Be sure to be familiar with the basic biographical details of Crevecoeur's life -- where he was born, where he lived at various times and why, etc.

With which side did Crevecoeur sympathize in the American Revolution?

The anthology introduction and at least one footnote may be a bit misleading as there really is no evidence that Crevecoeur "suppressed" any of his writings. Letters from an American Farmer consists of twelve "letters" or essays. Crevecoeur makes use of a persona named Farmer James, an American farmer who supposedly writes these letters to an aristocratic English gentleman who had visited his farm and requested correspondence from him. The letters are arranged according to a very definite plan that moves geographically from New England to the southern colonies, and evolves in attitude from innocence and enthusiasm to disillusionment. The plan of the entire work shows a high degree of artistic control, but the artist well may not have been Crevecoeur. The manuscripts which Crevecoeur brought with him to London in 1780 consisted of almost thirty essays, were in bad shape grammar-wise, and consisted of some strange and objectionable pieces (and also some very good ones). The other manuscripts were found after Crevecoeur's death and published in 1925 as Sketches of Eighteenth Century America.

"What Is an American" is the third letter of the book and represents the high point of the author's enthusiasm.

According to Crevecoeur, what is the basic difference between the social structure of the European countries and that of the American colonies?

What is Crevecoeur's opinion of those who first settle a frontier?

According to Crevecoeur, what gradually happens to religious zeal in America? What is his opinion of that?

How true do you think Crevecoeur's observations are today?