Revolutionary period, Enlightenment

1. Give a brief outline of a historical background of the Revolutionary Period:

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2. Put down the main problems early American writers faced with during the Revolutionary Period:

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3. Write some information about the state of the Copy-right Law in the Revolutionary Period in America:

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4. Give a brief outline of printing, periodicals, book trade in the Revolutionary Period:

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5. Give the definition of the term “ Enlightenment ”, mention its grounding fathers:

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6. Give the definition of the following genres popular in the Enlightenment:

essay ____________________________________________________________

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pamphlet _________________________________________________________

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almanac _________________________________________________________

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self-help book _____________________________________________________

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hoax ____________________________________________________________

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7. Define the genres of the following works by B. Franklin:

Literary work	Genre
the Dogood Papers (1722)
Poor Richard’s Almanac (1732)
The Way to Wealth (1757)
Autobiography (1771)
Wonders of Nature in America

Give a brief outline of the political journalism during the Enlightenment.

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9. Fill in the following table, concerning the point of the three political camps during the Enlightenment:

Political Camp / its ideas	Representative	Literary work	Main theme, Peculiarities	Genre
Pro-Independent:	1. 2.     3.     4.
Federalists:	1.
Pro-British	1.   2.

10. Give the definition of the Neoclassicism:

Neoclassicism ____________________________________________________

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11. Give the definitions of the following genres of classical literature, popular in the neoclassicism during the Enlightenment:

epic _____________________________________________________________

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tragedy __________________________________________________________

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comedy __________________________________________________________

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mock-epic _______________________________________________________

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elegy ____________________________________________________________

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ode _____________________________________________________________

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epistle ___________________________________________________________

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eclogue __________________________________________________________

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epigram __________________________________________________________

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fable ____________________________________________________________

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satire ___________________________________________________________

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Read the suggested texts and fulfill the table in ex.13.

Benjamin Franklin

PLAN FOR SAVING ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS

By Benjamin Franklin in

Poor Richard's Almanac, 1756

 

As I spent some weeks last winter in visting my old acquaintance in the Jerseys, great complaints I heard for want of money, and that leave to make more paper bills could not be obtained. Friends and countrymen, my advice on this head shall cost you nothing; and if you will not be angry with me for giving it, I promise you not to be offended if you do not take it.

You spend yearly at least two hundred thousand pounds, it is said, in European, East Indian, and West Indian commodities. Suppose one-half of this expense to be in things absolutely necessary, the other half may be called superfluities, or, at best, conveniences, which, however, you might live without for one little year and not suffer exceedingly. Now, to save this half, observe these few directions:

1. When you incline to have new clothes, look first well over the old ones, and see if you cannot shift with them another year, either by scouring, mending, or even patching if necessary. Remember, a patch on your coat and money in your pocket is better and more creditable than a writ on your back and no money to take it off.

2. When you are inclined to buy chinaware, chintzes, India silks, or any other of their flimsy, slight manufactures, I would not be so bad with you as to insist on your absolutely resolving against it; all I advise is to put it off (as you do your repentance) till another year, and this, in some respects, may prevent an occasion of repentance.

3. If you are now a drinker of punch, wine, or tea twice a day, for the ensuing year drink them but once a day. If you now drink them but once a day, do it but every other day. If you do it now but once a week, reduce the practice to once a fortnight. And if you do not exceed in quantity as you lessen the times, half your expense in these articles will be saved.

4. When you incline to drink rum, fill the glass half with water.

Thus at the year's end there will be a hundred thousand pounds more money in your country.

If paper money in ever so great a quantity could be made, no man could get any of it without giving something for it. But all he saves in this way will be his own for nothing, and his country actually so much richer. Then the merchants' old and doubtful debts may be honestly paid off, and trading becomes surer thereafter, if not so extensive.

 

James Otis