Charles Dickens first visited America in
1842, when he embarked on a six-month lecture tour. This trip inspired him to write
"American Notes for General Circulation", a travelogue published in 1842, and
"Martin Chuzzlewit", published in 1843-1844.
While "American Notes" is a straightforward account of his observations, "Martin Chuzzlewit" is a satirical novel that heavily criticizes aspects of American society, particularly its materialism and the way it treated its poor and immigrants.