Includes bibliographical references (p. 818-844) and index. The first Americans: American literature before and during the colonial and revolutionary periods -- Inventing Americas: the making of American literature, 1800-1865 -- Reconstructing the past, reimagining the future: the development of American literature, 1865-1900 -- Making it new: the emergence of modern American literature, 1900-1945 -- Negotiating the American century: American literature since 1945.