What is the correct chronological sequence of periods of American Literature?
A. Early National Period
B. Revolutionary Age
C. Naturalistic Period
D. Romantic Period in America/Age of Transcendentalism
E. Realistic Period
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

The correct answer is B, A, D, E, C.

To understand why this is the correct chronological sequence, we can trace the historical timeline of American Literature through each of the specified periods:
1. B. Revolutionary Age (approx. 1765–1790): This period focuses on the birth of the nation, centering around the American Revolution, declaration of independence, and the formation of the new government. Key figures include Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Thomas Paine.
2. A. Early National Period (approx. 1790–1828): Following the Revolutionary War, this era marks the early development of a distinct, imaginative American literature. Writers like Washington Irving and James Fenimore Cooper began to establish a unique American voice separate from British traditions.
3. D. Romantic Period in America/Age of Transcendentalism (approx. 1828–1865): This period represents a golden age of American literature, emphasizing individualism, emotion, nature, and intuition. Transcendentalism arose as a major philosophical movement within this period, led by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, alongside romantic writers like Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville.
4. E. Realistic Period (approx. 1865–1900): In the post-Civil War era, literature shifted away from Romantic idealism toward a realistic portrayal of everyday life, ordinary characters, and societal issues. Notable authors include Mark Twain, Henry James, and William Dean Howells.
5. C. Naturalistic Period (approx. 1900–1914): Serving as an intensification of realism, naturalism was influenced by Darwinian evolutionary theory. It portrays characters as controlled by forces beyond their control, such as environment, heredity, and instinct. Key authors include Stephen Crane, Jack London, and Theodore Dreiser.

Therefore, ordering these periods chronologically yields: Revolutionary Age (B) ⇒ Early National Period (A) ⇒ Romantic Period/Transcendentalism (D) ⇒ Realistic Period (E) ⇒ Naturalistic Period (C), corresponding directly to the sequence B, A, D, E, C.