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AMERICAN LITERATURE I

PROF. KLEYTON PEREIRA


The texts bellow represent part of what is considered the Age of Enlightenment in America. In
this period, US struggles for its independence against the British Empire. Its also known as the
Revolutionary Era. Most of the texts of the 18th century in the US exult and praise the ideas of
freedom, liberty and reason. Read and analyze them connecting the ideas they share.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
The autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
[] It was about this time I conceived the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection. I
wished to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natural inclination,
custom, or company might lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did
not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other. [...] In the various enumerations of the
moral virtues I had met with in my reading, I found the catalogue more or less numerous, as different
writers included more or fewer ideas under the same name. Temperance, for example, was by some
confined to eating and drinking, while by others it was extended to mean the moderating every other
pleasure, appetite, inclination, or passion, bodily or mental, even to our avarice and ambition. I propos'd
to myself, for the sake of clearness, to use rather more names, with fewer ideas annex'd to each, than a
few names with more ideas; and I included under thirteen names of virtues all that at that time occurr'd to
me as necessary or desirable, and annexed to each a short precept, which fully express'd the extent I
gave to its meaning.
These names of virtues, with their precepts, were:
1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of
your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
My intention being to acquire the habitude of all these virtues, I judg'd it would be well not to distract my
attention by attempting the whole at once, but to fix it on one of them at a time; and, when I should be
master of that, then to proceed to another, and so on, till I should have gone thro' the thirteen; and, as
the previous acquisition of some might facilitate the acquisition of certain others, I arrang'd them with that
view, as they stand above. Temperance first, as it tends to procure that coolness and clearness of head,
which is so necessary where constant vigilance was to be kept up, and guard maintained against the
unremitting attraction of ancient habits, and the force of perpetual temptations.
TOMAS JEFFERSON
The Declaration of Independence
The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all
having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let
Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended
in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to
attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those
people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and
formidable to tyrants only.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and
unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the
Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an
Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit
instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms
of our Governments:
[]
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled,
appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by
Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United
Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all
Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great
Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full
Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and
Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm
reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes
and our sacred Honor.
PHILIP FRENEAU
The Wild Honey Suckle
Emporers and kings! in vain you strive
Your torments to conceal-The age is come that shakes your thrones,
Tramples in dust despotic crowns,
And bids the sceptre fail.
In western worlds the flame began:
From thence to France it flew-Through Europe, now, it takes its way,
Beams an insufferable day,
And lays all tyrants low.
Genius fo France! pursue the chace
Till Reason's laws restore
Man to be Man, in every clime;-That Being, active, great, sublime
Debas'd in dust no more.
In dreadful pomp he takes his way
O'er ruin'd crowns, demolish'd thrones-Pale tyrants shrink before his blaze--

Round him terrific lightenings play-With eyes of fire, he looks then through,
Crushes the vile despotic crew,
And Pride in ruin lays.

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