Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: American Literature by Morris Dickstein
This article by Morris Dickstein traces the history of American poetry, drama, fiction, and social and literary criticism from the early 17th century to the late 20th century. It includes a section for each century providing historical...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Rhythms in Poetry: Ezra Pound
Poet and mentor Ezra Pound is the focus of this brief biography highlighting his works and energy for new artistic movements of the early twentieth century. Click on "Ezra Pound Activities" for related materials.
Lumen Learning
Lumen: Early American and Puritan Literature: The Pilgrim's Progress
The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come; Delivered under the Similitude of a Dream is a Christian allegory written by John Bunyan (1628-1688) and published in February 1678. It is regarded as one of the most...
Lumen Learning
Lumen: Early American and Puritan Literature: "A Model of Christian Charity"
"A Model of Christian Charity" is a 1630 sermon by Puritan layman and leader John Winthrop, who delivered on board the ship Arbella while en route to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It is also known as City upon a Hill and denotes the...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Social Realism: Henry James
Henry James is the focus of this biography for his ability to write about how people deal with problems with attention drawn to Europeans versus Americans in the early twentieth century. See "Henry James Activities" for more resources.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Masculine Heroes: James Fenimore Cooper
This brief biography of James Fenimore Cooper highlights his life as an author who was able to incorporate politics, wilderness and Native Americans into fictitious novels. Click on "James Fenimore Cooper Activities" for related materials.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Utopian Promise: Edward Taylor
Born in England, emigrant Edward Taylor was a Harvard educated minister, writer, and poet of orthodox Puritan theology. Click on "Edward Taylor Activities" for related materials.
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Outline of American Lit
Part of a larger series on "The Rise of Realism: 1860-1914," this website provides some brief analysis of Henry James' three writing phases: his two "international" phases (early and late) and his "experimental" phase.
Black Past
Black Past: Phillis Wheatley
This on-line encyclopedia article gives information about Phillis Wheatley, the Boston slave who surprised colonial America with her poetry. She was the first African-American woman to have her work published.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Social Realism: Theodore Dreiser
Theodore Dreiser is featured as a realistic author who draws upon the social conditions and humanity in America in his writings. Click on "Theodore Dreiser Activities" for related materials.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Modernist Portraits: Susan Glaspell
Susan Glaspell is featured in this brief biography for her literary contributions as author and playwright focusing on the role of women in American society in the early twentieth century. See "Susan Glaspell Activities" for related...
Academy of American Poets
Poets.org: Ezra Pound
This is a very good site from the Academy of American Poets about Ezra Pound. The site houses a biography of the poet, a selected bibliography of his work, as well as links to full texts of several of his well known works.
US Department of State
American Life: Discontent and Reform
This article from the US Department of State, "USA History in Brief," reviews the reasons for and results of Progressivism in the early 20th century.
Lumen Learning
Lumen: American and Puritan Literature: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is a sermon written by British Colonial Christian theologian Jonathan Edwards, preached to his own congregation in Northampton, Massachusetts to an unknown effect, and again on July 8, 1741, in...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Extra, Extra!! Mary Rowlandson's Captivity Newscast
This lesson will be an interdisciplinary lesson that involves both English Language Arts and Social Studies (History). The lesson will be primarily technology-based and also project-based that will have the students performing historical...