1. Founding Fathers
Background to the literature

2. What is this? A History class?!
If you were to sit and write a journal, poem, or
story, what would it be about?
The literature we write reflects who we are and
what is important to us.
In the 1770’s, Americans (then just Colonists) were
in an intense period of turmoil as they are going to
war with their mother country. What do you think
their literature at this time is going to be about?

3. You got it!
Revolutionary War
The most well known literature at this time
deals in some way with American Revolution.
To understand the literature, you have to
understand the people and what they were
going through.

4. How it Began (the brief version)
• 1754-1763  Brittan fights the French and
Indian War and gains land in North America
Colonists are happy to have British troops
coming to protect them.

5. War is expensive!!
So, England decides to get money back by taxing
the colonists. They create the Stamp Act.
This makes the colonists mad.

6. Then the Britian imposes even
more taxes on Colonists.
Colonists respond by creating
political groups to fight against
the taxes.
This, of course, upsets
the king.

7. Parliament responded with the "Intolerable
Acts."
- Accused Colonists could be tried in England - -
- American homes were forced to host British
troops
-Boston Harbor was closed

8. This resulted in the First Continental
Congress, in 1774, which met at Philadelphia's
Carpenters' Hall. Twelve colonies sent delegates
to discuss how to return to a state of
harmonious relations with the Mother Country
— not revolution! But radical thinking won out.
Parliamentary acts were declared
"unconstitutional." Taxes were not paid, an
import-export ban was established, and
Colonists were urged to arm themselves.