English 372-01: Early American Literature
Spring 2014: MWF 11:00 – 11:50
Curry 237
Professor Karen Weyler ● Email: KAWeyler@uncg.edu
Teaching Intern: Ms. Catherine Clifton ● Email: cmclifto@uncg.edu
Office: MHRA 3121 ● Telephone: 334-4689
Office hours: MF 12-1; W 10-11
Required Texts
Lauter, Paul, et al. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Vol. A. 7th ed. ISBN 978-1-133-31022-8
Additional readings will be available through attachments on Blackboard.
Course Description
Long before there was a United States, there was a New World in which the indigenous peoples,
Europeans, and Africans interacted and intermingled, sometimes peacefully and sometimes violently.
Although we will focus in English 372 on the literature of British America, we’ll need to begin our study
of the literatures of the New World by reading European exploration writings. We’ll consider such
important topics as competing models of colonialism and colonization, Native American responses to
exploration and settlement, the ways in which religion shaped responses to the New World and its
inhabitants, and the rise of modern nationalism. After acknowledging the contingent, contested status
of Europeans in the New World, we’ll be equipped to read the texts produced by the American
experience with fresh eyes, receptive to unfamiliar forms of writing such as the sermon, the captivity
narrative, and the spiritual autobiography.
This is a discussion-oriented class. Students will be expected to participate on a daily basis by engaging
in small group and whole class discussions, being attentive to discussions, asking questions, and reading
aloud passages from our text.
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of the semester, students will be able to:
 explain how patterns of exploration and settlement influenced the kinds of writing produced in
the New World;
 describe the varied genres in which explorers, settlers, and Native peoples wrote and the
historical contexts in which their works appeared;
 explain some of the origins of European and Native American conflict and cooperation;
 discuss how the varied religious faiths practiced in early America shaped and informed oral and
textual productions;
 understand how changing aesthetic tastes influenced the production of belles lettres and
contributed to the rise of genres popular today, such as the novel; and,
 locate and identify archival sources relevant to the study of early America.
Accommodation for Disabilities
If you would like to request accommodation for a disability that could affect your performance in this
course, please contact the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services at 334-5440. OARS designs all
classroom and testing accommodations, and I am happy to work with them to facilitate your success in
this class.
Course Requirements and Evaluation
You must complete and turn in all assignments in order to be eligible to pass this course. The final grade
for this course will be based on the following:
Midterm
15%
Second Exam
15%
Take-home Final Exam
15%
Quizzes
10%
Archival Assignment
15%
Research Essay
25%
Participation and in-class writing
5%
Office Hours and Conferences
You are welcome to visit my office at any point during the semester or to schedule an appointment in
order to discuss reading assignments, papers, etc.
UNCG Writing Center
The Writing Center (located at 3211 MHRA Building) is a wonderful resource, and I encourage you to
visit it for assistance with your writing. For more information, call 334-3125.
Departmental List-serv
If you would like to join the English Department listserv, send the following message to
listproc@uncg.edu: Subscribe English-l yourfirstname yourlastname (note that is a lower case L, not the
numeral 1, following English).
Student Code of Conduct and the Academic Integrity Policy
I expect every student to abide by the principles of the Student Code of Conduct and the Academic
Integrity Policy, which may be found on line at http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu/complete/. Students
will need to sign the Academic Integrity Pledge on all major work. In addition, you must always properly
document any use of another's words, ideas, or research; unacknowledged use of someone else's
thoughts is plagiarism. Work that is not properly documented will receive a zero; further penalties may
be assessed according to the criteria established under the Academic Integrity Policy. If you have
questions concerning documentation, please consult me.
Selling class notes for commercial gain or purchasing such class notes in this or any other course at
UNCG is a violation of the University’s Copyright Policy and of the Student Code of Conduct. Sharing
notes for studying purposes or borrowing notes to make up for absences, without commercial gain, are
not violations.
Use of any form of unauthorized electronic device (e.g. cell phone, mp3 player, etc.) during quizzes or
exams will result in an automatic zero on the assignment.
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Attendance Policy
Attendance is crucial to this class: Good discussions are its lifeblood. If you aren’t present, you can’t
participate in discussions or writing workshops. Further, I will draw test and quiz questions not only
from the assigned reading but also from our discussions and additional material presented in class.
Students who miss class frequently will be at a tremendous disadvantage on these assessments.
If you are ill, you should certainly stay home; it is your obligation, however, to determine what you have
missed and to make up any missed work promptly. Please be aware that in-class writing assignments
cannot be made up. Students will be allowed to make up missed work from excused absences only;
arrangements must be made in advance of the absence and written documentation is required.
Grounds for excused absence include such events as illness, death in the family, or religious holidays.
Requests for excused absences for religious observance must be made at least one week in advance.
Per university policy, students are limited to a maximum of two excused absences for religious
observances; documentation is required, and any work that will be due during the absence must be
submitted in advance.
Ten or more absences, regardless of excuse, will result in a failing grade. In order to be counted as
present, students must be present for the entire class meeting. Students who arrive late or leave early
will be counted as absent.
Classroom Courtesy
All of us are responsible for creating a productive, civil learning environment. I will give you 100% of my
attention, and I expect the same in return. Ringing phones, texting, the presence of headsets or
earbuds, and laptops open to social media are disrespectful and distracting to your classmates.
Students who engage in such behavior will be asked to leave the class. Please turn off and put away all
electronic devices when you enter our class. Students who require assistive technology are of course
exempt from this policy. If you are an emergency responder and need to be on call, please turn your
electronic device to vibrate and alert me.
What Can You Expect from Your Professor?
You can expect that I will treat you as an adult, encourage your participation in this class, listen carefully
to what you have to say, and challenge your thinking. You can also expect me to evaluate your work
fairly, offer constructive criticism and praise of your oral and written work, and return your work in a
timely fashion.
Electronic Resource: If you can’t remember what an allegory is, or if you can’t tell an allusion from an
illusion, here’s an excellent (free!) online literary handbook for you:
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/litgloss/.
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Course Calendar and Reading Assignments
Please complete each day's readings before coming to class. Be sure to read the author introduction for each set of
readings. You should always bring your book and printouts of any electronic readings to class. In case of inclement
weather, you should be guided by UNCG's adverse weather policy. If classes are cancelled for any reason, please
continue with the scheduled readings; I will notify you via Blackboard of any schedule adjustments.
Monday
Jan. 13
Course Introduction
Wednesday
Friday
Jan. 15
Jan 17
Exploration and Cultural Exchange
Columbus continued; “Requerimiento”
“Beginnings to 1700, 1-9; “America in 117-18
the World” 107-09; Columbus, 122-23;
Journal 124-32
Jan. 20 Martin Luther King Holiday
No Class Meeting
Jan. 22
Jan. 24
Cabeza de Vaca, 147-48; Relation 149-- Cabeza de Vaca continued, if necessary;
61
“New France” 270-72; Radisson, Relation,
pdf on BB
Jan. 27
Radisson, Relation, pdf on BB
Jan. 29
The English Colonies:
Smith, A Description of New England
323-26; Advertisements for the
Unexperienced Planters 327
Jan. 31
Bradford, 397-98; Of Plymouth Plantation
399-417
Feb. 3
Feb. 5
Feb. 7
Bradford continued; Winthrop, 378-80; Winthrop continued; Williams, 421-23; Bradstreet, “The Flesh and the Spirit,”
A Model of Christian Charity 380-89
To the Town of Providence 435-36
446-48; “Upon the Burning of Our House”
Quiz
451-52; “Before the Birth of One of Her
Children” 448-49; “To My Dear and
Loving Husband” 449
Feb. 10
Bradstreet,
“The Prologue” 439-41
“The Author to Her Book” 445
Feb. 12
The New England Primer 477-80;
Introduction to Electronic Databases
and Archival Assignment
Feb. 14
Taylor, “Upon Wedlock and Death of
Children” 525-27; “A Fig for Thee, Oh!
Death” 539-40
Feb. 17
Rowlandson, 480-82; A Narrative of
the Captivity and Restoration 482-97
Feb. 19
Rowlandson, A Narrative of the
Captivity and Restoration 497-514
Feb. 21
The Great Awakening
Edwards, 700-02; “Personal Narrative”
711-22; Sinners 723-35
Feb. 24
Feb. 26
Edwards continued; Ashbridge, 735-36;Woolman, 749-51; Journal 751-64
Some Account 737-49
Feb. 28
Occom, 869-70; “A Short Narrative”
870-76
Mar. 3
First Exam
Please bring a blue book (any size
ok) and a blue or black ink pen.
Mar. 7
Archival Assignment due
Paine, 1045-47; Common Sense 1047-54
Mar. 5
The American Revolution and the
Creation of a National Culture
“Voices of Revolution and
Nationalism” 907-09; Franklin, “The
Way to Wealth” 913-19; “An Edict
by the King of Prussia” 922-25
4
Mar. 10
Spring Break: No Class Meeting
Mar. 12
Spring Break: No Class Meeting
Mar. 14
Spring Break: No Class Meeting
Mar. 17
Wheatley, 1328-50; “Letter to the
Right Hon’ble” 1352; “To the Right
Honourable William” 1352-53; “On
the Death of the Rev. Mr. George
Whitefield 1770” 1354-55;
Broadside workshop
Mar. 19
Wheatley continued; “On Being
Brought” 1357; “Letter to Samson
Occom” 1156-57
Mar. 21
Jefferson, Autobiography (The
Declaration section) 1157-62; Prince
Hall, “Petition” 1162-63; Anon., “The
Rights of Woman” 1163-65
Mar. 24
Jefferson, 1080-83; Notes on the
State of Virginia 1083-1101
Mar. 26
Crevecoeur, 1006-07; Letters from
an American Farmer 1008-19
Mar. 28
Crevecoeur, Letters from an American
Farmer 1019-27
Mar. 31
Murray, “Desultory Thoughts” 12991302; “On the Domestic Education
of Children” 1302-05; Topic for
research essay due in class
April 2
Murray, “On the Equality of the
Sexes” 1305-13; Turell, [Lines on
Childbirth] 826
April 4
Stockton “A Poetical Epistle” 833-35;
anon., “The Lady’s Complaint” 857-58;
“Verses Written by a Young Lady” 858
Quiz
April 7
Draft Workshop for Research Essay
April 9
Rowson, 1469-70; Slaves in Algiers
1471-90
April 14
April 16
Tyler, 1401-03; The Contrast 1403-23 Tyler, The Contrast 1424-47
April 11
Rowson, Slaves in Algiers 1490-1505
April 21
Tyler, The Contrast continued
Research Essay due
April 28
Amelia; or the Faithless Briton
continued
April 23
Essays on novel reading (pdfs on BB)
April 25
Amelia; or the Faithless Briton (pdf on BB)
Tuesday, April 29
Note: This is a Tuesday, but the
university follows the Friday
schedule.
Second Exam
Please bring a blue book (any size
ok) and a blue or black ink pen.
Friday, May 2
Take Home Final Exam due by noon to
MHRA 3121
5
April 18
Spring Holiday: No Class Meeting