Lyrical Legacy: 400 Years of American Song and Poetry

Lyrical Legacy:400 Years of American Song and Poetry Created By: Jessica Cupples ETE 100-01 February 9th, 2010

Settlement, Beginnings to 1763 • Ballads- Long songs that tell a story • First came to North America in the earliest European colonies, and they played a crucial role in the daily life of the common folk • Delivered news, provided entertainment, moral/religious lessons • Picture of Ballad created by Bonny Barbara Allan on next slide • Broadsides- Single sheets of paper printed every which contained poems, songs, short stories, news • Free-for-all public opinion which could be published anonymously • Promotes many different points of views which caused discussion amongst readers • Example of Broadside on next slide

Richard Wilfon Poem-"The Wages of Sin“ broadside, 1732. Bonny Barbara Allan Ballad-Song Sheet (Date Unknown)

The American Revolution, 1763-1783 • Songs played a vital role in entertainment during the Revolution. • Used during work, play, worship, etc • Songs also used for satire and mockery • Folks would use songs to make fun of important people as well as playfully insults friends and enemies • Yankee Doodle- mocked the British but glorified the Continental Army as well as George Washington • Click here to listen to Yankee Doodle

The New Nation, 1783-1815 • War of 1812 played a key role in bringing together regions all over the country • Brought together many different styles of poetry, song, & stories • Stories and songs were told by soldiers themselves and • stories and songs about the battle shaped the way people at the time thought about themselves • “Hunters of Kentucky” was introduced in 1815 directly after the Battle of New Orleans • Dramatic and unexpected victory praised through the words of the song! • “But Jackson, he was wide awake,And was not scared of trifles;For well he knew what aim we takeWith our Kentucky rifles;He led us down to Cypress Swamp,The ground was low and mucky;There stood John Bull in pomp,And here was old Kentucky”

National Expansion and Reform, 1815-1860 • During the 19th century, poetry became widely viewed in the newspapers in which politics, science, religion, etc could be found • William Lloyd Garrison became widely known for his expression of hatred towards slavery which was widely seen in his poems. • “Sonnet to Liberty” by William Lloyd Garrison “And some to power supreme, and glorious fame: With my whole soul, I spurn the doctrine base, And, as an equal brotherhood, embrace All people, and for all fair freedom claim!”

Civil War and Reconstruction • Poems began to transition from political, religious opinion to that of mourning and loss. • One of the most popular poems written in 19th century was ”O Captain! My Captain!” written by Walt Whitman • After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Whitman was inspired to write a poem about his admiration and respect for the fallen president • When the poem was published, Whitman was angered by the many spelling errors and sent a revised sheet to the company so they could reprint it the correct way

Progressive Era to New Era1900-1929 • Sheet music was the engine of the music business at the turn of the 20th century • Music fans bought, borrowed, traded, and collected sheet music just like today’s listeners do with recordings, and popular songwriters became celebrities, household names, and, in some cases, millionaires. • George M. Cohan’s sheet music made him a legend, especially for his patriotic song, “You’re a Grand Old Flag” • Became an instant hit and sold over millions. Still popular today!

Great Depression/World War II,1925-1945 • During the Great Depression, millions of people suffered the lost of jobs, money, food and struggled to stay alive. • In the midst of these hard times, many people would write of their challenges, struggles, hopes, and dreams • The Federal Writer’s Project aimed to go into the heart of the struggling citizen and compile works written by nonetheless, the victims of the Great Depression • "Textile Life" was discovered in 1938, written by Mary Branch. • Direct and personal • Provides a vivid, authentic portrait of a community struggling to survive

Postwar United States, 1945-1968 Archibald MacLeish he had served as an artillery officer in World War I and had witnessed suffering and death on the battlefields of Europe. During the second World War, he took up public service once again, serving as the Librarian of Congress while still writing poetry. When the Library of Congress held a memorial service for all its staff members who had died in the war, MacLeish contributed a powerful poem that not only commemorated the dead, but also made it clear that those who survived bore a special responsibility to make the deaths of these soldiers meaningful. Used directly from the following site: http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/poems/dead_soldiers.html

References! • Bonnie Barbara Allan - Lyrical Legacy (Library of Congress). (n.d.). Library of Congress Home. Retrieved February 9, 2010, from http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/songs/bonny_barbara.html • Branch, M. (n.d.). Textile Life - Lyrical Legacy. Library of Congress Home. Retrieved February 14, 2010, from http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/poems/textile_life.html • Library of Congress Home. (n.d.). Library of Congress. Retrieved February 9, 2010, from http://www.loc.gov/index.html • MacLeish, A. (n.d.). The Young Dead Soldiers - Lyrical Legacy . Library of Congress Home. Retrieved February 14, 2010, from http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/poems/dead_soldiers.html • Yankee Doodle - Lyrical Legacy. (n.d.). Library of Congress Home. Retrieved February 10, 2010, from http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/songs/yankee_doodle.html

Lyrical Legacy: 400 Years of American Song and Poetry