Colonial American Literature

• Poetry:
  • Michael Wigglesworth
  • Anne Bradstreet
  • Edward Taylor
• Prose:
  • Captain John Smith (1579-1631)
    first Americn annalist
    he wrote 8 books
    fame rests on the story of Pocahantas
    only spent three years in America
      a visit to 'Isles of Shols' on the NewEngland coast
    • A True Relation
      of such Occurrences and Accidents of Note as hath hapned in Virginia since the first planting of that Colony of such occurrences and accidents of noate as hath happened in Virginia since the first planting of that Collony, which is now resident in the South part thereof, till the last return from thence. Written by Captaine Smith, Coronell of the said Collony, to a worshipfull friend of his in England
      • 1608 - London
        first attributed to a gentleman of the colony
        secondly to Thomas Watson
        was not assigned to Smith until 1615
        In this work no mention is made of the rescue by Pocahontas, , but she is referred to incidentally as a child of ten, who not only for feature, countenance, and proportion greatly exceeded the rest of her countrywomen, but was "the only nonpareil of the country".
    • A Map of Virginia
      with a Description of the Country
      Written by Captain Smith, edited by W[illiam]. S[immonds].
      • 1612 - Oxford
    • A Description of New England
      • 1616 - London
    • New England Trials
      • 1620 - London
        written during his French captivity
      • 1622 - 2nd edition enlarged
    • The General History of Virginia
      New England, and The Summer Isles
      work contains the account of Captain Smith's escape from the Indians in January 1608
      improved for the purpose of presenting Pocahontas in the most favourable light during her visit to England and the Court during the winter of 1616-1617.
      • 1624 - London
      • 1625 - reprinted
      • 1627 - reprinted
      • 1632 - reprinted
    • An Accidence
      or the Pathway to Experience necessary for all young Seamen
      • 1626 - London
      • 1627 - enlarged as 'The Seaman's Grammar'
        or 'A Sea Grammar'
        likely enlarged by someone else
    • The True Travels,
      Adventures, and Observations of Captain John Smith in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, from Anno Domini 1593 to 1629, together with a Continuation of his General History of Virginia
      • 1630
    • Advertisements for the Unexperienced Planters of New England
      • 1631 - London
• Thomas Jefferson's Autobiography
• "Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America"
• Thomas Paine's Common Sense
• Alexander Hamilton and James Madison's Federalist Papers