| Within American Studies, myth and symbol theory has enjoyed mixed reviews. This dissertation advocates an updated myth and symbol approach to examining a culture’s literature, arguing that a culture’s myths give meaning and motivation to that culture’s myth-participants.To accomplish its aim of advocating an updated myth and symbol approach, this work examines the American national Providence myth. This myth is the centraltopic of this dissertationand this work’sprimary period of study is the American Revolutionary era.This dissertationdefines the American national Providence myth and its constituent symbols and examines the myth’s use by the Founding Fathers of the United States ofAmerica and other key revolutionary figures, showing that the Providence myth was one of the most powerful myths in American culture leading up to and during the American Revolution. This paper also demonstrates the pervasiveness and perpetuity of the American national Providence myth into the modern era, demonstrating that it continues as a significant myth for many Americans today. The final chapter providesexamples of how an examination of the myth might bepedagogically usefulin modern English andAmerican Studies classrooms.Key words: myth, symbol, culture, American Studies, American Revolution, Founding Fathers, Providence |