• know about foils in some depth • be able to use the passage
to support your opinions and write a literature essay
L Learn About ... Herman Melville
m erman Melville ( 1819-1891) was an

author. lie was born in New York City and lived
there for most of his childhood. When he finished school,
he decided to get work at sea. Over the next few years,
American
Melville worked on various ships and wrote about his

experiences. These travel accounts sold fairly well.
Encouraged by this, Melville set to writing what he
considered to be his masterpiece: Moby Dick .
Unfortunately, it sold extremely poorly. Critics hated it and
Melville became less and less popular. Indeed, he struggled
financially for most of his life. When he died in 1891, he
was not considered by anyone to be a major name in
American literature. This all changed, however, in the 1920s. People rediscovered his writing,
including 1'1oby Dick. Now, he is one of the most important figures in American literature,
and 1'1oby Dick is widely considered to be his masterpiece .
Predict
[step 1
chase
surprise blood
1 Why can the desire for revenge be so strong? lance brave
2 Can revenge ever be a healthy action? vengeance
Why or why not? enraged wonder
sob white
[step 2 madness whale
Look at the key words from the passage from Moby Dick. shout
With a partner, discuss the meaning of the words. Based
on the words, predict the mood of the passage.
Background Information
What is "whaling"?
2 Who or what is Moby Dick?
3 Who tells the story in Moby Dick?
4 What are the names of the main characters,
and what are their positions on the Pequod?
Why is Moby Dick important to the story?
,•
~:..r ~
oby Dick takes place sometime in the late Throughout the book, lshmael meets many other
1830s or early 1840s (no exact year is given in interesting characters aboard the ship. His best friend is
:- text) and tells the story of a whaling ship, the Queequeg, a harpooner from somewhere in the South
=:-::.~od. In the past, large ships went out to hunt Seas. lshmael distrusts him at first because of his
-=..es. The people sold the whales for their blubber, or strange appearance and religious customs. The men
-'-eir meat, and, in the case of sperm whales, a soon become close friends, however. Other crew
-s:ance called spermaceti. This liquid was important members include Starbuck, the thoughtful chief mate.
• ~aki ng perfume, among other things. Whaling was a who is alone in opposing the captain's strange ques• 'n-
-~aro us but exciting job. The narrator of Moby Dick is revenge; Stubb, the always-cheerful second mate: a;::
, :~ 1g man called lshmael. He comes aboard the ship Flask, the third mate, who believes that notnwg :~
· '"~Q for work and an adventure. What he doesn 't sacred.
- :a is that the sl1ip's captain, Ahab, is unhealthily lshmael tells the story from his point of view for r.:-:s: ,::=
cssed with a white whale called Moby Dick. the novel. At times, however, his narrative vo,r=
--:~ gh the whalers catch whales throughout their trip,
disappears and a more omniscient (all-
:- remains fixated on the prospect of finding and knowing) narrator appears. This gives a
-~ Moby Dick. Eventually the men do encounter the
unique flavor to this American classic.
- :- They pursue him for three days, and are attacked
:--=.. times. On the third day, the whale sinks the boat
:- ;eryone dies except for lshmael.
El
L Listen & Read
20 Listen to and read the passage from
Moby Dick. First, read for general
understanding. Then, reread the
passage. As you read the second time,
note down what the characters say
about Moby Dick.
In this passage, from Chapter 36, Captain Ahab has just told the men on the ship that
he will give a piece of gold to the first person to spot Moby Dick, the white whale.
11 captain Ahab," said Starbuck, who, with Stubb and "God bless ye," he seemed to half sob and half sho -
Flask, had thus far been eyeing his superior with "God bless ye, men. Steward! go draw the great meas -=
increasing surprise, but at last seemed struck with a of grog. But what's this long face about, Mr. Starbuck; v -
thought which somewhat explained all the wonder. thou not chase the white whale? art not game for Mo
"Captain Ahab, I have heard of Moby Dick-but it was not Dick?"
Moby Dick that took off thy leg?" "I am game for his crooked jaw, and for the jaws of Dea:-
"Who told thee that?" cried Ahab; then pausing, "Aye, too, Captain Ahab, if it fairly comes in the way of ~
Starbuck; aye, my hearties all round ; it was Moby Dick business we follow; but I came here to hunt whales, n-
that dismasted me; Moby Dick that brought me to this my commander's vengeance. How many barrels will
dead stump I stand on now. Aye, aye," he shouted with a vengeance yield thee even if thou gettest it, Capta-
terrific, loud, animal sob, like that of a heart-stricken Ahab? it will not fetch thee much in our Nantuckf'
moose; "Aye, aye! it was that accursed white whale that market."
razeed me; made a poor pegging lubber of me for ever "Nantucket market! Hoot! But come closer, Starbuck; th _
and a day!" Then tossing both arms, with measureless requirest a little lower layer. If money's to be th=
imprecations he shouted out: "Aye, aye! and I'll chase him measurer, man, and the accountants have computed the·
round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the great counting-house the globe, by girdling it wi
Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition's flames before I guineas, one to every three parts of an inch; then, let m::
give him up. And this is what ye have shipped for, men! to tell thee, that my vengeance will fetch a great premiu
chase that white whale on both sides of land, and over all HERE!"
sides of earth, till he spouts black blood and rolls fin out.
"He smites his chest," whispered Stubb, "what's that fo(
What say ye, men, will ye splice hands on it, now? I think
methinks it rings most vast, but hollow."
ye do look brave."
"Vengeance on a dumb brute!" cried Starbuck, "tha::
"Aye, aye!" shouted the harpooneers and seamen,
simply smote thee from blindest instinct! Madness! To be
running closer to the excited old man: "A sharp eye for the
enraged with a dumb thing, Captain Ahab, seem!
white whale; a sharp lance for Moby Dick!"
blasphemous."
J
- Respond
1 Was your prediction about the mood of the passage correct? Explain.
2 How did the author create the mood? Think about the words of the characters.
4 How do you think Captain Ahab feels in the passage?
...
- Understand
1 Which of the following places does 3 Why does Ahab want to kill Moby Dick?
Ahab NOT say he'll go to find Moby a because the whale is worth a lot of
Dick? money
a Good Hope b because he lost his leg to the whale
b the Horn c because the whale is very rare
c perdition d because there is a prize for catching the
d Nantucket whale
2 Who does not give Ahab total support? 4 What does Ahab as k the st ew ard t o brin g
Stubb the men?
a
the harpooneers a a large meal
b
the narrator b a golden coin
c
Starbuck c a round of drinks
d
d new, sharp weapons
·gurative Language
Work with a partner. Find one
example of a simile, one
example of a pun, and one /
/
example of personification in
/
t he passage.
J
Lsummarize
Character(s)
Main [vent(s) Conflict
Now, use your graph ic organizer to summarize the passage with a partner.
Lusten
8 Q listen to a lecture about Moby Dick. Then, answer the questions.
1 What is the speaker most ly talking about?
a why lshmael is a biased narrator
b why Melville shouldn't have picked the narrator he did
c why it's important to discuss narrators
d why lshmael was a good choice for narrator
2 How does the speaker organize her lecture?

a by presenting two opposing opinions
b by making a claim and supporting it
c by refuting a common misconception
d by explaining an author's reasoning
J
- Analyze the Title

Find lt.
Moby Dick is obviously important to
the novel. In the passage, the reader
learns a little bit about the whale. Go
through the passage and underline every
time one of the characters mentions the
whale.
0 Think About lt
Using the underlined parts of the passage,
write a paragraph explaining what you
know about Moby Dick. Include as many
details as possible.
-...
,
'
k lt Over.
Share your paragraph with a partner. Then,
read your partner's paragraph. Compare and
contrast your two descriptions. Add additional
information to your description as needed.
Then, as a class, discuss why you think
Melville decided to name the
book after the whale.
Ill
J
L Analyze the Characters

12 Fill lt In.
"' listen to the first half of the lecture and use the words from the phrase bank to fill in
a. \,)
the graphic organizer.
• natural goodness • religious

• inexperienced • introduce Ahab
• bloodthirsty • ship's owners
• harpooner • everyman • chief mate
• no fear of death • second mate • hates whales
lshmael narrator
Peleg & Bildad comic relief
Queequeg the "other"
Starbuck practical
Stubb joker
third mate
b. 0 listen to the second half of the lecture and use words from the phrase bank to fill in
the Venn diagram.
• man • antagonist • invader • animal

• vengeful • wounded • in his element
• powerful • protagonist
13 Think About lt.

• Is Ahab similar to any of the members of his crew?
• Are Ahab and Moby Dick more similar than different?
4 Talk lt Over.
Analyze the Setting

5 Filllt In.
0 Listen to a lecture about the setting in Moby Dick. Then, use information from the lectu re to
fill in the graphic organizer.
Aspect of Setting Importance in Moby Dick
time
place
~~-___........_.
hink About lt.

With a partner answer the following questions .
.• hy do you think Melville chose to set his novel in this time and place ? Co e story take
olace in a different setting?
Talk lt Over.
A5 a class, discuss your answers to the previous questions.
11
L Analyze the Symbols
18 Match lt.
Moby Dick, the white whale, is the most important symbol in the novel. The whale means
many different things to different people. Below are two columns. One column has some
meanings of Moby Dick. The other column has lines from the book. Look at the two lists. Then,
pick which lines you think go along with which ideas.
\ A Ahab has "piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the general rage and
l
I hate felt by his whole race."
I•
ffiJ death \ B Ahab says to Moby Dick, "To the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at
0] superstition ' thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee."
@evil
c Ahab asks another sailor, "Hast seen the White Whale?" and the man responds,
m:=J revenge
"No; only heard of him; but don't believe in him at all."
D The whale's whiteness reminds lshmael of the "one visible aspect of the dead
which most appals the gazer ... the marble pallor lingering there."
~
19 Think About lt.

With a partner answer the following questions.
• Does Moby Dick mean the same thing to every person in the book?
• Do you think that Melville intended for Moby Dick to be an easy symbol to analyze? Why O'
why not?
20 Talk lt Over.
Based on what you know about the book, which meaning do you think is most important? Why-
lAnalyze the Themes

21 Fill lt In.
23 Talk lt Over.
J
-In-Depth Analysis: Foils
n literature, a foil is a character that is different objectives and goals. Starbuck's calm way of behaving
I than another in an important way. The author uses and logical thought process makes Ahab look and
foils to illuminate certain character traits in both sound all the more out of control and crazy. His
characters. In some cases, foils are very simple. For insistence on whaling for profits shows how un -
example, one character might be honorable and good reasonable Ahab's thirst for vengeance is.
and the other might be evil and cruel. Most of the time, This contrast is made all the stronger, however, by the
however, foils are much more complex. Foils may similarities between the two men. This is a sig n of a
share some similarities with one another. These powerful foil character, since it is only really possi ble
similarities often serve to highlight characters' to contrast two things
differences. In fact, a character might have more than which are similar in
one foil. Each foil can emphasize different aspects of a some way.
character's personality.
Starbuck serves as a foil to Ahab. In the passage, the
two men act very differently. They have different
Read the In-Depth Analysis and reread the passage

from Moby Dick. Then, use the words from the
phrase bank to complete the Venn diagram.
• angry
• wants money
• insane
• position of authority
• whaler • calm • wants revenge
• has experience • in control
Use your notes in Ex. 24 to compare and contrast the characters.
In groups of four, discuss your answers to Ex. 25. Then, as a group, talk about what Mo by Dick
represents to each man.
ite
Authors use foils to emphasize certain traits in a character. What trait or
raits do you think Melville wanted to emphasize in Ahab through his foil ,
Starbuck, and what difference in attitude do they have towards Moby Dick?
for video activities
Using your answers from the sections above, write a 250- to 300-word essay
& essay writing
ab out how Starbuck works as a foil to Ahab in the novel.
11
chapter
into the United States between 1860 and 1910.
5
Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino contract labor-
ers were imported by Hawaiian plantation own-
ers, railroad companies, and other American
business interests on the West Coast.
In 1860, most Americans lived on farms or in
the rise of realism: small villages, but by 1919 half of the population
1860-1914 was concentrated in about 12 cities. Problems
of urbanization and industrialization appeared:
poor and overcrowded housing, unsanitary
conditions, low pay (called “wage slavery”),
T
he U.S. Civil War (1861-1865) between difficult working conditions, and inadequate
the industrial North and the agricultural, restraints on business. Labor unions grew, and
slave-owning South was a watershed in strikes brought the plight of working people to
American history. The innocent optimism of national awareness. Farmers, too, saw them-
the young democratic nation gave way, after selves struggling against the “money interests”
the war, to a period of exhaustion. American of the East, the so-called robber barons like J.P.
idealism remained but was rechanneled. Before Morgan and John D. Rockefeller. Their eastern
the war, idealists championed human rights, banks tightly controlled mortgages and credit
especially the abolition of slavery; after the so vital to western development and agricul-
war, Americans increasingly idealized progress ture, while railroad companies charged high
and the self-made man. This was the era of the prices to transport farm products to the cities.
millionaire manufacturer and the speculator, The farmer gradually became an object of ridi-
when Darwinian evolution and the “survival of cule, lampooned as an unsophisticated “hick”
the fittest” seemed to sanction the sometimes or “rube.” The ideal American of the post-Civil
unethical methods of the successful business War period became the millionaire. In 1860,
tycoon. there were fewer than 100 millionaires; by
Business boomed after the war. War produc- 1875, there were more than 1,000.
tion had boosted industry in the North and From 1860 to 1914, the United States was
given it prestige and political clout. It also gave transformed from a small, young, agricultural
industrial leaders valuable experience in the ex-colony to a huge, modern, industrial nation.
management of men and machines. The enor- A debtor nation in 1860, by 1914 it had become
mous natural resources — iron, coal, oil, gold, the world’s wealthiest state, with a population
and silver — of the American land benefitted that had more than doubled, rising from 31
business. The new intercontinental rail system, million in 1860 to 76 million in 1900. By World
inaugurated in 1869, and the transcontinental War I, the United States had become a major
telegraph, which began operating in 1861, gave world power.
industry access to materials, markets, and As industrialization grew, so did alienation.
communications. The constant influx of immi- Characteristic American novels of the period
grants provided a seemingly endless supply — Stephen Crane’s Maggie: A Girl of the Streets,
of inexpensive labor as well. Over 23 million Jack London’s Martin Eden, and later Theodore
foreigners — German, Scandinavian, and Irish Dreiser’s An American Tragedy — depict the
in the early years, and increasingly Central and damage of economic forces and alienation on
Southern Europeans thereafter — flowed the weak or vulnerable individual. Sur-
47
vivors, like Twain’s Huck Finn, Finn, a poor boy who decides to
Humphrey Vanderveyden in follow the voice of his conscience
London’s The Sea-Wolf, and Drei- and help a Negro slave escape to
ser’s opportunistic Sister Carrie, freedom, even though Huck thinks
endure through inner strength this means that he will be damned
involving kindness, flexibility, to hell for breaking the law.
and, above all, individuality. Twain’s masterpiece, which
appeared in 1884, is set in the
Samuel Clemens Mississippi River village of St.
(Mark Twain) (1835-1910) Petersburg. The son of an alcoholic
S
amuel Clemens, better bum, Huck has just been adopted
known by his pen name of by a respectable family when his
Mark Twain, grew up in the father, in a drunken stupor, threat-
Mississippi River frontier town ens to kill him. Fearing for his life,
of Hannibal, Missouri. Ernest Huck escapes, feigning his own
Hemingway’s famous state- death. He is joined in his escape
ment that all of American litera- by another outcast, the slave Jim,
ture comes from one great book, whose owner, Miss Watson, is
Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry thinking of selling him down the
Finn, indicates this author’s tow- river to the harsher slavery of the
ering place in the tradition. Early deep South. Huck and Jim float on
19th-century American writers a raft down the majestic Missis-
tended to be too flowery, senti- sippi, but are sunk by a steamboat,
mental, or ostentatious — par- separated, and later reunited.
tially because they were still trying They go through many comical
to prove that they could write as and dangerous shore adventures
elegantly as the English. Twain’s that show the variety, generosity,
style, based on vigorous, realistic, and sometimes cruel irrationality
colloquial American speech, gave of society. In the end, it is discov-
American writers a new apprecia- ered that Miss Watson had already
tion of their national voice. Twain freed Jim, and a respectable fam-
was the first major author to come ily is taking care of the wild boy
from the interior of the country, Huck. But Huck grows impatient
and he captured its distinctive, with civilized society and plans
humorous slang and iconoclasm. to escape to “the territories” —
For Twain and other American Indian lands. The ending gives
writers of the late 19th century, the reader the counter-version
S amuel C lemens
realism was not merely a liter- of the classic American success
(M ark T wain )
ary technique: It was a way of myth: the open road leading to
speaking truth and exploding the pristine wilderness, away from
worn-out conventions. Thus it was the morally corrupting influences
profoundly liberating and poten- of “civilization.” James Fenimore
Illustration by Thaddeus A.
tially at odds with society. The Miksinski, Jr. Cooper’s novels, Walt Whitman’s
most well-known example is Huck hymns to the open road, William
48
Faulkner’s The Bear, and Jack Kerouac’s On the FRONTIER HUMOR AND REALISM
T
Road are other literary examples. wo major literary currents in 19th-cen-
Huckleberry Finn has inspired countless lit- tury America merged in Mark Twain:
erary interpretations. Clearly, the novel is a popular frontier humor and local color, or
story of death, rebirth, and initiation. The “regionalism.” These related literary approach-
escaped slave, Jim, becomes a father figure es began in the 1830s — and had even earlier
for Huck; in deciding to save Jim, Huck grows roots in local oral traditions. In ragged frontier
morally beyond the bounds of his slave-owning villages, on riverboats, in mining camps, and
society. It is Jim’s adventures that initiate Huck around cowboy campfires far from city amuse-
into the complexities of human nature and give ments, storytelling flourished. Exaggeration,
him moral courage. tall tales, incredible boasts, and comic working-
The novel also dramatizes Twain’s ideal of men heroes enlivened frontier literature. These
the harmonious community: “What you want, humorous forms were found in many frontier
above all things, on a raft is for everybody to regions — in the “old Southwest” (the present-
be satisfied and feel right and kind toward the day inland South and the lower Midwest), the
others.” Like Melville’s ship the Pequod, the raft mining frontier, and the Pacific Coast. Each
sinks, and with it that special community. The region had its colorful characters around whom
pure, simple world of the raft is ultimately over- stories collected: Mike Fink, the Mississippi riv-
whelmed by progress — the steamboat — but erboat brawler; Casey Jones, the brave railroad
the mythic image of the river remains, as vast engineer; John Henry, the steel-driving African-
and changing as life itself. American; Paul Bunyan, the giant logger whose
The unstable relationship between reality fame was helped along by advertising; western-
and illusion is Twain’s characteristic theme, ers Kit Carson, the Indian fighter, and Davy
the basis of much of his humor. The magnifi- Crockett, the scout. Their exploits were exag-
cent yet deceptive, constantly changing river gerated and enhanced in ballads, newspapers,
is also the main feature of his imaginative and magazines. Sometimes, as with Kit Carson
landscape. In Life on the Mississippi, Twain and Davy Crockett, these stories were strung
recalls his training as a young steamboat pilot together into book form.
when he writes: “I went to work now to learn Twain, Faulkner, and many other writers,
the shape of the river; and of all the eluding particularly southerners, are indebted to fron-
and ungraspable objects that ever I tried to get tier pre-Civil War humorists such as Johnson
mind or hands on, that was the chief.” Hooper, George Washington Harris, Augustus
Twain’s moral sense as a writer echoes his Longstreet, Thomas Bangs Thorpe, and Joseph
pilot’s responsibility to steer the ship to safety. Baldwin. From them and the American frontier
Samuel Clemens’s pen name, “Mark Twain,” is folk came the wild proliferation of comical new
the phrase Mississippi boatmen used to signify American words: “absquatulate” (leave), “flab-
two fathoms (3.6 meters) of water, the depth bergasted” (amazed), “rampagious” (unruly,
needed for a boat’s safe passage. Twain’s seri- rampaging). Local boasters, or “ring-tailed
ous purpose combined with a rare genius for roarers,” who asserted they were half horse,
humor and style keep Twain’s writing fresh half alligator, also underscored the boundless
and appealing. energy of the frontier. They drew strength from
natural hazards that would terrify lesser men.
“I’m a regular tornado,” one swelled, “tough as
hickory and long-winded as a nor’wester.
49

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• know about the author and the background information

L Learn About ... Daniel Defoe

Read the text and answer the questions.

What is Robinson Crusoe like, based

What scares Crusoe? 3 Which of the following is Crusoe NOT

b a person a ruin his crops

c a boat b steal his animals

d a ghost c find his house

a hurries home a He was afraid.

b looks for a stranger b People were nearby.

c tr ies to attack c He was watching for danger.

d calls for help d He was uncomfortable.

1 What is the speaker mostly talking about?

2 What did Crusoe and Selkirk have in common?

Twenty Years, all alone in an A ;;~~~~~~~/~~ si

ow he was at last as strangely -----'~ lfon/tlf. I

ou blishers shortened the name

With a partner, answer the following questions.

lAnalyze the Characters

• naive • arrogant • pure

13 Think About lt.

• What do the characters have in common?

lAnalyze the Themes

Theme Lines from Passage

Think About lt.

Word Defin ition

With a partner, discuss the following questions.

LLearn About ... Jonathan Swift

D onathan Swift (1667-1745) was an important Irish writer.

2 Why does the f irst projector 4 What kind of animal inspired

2 Why did Swift ask someone to copy his book?

-_-:c original title of Gulliver's Travels was Travels

-.:.rrs. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a

Answer the following questions with a partner.

nalyze the Characters

• curious • one-dimensional • intelligent • impractical

Think About lt.

How is the character of Gulliver different than the projectors?

lAnalyze the Setting

Place Inhabitants Meaning

Lilliput & Blefuscu

Laputa & Balnibarbi

14 Think About lt.

- Analyze the Symbols

Answer the following questions.

alyze the Themes

Use lines from the passage to fill in the graphic organizer.

Theme Examplesfrom Passage

"nk About lt.

L ln .. oepth Analysis: Satire

~ fortunate tradesman! ' the ageing soldier cries.

"What could I do at Rome? I don 't know how to cheat;

nobody is going to be a thief with me as his accomplice,

What kind of satire does Swift

J iscuss the following questions as a class.

L Learn About ... Jane Austen

Which of the Bennet daughters are main characters?

Character(s) Jvtain [}dea(s)

Twenty Years, all alone in an A ;;~~~~~/ si