American Studies and American Literature are two subjects that go hand in hand. This is mainly because many of the important pieces of literature were created due to weighted events in American history. Many historian rely heavily on American Literature to understand and interpret American History, and this also works the other way around. The two classes we have this academic year do relate heavily, and have a lot of the similar substance. This often is a good thing, but at times seems strenuous and over bearing on the students. Although, all the similarities make it easy to take in and understand all the information.
These past few weeks, we have covered Puritans in both American History and American Literature, especially while analyzing Mary Rowlandson's text. What I think we are aiming to get at in both American Literature and American History is Puritans and their beliefs, all while briefing over the British colonialist and the Native Americans' interactions and feuds. This will probably transition into slavery, which would eventually lead up to the civil war and the Industrial Revolution. In American History, we jumped forward to the slave industry and slave trade, despite still focusing on colonizing the new world in American Literature. Many of the aspects we analyze are just different dimensions of the same occurrence. For example, in American Literature, we analyze the language and contextual meaning of the text, while we interpret and learn about the back story and actual knowledge in American History.
A clear distinction between these two subjects are that one {American History} is more engaging. Talking about literature is interesting and invigorating, however when studying history, a person understands and engages with the story more actively. History is like putting a puzzle together, which instinctively triggers a person more. Quite frankly, these two subjects don't tend to interest me much, however when combined and thought hand in hand, both subjects tend to become more interesting.
I like how you talked about both the similarities and differences between American History and American Literature. I agree with you on the fact that the two do go hand in had. Sometimes when I go to each of these classes, i take the wrong binder because i forget which class i am going to because the material we learn in each class is so similar.
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