How was American Literature shaped?

Answer 1

Early American Literature was shaped by the native peoples, the treatment of them by Europeans, slave narratives (such as Olaudah Equiano) and captivity narratives (Mary Rowlandson). Then came other historical events such as the industrial revolution and post-industrial revolution which influenced writers such as Henry James.

Answer 2

Well, Hemmingway said that all American literature comes from Huckleberry Finn, but Nathaniel Hawthorne and Washington Irving might have objected, to say nothing of Emily Dickinson or Phillis Wheatley!

Maybe you could give a little more context to the question?