Literature of the 17-18th centuries

Literature of the 17-18^th centuries

According to the content of the presentation, there were four forms of American Literature.

Histories. The earliest form of literature was Histories which developed in the first years of the 1600s, used to keep detailed accounts of the lives of their little groups of colonists. The first forms were originated by Thomas Hariot in “A Brief and True Report of the New-Found Land of Virginia” (published in 1588).

Sermons. The population of the colonies increased rapidly, and by the middle of the 17th century these colonies were no longer crude outposts. In 1640, the “Bay Psalm Book” was the first book printed in America; by the early 1700s, in which newspapers were appearing.

Poetry. The Puritan notion that God should be seen in every phase of daily life also gave rise to poetry. Anne Bradstreet published a volume of fine poems, chiefly religious meditations, in 1650.

Folklore examples cover the followings: Lyrics, Chants, Myths, Fairy Tales, Humorous Anecdotes, Incantations, Riddles, Proverbs, Epics, Legendary histories and etc. Furthermore, the hundreds of Indian words in everyday American English include “canoe,” “tobacco,” “potato,” moccasin,” “moose”, “persimmon,” “raccoon,” “tomahawk,” and “totem.”