ABSTRACT
The pre-Revolution desire to be free of particular British laws and customs turned into a generalized rejection of Old-World institutions such as monarchy, aristocracy, and an established church, which were seen as monuments to an evil past. America's early writers, who lived almost exclusively in New England or New York, encountered many problems. The bitterness of the colonists, both English and French, prevented them from considering innovative ideas coming from the United States. Cultural standards were set in Britain and, therefore, English Canada's colonial literature is mostly derivative, "formula-writing", according to Northrop Frye. Given the sense of defeat experienced by the Loyalists, it is hardly surprising that English Canada's early writers glorified British military triumphs in America. All nations teach history from their country's perspective and, in most cases, essentially the same history is taught throughout the country. Both Canada and the United States are exceptions.
