CULTURAL READINGS: Colonization & Print in the Americas

COLONIAL FICTIONS, COLONIAL HISTORIES Histories

	From the moment of their arrival in the New World, Europeans wrote histories of their encounters. By 1511, Peter Martyr had organized Spanish imperial rule into "decades," focusing on the Americas. Herrera followed late in the 16th century with a massive history glorifying Spain's Providential colonial role.
	Some of the most noteworthy histories were written as colonial projects began to crumble. As the fortunes of Spain declined in the mid-17th century, Solís and Fernández imagined a glorious Spanish colonial past filled with epic battles and spiritual audacity.
	In New England, Puritans like William Hubbard, who viewed their colony in eschatological terms, turned to historical writing to justify their colony against critics. The French Jesuit historian Charlevoix created a grand narrative for New France, even as the English challenged the French in North America.

Colonial Fictions, Colonial Histories

• Histories
• Antiquities
• Captivities

Exhibition Contents | Introduction | Essays | Bibliography & Links