American literature as know it has come along way. Many things that were consider unacceptable for print in the colonial times, such as sexual expression, are considered acceptable for today. Also many events have led to the literature as we know it also, like women's suffrage and emancipation for African Americans as well as many wars that have been fought in the history of the United States.
With the turn of the century women were becoming more and expressive in what they did. With more and more women right's movements starting all over the United States more and more women were being to write to express themselves. A new sexual freedom for women was also coming to be. Women of the turn of the century started wearing lighter more revealing clothing compared to those worn in the 18th century. Also around this time African American were also gaining some new found rights and freedoms. These freedoms allowed more to write and express how life was as they knew it.
Along with these new found freedoms for minorities, many events caused literature to change and be what we know it as today. Beginning with the civil war and ending with the first war in Iraq the people of the America have experienced many changes of thought and expression. Then impact of the wars provided authors to have a new aspect of writing. Authors used their works to express how they thought about war whether it be good or bad. Some even gave people in America sort of an optimistic outlook for the future to help them get through hard times.