American Literature I Reading Assignment 1

The following readings must be completed before you do take the mid-term exam. All readings except web links are found in the Norton Anthology of American Literature, vol. A. Make certain you read the material on web links because the online readings, along with textbook readings, will be a source of test questions on the mid-term and final exam for this course. I recommend making print copies of the online readings to facilitate review for these exams. If you do not have your own printer, you can print these pages free in any ACC library.

(1) Online Overview and Notes, American Literature to 1700: http://www2.wwnorton.com/college/english/naal7/contents/A/welcome.asp . I would recommend that the first time you read this, you click on the “full text” link because reading the complete version of the overview and notes will facilitate your understanding of the material. However, do not click on See Overview: 1700 - 1820 at this time. That link goes with Reading Assignment 3, and you should not click it until you reach that point in the course.

(2) I have given you the link to the online overview and notes for the sixth edition of your textbook, although we are using the seventh edition this semester. I did this because at the time I revised this assignment (a week before the first day of the semester), Norton still did not have the web site for this part of the seventh edition of the textbook completed. I doubt that Norton will make any significant changes in the notes for the seventh edition. In the event that there are major revisions in these online notes for the seventh edition, I will change this link and post an announcement about this on Blackboard. Norton has wonderful textbooks and a great web site, but the company unfortunately does not keep professors up to date as to what changes to expect on the web site and when they will be completed.

(3) Introduction and Timeline, Literature to 1700, 1--15. (Study tip: Make certain you take special care to read the introductions to literary periods and authors that I include on your reading assignments and to focus on them in your reviews for the mid-term and final exams. Many questions on the objective exams come from these introductions.)

Native American Mythology and Folklore

(4) Stories of the Beginning of the World, 17

(5) “The Iroquois Creation Story,” 18--21

(6) Pima Stories of the Creation of the World, 21--22

(7) “The Story of Creation,” 22--24

Writings of European Explorers and Conquistadors

(8) Christopher Columbus, 31--32

(9) Medieval Sourcebook: Christopher Columbus: Extracts from Journal: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/columbus1.html

Read journal entries for Thursday, October 11--Sunday, October 21. Instructor’s note: I located this translation of actual excerpts of the journal of Christopher Columbus through a web search. I hope you find them as interesting as I did.

(10) From Letter to Luis de Santangel Regarding the First Voyage, 32--33

(11) From Letter to Ferdinand and Isabella Regarding the Fourth Voyage, 33--34

(12) Bartolome de las Casas, 35--36

(13) From “The Very Brief Relation of the Devastation of the Indies,” 36—39

(14) Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, 40—41

(15) From “The Relation of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca,” 41--48