American Literature through Time

To find out more about a particular literature time period, click a link in the table below .

Rationalism/ Age of Enlightenment

1750-1800

Content:
national mission and American character
democratic utopia
use of reason
history is an act of individual and national self-assertion

Genre/Style:
political pamphlets
travel writing
highly ornate writing style
fiction employs generic plots and characters
fiction often tells the story of how an innocent young woman is tested by a seductive
male


Effect:
patriotism grows
instills pride
creates common agreement about issues
shows differences between Americans and Europeans

Historical Context:
tells readers how to interpret what they are reading to encourage Revolutionary War
support
instructive in values

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Q&A: Question: (9/17/2009) Tell me some major figures in the rationalism era. thanks you :) Answer: (10/17/2009) Thomas Paine -Common Sense Pamphlet Question: (9/17/2009) who were the major figures in the rationalism? Answer: (11/3/2009) thomas jefferson Question: (9/17/2009) who were the major figures Answer: (10/19/2009) Washington Irving Question: (9/17/2009) when did the major figures take place? Question: (9/17/2009) When did it take place? Question: (9/14/2009) how did rationalism affect the american political system? Question: (8/31/2009) what are the characteristics of the age of enlightenment? Answer: (9/14/2009) Characteristics would include the belief that God created humans with the ability to reason so that they might use reason to perfect themselves. Benjamin Franklin, in his Autobiography, outlines a very rational approach to self-improvement. Question: (8/26/2009) when did the age of reason begin and end? Answer: (11/5/2009) 19th century Question: (8/24/2009) what is rationalist Question: (8/20/2009) What are some characteristics for the Age of Reasoning? ...More Questions/Answers...		Comments: af (11/5/2009) There are no authors or works listed for the Amer lit period as there are for the British Lit period bernard (5/24/2009) who are some authors of the time period?