Contents
Welcome: Suggestions for Students xii
To the Instructor xv
Acknowledgments xvii
Epigraphs xviii
Letter to the reader: Contexts for Early American Literature 3
Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) 34
From Letter to Luis de Santangel Regarding the First
Voyage 36
From Letter to Ferdinand and Isabella Regarding the
Fourth Voyage 38
Bartalome De La Casa (1484-1566) 41
From The Devastation of the Indies: Hispaniola 41
Iroquois Creation Story 44
A Tale of the Foundation of the Great Island, now North
America:-- The two Infants born, and the Creation
of the Universe 45
John Smith (1580-1631) 49
From A Description of New England, by Captain John
Smith 50
William Bradford (1590-1657) 55
From Of Plymouth Plantation
Book I, Chapter IX. Of Their Voyage, and how They
Passed the Sea; and of their Safe Arrival
at Cape Cod 54
Book I, Chapters X. Showing How they Sought out a
Place of Habitation; and What Befell Them
Thereabout 58
v