The Significance of Literature after the Revolution

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Jennifer Regli

US Cult History

MWF 8-8:50

The Significance of Literature after the Revolution

In the book Inheriting the Revolution, Jane Appleby is able to incorporate many different and diverse personal accounts of their newfound independence after the revolution.  

“Facing a dramatically different challenge from that of their parents, the men and women born between Independence and 1800… took on the self conscious task of elaborating the meaning of the United States Revolution.  Their knowledge of it consisted of passed on tales rather than first hand experience, yet they gave the United States a natural culture replete with purposes, heroes, taboos, prescriptions, symbols, and celebrations” (Appleby, pg. 5).  

To write this book, Appleby used many different autobiographical and biographical accounts from such people as Ichabod Washburn, Harriet Newall, Samuel Mills, and more.  Literature has become one of our most important forms of communication.  We no longer rely on oral history as much as our ancestors once used to, the written word has proven itself to be much more historically accurate than oral history as the generation’s progress through time.  Literature is exceedingly influential; it has helped shape our society and the way we live.  Literature continues to affect our careers, expand our minds, and help us mold into a more advanced civilization.   

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        One of the things you hear fairly often is how unique and revolutionary the Internet is.  Not only do they say how it has transformed our world but also how our world will continue to transform.  I can agree that electronic communications has the potential to transform our culture, though I think it is extremely important to realize that its revolutionary and transformational nature is not, in itself a new thing.  Since the revolution, many new communication and publishing technologies have been come to pass with each changing our society and culture.  The web, electronic books, and scanners are all ...

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