This collection created by Pat Pflieger is all about children of the 19th century and what they read. Sections to investigate include about the children, some of their magazines, some of their books, papers written on the subject, and additional web sites to visit.

Background information about the literary traditions of the pre-Colonial and Colonial period. Includes information about Native American oral traditions and Native American cultures. Follow the links to the Early American era and to authors of the period and some of their works. Click on documents (years on the left) to see the important governing documents of the period including the final draft of the Declaration of Independence. If you click on "Documents," it provides dates to locate famous American documents by year. RI.11-12.9 17,18.19th Cen Historic

A comprehensive site devoted to American literature compiled by a professor of English at Washington State University. Includes an alphabetical index of American authors, with links to biographical information, works online, critical analyses, and similar resources. A richly detailed timeline identifies key events in America's social, political, and literary history. And an index of American literary movements consolidates useful information and perspectives on a full range of styles.

This is a collection of lesson videos about Carl Sandburg and his works from the PBS American Masters Collection.

This is a collection of six video lessons about Edgar Allan Poe and his works from the PBS American Masters Collection. Teaching materials are included.

This is a collection of four video lessons about Willa Cather and her work.

This video [4:32] from the American Masters film Willa Cather: The Road Is All provides an overview of the author's childhood. Born in Virginia, Cather's family moved to Nebraska in the aftermath of the Civil War.

This unit revolves around various social realist authors during the Gilded Age in America. Click the tabs for the list of authors, timeline, video and activities.

Nathaniel Hawthorne is featured in this brief biography highlighting his Puritan family background which inspired his thought provoking writings of the nineteenth century. Click on "Nathaniel Hawthorne Activities" for related resources.

A proponent of social and environmental rights, Henry David Thoreau is featured in this brief biography highlighting his contributions to literature. See Teaching Tips and Author Questions for discussion ideas.

This biography features Mark Twain as a regional realist author, world renown for his ability to portray real Americans in the late nineteenth century. Click "Mark Twain Activities" for artifacts and activities.

Business woman and author, Sarah Kemble Knight, was a humorist writer who documented her travels and the times of seventeenth century New England. Click on "Sarah Kemble Knight" for related resources.

The project is assembling an electronic archive of volumes of American poetry prior to 1920. The full text of each volume of poetry is being converted into digital form with various forms of access provided through the WWW. This site could be a boon to those searching for a specific or unusual American poem, or one about a particular topic. Several different types of searches are supported. RL.11-12.9 18,19,20th Cent. Amer Lit

Bibliomania provides the complete text of Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." Text is separated into chapters, and is an excellent example of regionalism, satire, theme, and irony.

A description and guide to Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, with historical information, author biography, discussion questions, and a ten-lesson unit of study with activities, homework assignments, project ideas, and essay topics. A radio show, with transcript, features readings from the novel along with discussion of context and important themes. [29:07] A video guide showcases the author discussing the history of the novel and its significance. [7:30]

A timeline of the social, political, historical, and literary history of America from the 1500s to the 1920s. It offers links to primary sources including historical and literary works including the original U.S. Constitution. RL.11-12.9 18,19,20th Cent. Amer Lit, RI.11-12.9 17,18.19th Cen Historic

In this video [3:17] from American Masters: The Day Carl Sandburg Died, students learn about Carl Sandburg and his early days as a "poet of the people." As a young man, Sandburg worked as an organizer for the Social-Democratic Party of Wisconsin. This work helped to fuel his poetry, which led him to focus on issues relevant to working people and the poor. The poems "Masses" and "Mill-Doors" are highlighted; teacher materials are provided.

Includes Countee Cullen's early life, his works and contains links to his contemporaries.

In this unit, students will explore great works of American literature and consider how writers reflect the time period in which they write. They will write two literary analysis papers and also work in groups to research and develop anthologies of excellent American stories.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Students read and analyze stories from several 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century American authors. After researching a time period, they select stories from that period to create an anthology. The readings enhance their understanding of the short story, increase their exposure to well-known American authors, and allow them to examine the influence of social, cultural, and political context.
Students examine elements of short stories and have an opportunity for close reading of several American short stories. During these close readings, they examine the ways that short story writers attempt to explore the greater truths of the American experience through their literature.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

These questions are a guide to stimulate thinking, discussion, and writing on the themes and ideas in the unit. For complete and thoughtful answers and for meaningful discussions, students must use evidence based on careful reading of the texts.

If you were to write a short story about this decade, what issues might you focus on?
What defines a short story? Just length?
To what extent do these stories reflect the era or decade in which they were written?
To what extent are the themes they address universal?

CLASSROOM FILMS

History.com has short videos on the Vietnam War (“Vietnam” and “A Soldier's Story”).

This site from Bibliomania contains the full text to Herman Melville's Billy Budd written in 1891. A brief but factual introduction is given along with a table of contents that has each chapter of the book accessible by link.