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Model
Assignments |
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Virginia DeLeon
History and Literature Go Hand in Hand
As I mentioned in the essay on my understanding
of the American Renaissance, the recurring themes of diversity and social
justice are major elements during this time. With the Civil War brewing, the
Mexican-American war taking place, and manifest destiny in full throttle- the
landscape of the nation was in constant flux. This is precisely why historical
knowledge is necessary to fully grasp the meaning and depth of this literary
period. Without historical context and background information, we truly could
not comprehend the vastness of these texts. This proves to be particularly true
in the field of education because student understanding is vastly supported with
historical knowledge of the time period.
Behind every great historical movement, there
has been an inspired writer documenting these events through poetry, prose,
public speeches, and even journals. As discussed by Jessica Zepeda, “Literature
has always been the revolutionary weapon used throughout history to smart
change. The majority of literature texts used in schools today have a rich
history of being part of that change” (Model Assignments). Although literature
can and should be admired for simply existing, students in grade school and in
college should also be aware of the historical context in which it was written.
Three readings from this semester that should be scaffolded with history are:
Abraham Lincoln’s The Gettysburg Address,
John N. Seguin’s Personal Memoirs,
and the Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass An American Slave as written by himself. These three
literary works, although very different in genre and style, represent the major
events that went on during the period of the American Renaissance.
Now that the end of the semester is here, I can
safely say I am leaving this course with a much better literary and historical
understanding of this monumental time in the nation. One of the most critical
historical events at the time was the end of slavery. With the abolitionist
movement quickly spreading through the nation, it was only a matter of time
before the Civil War would take place. At the forefront of this monumental
movement was author and activist Frederick Douglass. In his narrative, he writes
about his tragic experiences as a slave and urges the nation to free the
“millions of my brethren in bonds” (A. 8). Understanding the relevance of the
antislavery progression is crucial for student comprehension of Douglass’ works.
By the same token, Abraham Lincoln’s
The Gettysburg Address is the
powerful speech given by the president after the battle of Gettysburg which ends
up “turning the tide of the war” (Course Site). It is in this very same year
that Lincoln signs the Emancipation
Proclamation, legally emancipating slaves in the confederate states. Lincoln
brought about incredible change during his presidency through his policies and
war efforts. In The Gettysburg Address, he bravely states “this nation, under
God, shall have an new birth of freedom- and that government of the people, by
the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” (p. 3). By
including historical context in the course, I was able to appreciate Lincoln’s
message far more.
Another massive historical moment happening during this time was the
Mexican-American war. Often looked over, the Mexican-War was a critical event in
the nation’s history. It was due to this war, among other related conflicts,
that the U.S. gained what are now the states of “California, Utah, New Mexico,
most of Arizona and Nevada, and parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming”
(Course Site). This massive addition to the U.S., and great loss for Mexico,
brought about many problems for the people of the border. Now displaced, many of
these Tejanos struggled with their land and identity. One of these individuals
being John N. Seguin. In his personal memoirs, he writers “The jealousy evinced
against me by several officers of the military companies recently arrived at San
Antonio from the United States soon spread among the American straggling
adventurers” who behaved poorly towards “the native families, whose only crime
was, that they owned large tracts of land and desirable property” (1). For
Tejanos like Seguin, it was like being stuck in between two worlds. The
conflicts brought about by the Mexican-American war still linger to this day.
By reading Seguin’s, Lincoln’s, and Douglass’s literary works, we are offered a
window into the major historical events that took place in the years of the
American Renaissance. This was a time of war and turmoil; however, many positive
changes were also put in place. By learning about the historical context of
these author’s works, we as students and readers, can better understand the
state of affairs in which they lived. It is only through learning about history
that we can learn from past mistakes and build a better tomorrow. Together,
history and literature can provide us the necessary tools for making this
happen.
