/ English 205
Colonial American Literature
Spring 2006
Professor Michael Drexler
Teaching Assistant: Caleb Sheaffer
Office: / 115 Vaughan Lit
Phone: / 577-1319
Office Hours: TBA
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Course Description

This course surveys the emergence of English-language American culture in the first, dramatic period of the European Empires. It begins with the first colonization of the Americas, and stretches beyond the Revolution to the early national period. The full range of early American writing will be covered. Students will receive an introduction to Puritanism, for example, as well as the literatures of exploration, English and Indian contact and conflict, Enlightenment theory, and imaginative prose and poetry. Placing the literary culture of the settlements in the context of other colonies as well as the growing cosmopolitan culture of the British empire itself, this course will follow numerous dialogues across the English Atlantic world. We will consider such topics as: rival models of colonialism, contradictions in the ideal of civilization, controversies over race in early modern culture, and the development of nationalism. The English Literatures of America includes women writers on both sides of the ocean; early English-language texts of Native Americans; and writings of Africans both slave and free, in London as well as in the American colonies.

Course Materials

Our primary text is the anthology The English Literatures of America, edited by Myra Jehlen and Michael Warner. Alan Taylor’s The American Colonies will provide cultural and historical problems for us to consider as we work with primary readings.

Course Requirements

1.Class attendance is compulsory. You may miss two classes for any reason. I don’t need or want to see excuses. After the second absence, you will lose 1/3 a letter grade for each additional absence. If you miss 6 classes you will fail the course. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to find out whether there is an assignment due for the next class. And don’t ask me what you missed. Find a classmate, get the notes, and get the work done.

2. Participation--I expect active participation from everyone in class. To participate at the highest level, you must prepare the readings adequately. That means keeping a reading journal, marking key passages in your text, and bringing questions or comments with you to each and every class. There will also be opportunities to work in groups. Enthusiastic and supportive participation is expected. Please note that completion of in-class writing and take home assignments will be considered part of your participation grade. I don’t consider any of the work I’m asking of you to be “busy” work. The preparatory exercises, reading quizzes, and in-class writing assignments are designed to get you working on your formal essays. I may give short pop quizzes occasionally.

3. Mid-term Exam—An in-class exam including identification questions and at least one essay question.

4. First Paper--The first paper is due February 20, but you should consider each writing assignment as preparation for that project. Your paper will be 4-5 pages long (approximately 1500 words). There are 3 preparatory projects to get you started designing a project and beginning the work that will carry you toward a successful paper: 1) the Digital Evans project, 2) the close reading exercise, and 3) the paper proposal. Treat these assignments as early drafts of your assignment and you will be well on your way to an thoughtful, detail-oriented, analytic paper. The topic for the first paper is open and you should begin discussions with me as soon as possible to define your project. On February 8, you will turn in a project proposal. This proposal will include 1) a prospective title, 2) a list of primary readings that you will consider in the body of the paper, and 3) a thesis statement or first paragraph. Save the Paper Proposal Document to your hard drive, fill it out, and resave it using your last name_proposal1.doc as the file name. Then submit it to the Blackboard Digital Dropbox.

Late Papers--A paper is late if it is turned in after the class period in which it is due, regardless whether you are in class on that date. If you are going to miss class when a paper is due either hand it in early or send it to class with a friend. I will accept email attachments, but prefer physical copies of your work. Late papers will be docked 1/3 a letter grade for each 24 hour period until you hand in your work or its value shrunk to nothingness. Extensions may be granted in rare circumstances and if requested in advance (ie 72 hours before the assignment is due). I retain the right to be merciful in cases of emergency.

Rewrite Policy--You may elect to rewrite your midterm paper. To begin the rewrite process, you must meet with me to address your plans. You will generally get one week to revise your paper. And you must hand in the original draft with my comments along with the new paper. Only substantially revised papers will receive a new grade. You cannot lower your grade by doing a rewrite, but a higher grade is not guaranteed either. If you do receive a higher grade, that grade will replace the original mark.
5. Second Paper--To be discussed after the midterm.

6. Final Exam—Identification questions since the midterm, short answer questions based on Charles Brockden Brown’s Wieland, and an essay question.

Please familiarize yourself with Bucknell’s policies on Academic Integrity and Plagiarism. Enrollment in this course will constitute acceptance of these policies.

Texts

Brown, Charles Brockden. Wieland.

Jehlen, Myra and Warner, Michael. The English Literatures of America (J/W)

Taylor, Alan. The American Colonies (AC)

Course Requirements and Policies

Participation
Midterm Exam
First Paper
Second Paper
Final / 15%
15%
20%
25%
25%

Preliminary Schedule of Classes

Date / Reading Assignment / Work
Wed, Jan 18 / Introduction, Anthologies, Resources / Digital Evans Project
Mon, Jan 23 / Europe and the New World
J/W 7-35: Polo, Mandeville, Columbus, Vespucci, and Nahuatl accounts of the Spanish conquest of Mexico
Requerimiento
View beginning of film: Cabeza de Vaca
This week: read AC – Introduction thru 90 / Close Reading
Wed, Jan 25 / Trouillot, “Good Day, Columbus” (ERES)
Paper Writing Handout
Mon, Jan 30 / J/W 39-64, especially readings 8 and 10 / Close Reading Paragraph Due to BlackBoard Digital Dropbox
Name File: [Last Name]_Close.doc
Wed, Feb 1 / English Ideas of America
Thomas Hariot, A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia, J/W 64-89 / Paper Writing Guide
Mon, Feb 6 / Ralegh and Montaigne J/W 91-96; John Donne, "To His Mistress"
AC 92-113
De Bry Engravings
John White and De Bry
Kolble Map
Pict
Wed, Feb 8 / The English Diaspora: Virginia
J/W 101-103; John Smith J/W 108-122, 146-149, and Richard Frethorne J/W 123-125
AC 118-137
John Smith's Map of Virginia
John Smith's Map of New England / Paper Proposal Due to Blackboard Digital Dropbox
Name File: [Last Name]_Proposal.doc
Mon, Feb 13 / The English Diaspora: New England
William Bradford, from Of PlymouthPlantation J/W 176-192
John Winthrop, “A Modell of Christian Charity” J/W 151-160
AC 159-186
Wed, Feb 15 / The English Diaspora: The West Indies
Richard Ligon, from A True and Exact History of the Island of Barbados J/W 201-219
“Great News from the Barbadoes” J/W 22-224
AC 205-221
Mon, Feb 20 / At Home in America
Anne Bradstreet J/W 548-563 / First Paper Due to Blackboard Dropbox
Name File: [Last Name]_Paper1.doc
Wed, Feb 22 / Michael Wigglesworth, from the diary J/W 319-321 and “God’s Controversy” J/W 563-575
Edward Taylor, selections TBA
Mon, Feb 27 / Mary Rowlandson J/W 349-382
AC 188-203
Wed, Mar 1 / Rowlandson, continued
Mon, Mar 6 / Sarah Kemble Knight J/W 415-427
Wed, Mar 8 / MIDTERM EXAM
Mon, Mar 20 / The Eighteenth Century: Civilization and Its Discontents
Samuel Sewall, “The Selling of Joseph” and Saffin’s reply J/W817-825
Daniel Horsmanden, from Journal of the Proceedings Against the Conspirators, at New York in 1741
Jonathan Edwards, “Of Being” J/W 601-605
Wed, Mar 22 / Jonathan Edwards, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” J/W 616-627
AC 339-362
Mon, Mar 27 / David Brainerd, from the journal J/W 639-643
Phillis Wheatley, “To the University of Cambridge,” “On Being Brought from Africa to America,” “To the Right Honorable William, Earl of Dartmouth” J/W 1076-1081
Wed, Mar 29 / Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography, Parts I and II J/W 725-770
Mon, Apr 3 / Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence J/W 858-862
Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, #1 J/W 868-873; from The Age of Reason J/W 673-681
Wed, Apr 5 / William Manning, Key of Liberty J/W 893-899
Olaudah Equiano, from The Interesting Narrative J/W 792-798 / Second Paper Due Blackboard Dropbox
Name File: [Last Name]_Paper2.doc
Mon, Apr 10 / from the Virginia ratification debate J/W 883-884; James Madison, Federalist 10 J/W 885-890
Benjamin Franklin, “Sidi Mehemet on the Slave Trade” J/W 891-893
Wed, Apr 12 / Abigail Adams, letter to John Adams J/W 852-854
Judith Sargent Murray, “On the Equality of the Sexes” J/W 874-879
Susanna Haswell Rowson, from Charlotte Temple J/W 989-990
Hannah Webster Foster, from The Coquette J/W 990-993
Mon, Apr 17 / Charles Brockden Brown, Wieland
Wed, Apr 19 / Wieland
Mon, Apr 24 / Wieland
Wed, Apr 26 / Wieland
Mon, May 1 / Fisher Ames, “American Literature” J/W 1000-1009
FINAL EXAM TBA