One Man’s Vision Against a World’s View During the 1600’s the world changed drastically due to the widely held belief that expanding empires would lead to great fortune and world domination. William Penn, an Englishman who was inspired to build a community tailored to his Quaker beliefs (that of the “friendly neighbor), wrote an invitation to his English compatriots regarding the land he saw and his ideas of that land. In “Letters to the Free Society of Traders” (1683) Penn wrote of the land, the plants, and the people favorably. He saw a community of potential and prosperity, referring to his colony as a “holy experiment.” William Penn was relentlessly compelled to create a way of life that was tolerant of all religious and ethnic backgrounds, …show more content…
Penn described the Pennsylvania area as fertile and diverse, much like some areas in England. Though he was encouraging people to immigrate to the area, it is clear by his description of the area that he thought it just as beautiful as his homeland. He goes on to describe how the land could be utilized for farming and how the native trees and animals could best be used, with regard exporting. Other European colonies reported much the same. In the Carolina’s, the “country (was) so delicious, pleasant, and fruitful…” (Nash et al., 2011, p. 76) The European view, and Penn’s, was that of the exportation of the America’s. The trees for building, the fertile lands for sowing natural and artificial produce, the animals for meat and fur, even the waters for fish and fuel could be exploited for purposes of growth and trade. The Europeans saw profit in all things, which is why the immigrated here in the first place. This is where the similarities ended …show more content…
William Penn demonstrated this immediately upon his arrival in the America’s. He recognized the natives as the natural owners of the land and pledged to purchase all acreage he planned to sell (Nash et al, p.79). The success in this idealism would be seen in the population growth and the immigration of even the other natives of the Americas. In fact, Pennsylvania would be much more successful that the Carolina’s in population growth and function government. The Carolina’s had a model of European idealism in that they took the land and molded it to their profitability with minimal positive interaction with the natives. The land was exploited and used, leaving more immigrants coming in to further push back the natives with zero compensation and decimating local plants and
In 1742 the chief of Onondaga of the Iroquois Confederacy knew that his land that the people shared would become more valuable than it has ever been. (Doc B)The reason for this was because the “white people” also known as the Americans wanted the land of the chief. The feelings of the Chief result in complaining to the representatives of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia,
William Penn and the Quaker Legacy, An Analysis of How Personal Beliefs Can Save a Last Name in History. People's life is influenced not only by other people, but also by circumstances. Those influences defined the early character of the people, and on consequence, defined also their future decisions. In the book William Penn and the Quaker Legacy, the author, John A. Moretta, shows the different people and episodes that defined William Penn as an important person in the American History. The book shows a very biased version of Penn's life, presenting most of the episodes and the decisions in Penn's journey as positives.
Being the first two well-known places in which the English would set out to colonize in 1607 and 1620, Jamestown, Virginia and Plymouth, Massachusetts hold very separate set of beliefs, standards, and outlooks on life then and the future to come. While paving the way for things such as slavery, taxes, ownership of land, inclusion of women, tobacco and government assemblies, John Smith and the people of Jamestown became a classical foundation for new life and economic growth for the new world that is, the United States. On the other hand, William Bradford and his people began to realize the intentions of the Church of England were unholy and had strayed away from God’s teachings from the Bible. With this in mind, the Pilgrims set on a voyage to the new world to seek religious freedom. As we know it, the Pilgrims sought for peace and a new way of living that was fair, just and free from religious corruptions.
Throughout the seventeenth century, conflict between Europeans and Native Americans was rampant and constant. As more and more Europeans migrated to America, violence became increasingly consistent. This seemingly institutionalized pattern of conflict begs a question: Was conflict between Europeans and Native Americans inevitable? Kevin Kenny and Cynthia J. Van Zandt take opposing sides on the issue. Kevin Kenny asserts that William Penn’s vision for cordial relations with local Native Americans was destined for failure due to European colonists’ demands for privately owned land.
During the Colonial Period, it was a time like no other because it faced many hardships that took a lot of toughness to overcome and eventually, how it turned into success. Throughout this period, there were many educational movements, wars and different types of food consumed by people. John Smith once said, “He who will not work shall not eat.” Essentially, he shows how dedicated people had to be or they would be punished.
Another idea that made Pennsylvania into a frontier religiously/politically was that Penn also incorporated his ideas of religious toleration and “natural right” into the founding of his colony. Pennsylvania offered religious tolerance of all religions and all individuals were given rights. During his time in Pennsylvania, Penn wrote the Charter of Liberties which told the world that Pennsylvania was “free to the people under it, where laws rule, and the people are a party to those laws.” Penn gave personal rights to everyone including Natives and Negros. All other colonies offered one or the other: tolerance or equal rights.
Although all the colonists all came from England, the community development, purpose, and societal make-up caused a distinct difference between two distinct societies in New England and the Chesapeake region. The distinctions were obvious, whether it be the volume of religious drive, the need or lack of community, families versus single settlers, the decision on minimal wage, whether or not articles of agreements were drawn for and titles as well as other social matters were drawn, as well as where loyalties lay in leaders. New England was, overall, more religious than the Chesapeake region. Settlers in New England were searching relief for religious persecution in Europe. Puritans, Quakers, and Catholics were coming in droves to America searching for an opportunity to have religious freedom.
Manifest Destiny is a unique, yet mysterious fundamental series of events in American history. No other country’s history contains such an eventful history as the United States. Amy Greenberg’s book, Manifest Destiny and American Territorial Expansion, provides documented evidence that settlers believed they were destined for expansion throughout the continent. In other words, many religious settlers believed that it was a call from God for the United States to expand west. On the other hand, people believed that Manifest Destiny vindicated the war against Mexico.
In 1782 J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur wrote about the migration of Europeans into America. He was a French aristocrat who settled into the American colonies where he purchased a farm in New York. Crevecoeur is explaining that America is made up of different cultures and is a new place that is equal to all people, and explains so with a passive tone and a powerful use of rhetoric. Crevecoeur’s purpose of the reading is to convince Europeans to move to America and that everyone will be treated equal and given an opportunity at a good life.
The English were more concerned with finding gold rather than building functioning societies; which were primarily built around biblical teachings, while the Spanish intended for European national power to extend to western civilization beginning with Catholicism and influence of the pope. English settlers were driven from England due to religious practices and perceived themselves as saving the Indians from the Spanish and their tyrannical ways. For the English, owning land would give men control over their own labor and the right to vote in most colonies, and this land possession would show wealth. This new obtained wealth would not only have demonstrated power, but it could also be used to influence a society a certain way to convince others to follow suit. The English believed that their motives for colonization were pure, and that the growth of empire and freedom would always go together, unlike the Spanish.
The British colonies in the Chesapeake region and those of the New England region were both similar yet different in certain ways. One because both the colonist that settled there were looking for new opportunities. However, it was mostly second son aristocrats, which means the first born usually inherits the better half of the father’s riches. Their lives in England had either been mistreated or they were unable to flourish economically. Regardless of whether they were searching the land for expansive homesteads, religious freedom, or exchanging and merchant opportunities, the colonist in both regions were searching for another land in the New World.
During the “Gilded Age” period of American history, development of the Trans-Mississippi west was crucial to fulfilling the American dream of manifest destiny and creating an identity which was distinctly American. Since the west is often associated with rugged pioneers and frontiersmen, there is an overarching idea of hardy American individualism. However, although these settlers were brave and helped to make America into what it is today, they heavily relied on federal support. It would not have been possible for white Americans to settle the Trans-Mississippi west without the US government removing Native Americans from their lands and placing them on reservations, offering land grants and incentives for people to move out west, and the
LEQ prompt 1 During the period between 1607 and 1754, the British had established colonies in North America, inspired by the riches and wealth gained by the Spanish upon the conquest of the Aztecs and Incas in the 16th century, the early British settlements had hoped for the same riches and discoveries in the northern Americas. The first successful permanent settlement was established in Jamestown Virginia, and as time advances the English established thirteen colonies divided geographically into three regions: new England, middle and southern colonies. Socially the English colonists were similar by the means that they shared an English heritage but differed greatly in lifestyle, politically and economically the colonies had many differences,
The Natives believed that the Europeans are “edgy, rapacious, and remotely maladroit.” Sure enough, the settlers in Jamestown kenned little about farming and found the environment baffling. It was conspicuous that the colonists needed the avail of the Natives. Despite their inexperience the English dominated the Indians. From “the beginning the Virginia Company indited that the relationship would ineluctably become bellicose: for you Cannot Carry Your Selves so towards them but they will Grow Discontented with Your habitation.”
The arrival of the first Europeans in the Americas is dramatically captured through the many writers who attempted to communicate what they saw, experienced and felt. What is more, the very purposes of their treacherous travel and colonization are clearly seen in their writings; whether it is poetry, history or sermons. Of the many literary pieces available today, William Bradford and John Winthrop’s writings, even though vary because the first is a historical account and the second is a sermon, stand out as presenting a clear trust in God, the rules that would govern them and the reason they have arrived in the Americas. First of all, William Bradford provides an in-depth look into the first moment when the Puritans arrived in the Americas. In fact, he chronicles the hardships they face on their way to Plymouth, yet he includes God’s provision every step of the way.