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Compare And Contrast William Bradford And John Smith

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William Bradford and John Smith both experienced hardships and brutal awakenings as they settled on the free soil of America, but that did not keep them from reflecting upon their new beginnings through their writings. William Bradford continuously kept his faith in God and persevered to create peace with the Indians. Similarly, John Smith wrote with confidence and believed that God brings good gifts to those who are deserving of rewards. Although his writings contained exaggerated explanations about his adventures in the new land, which impacted his credibility, his accounts entice the reader to partake in his extravagantly stated journeys. Smith’s living conditions were more brutal than Bradford’s, but they both flourished in their new …show more content…

John Smith’s journal is evidence that his writings show some exaggeration and enhancement in a few of the details and facts of his adventures. “…Captain Smith: who by his own example, good words, and fair promises…himself always bearing the greatest tasked for his own share…he provided most of them lodgings, neglecting any for himself.” (Smith). When Smith refers to himself, he speaks in third person and uses the pronouns “him”, “he” and “his” as well as the proper noun “Captain Smith”. Alternatively, Bradford’s writing style is the polar opposite of Smith’s. Bradford’s purpose of writing is straightforward and factual. He said “And for the season it was winter, and they that know the winters of that country know them to be sharp and violent, and subject to cruel and fierce storms, dangerous to travel to known places, much more to search an unknown coast.” (Bradford). Bradford mainly wrote about the hardships of life for the pilgrims in the new world and their day-by-day survival. He believed that God was the Pilgrims’ helping hand as they encountered harsh new …show more content…

Bradford’s journal states that he fully believed everything the Pilgrims had were gifts of God. Smith’s journal proves that his belief was not as strong. “…Pocahontas…brought him so many of their gifts…the good success of the business being…brought to the very period of destruction…see by what strange means God hath still delivered it.” (Smith). He believed that God sent the Pilgrims gifts to keep them strong through tough times, but is partially cynical in his belief. On the other hand, Bradford fully believes that only through God’s saving grace, the Pilgrims have flourished in their new land. “What could sustain them but the Spirit of God and His grace?...Our fathers were Englishmen…came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto the Lord, and He heard their voice and looked on their adversity…” (Bradford). This proved that he whole-heartily believes in God and thanks him for blessing them with a safe settlement on America’s free soil. He believes that God has saved them from brutally harsh living conditions and granted upon them the necessities they needed to survive. Their faith is especially needed when they have a rough encounter with their neighbors, the

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&&“Love and Hate in Jamestown” is a book that tells the story of the U.S.’s first colony in the eyes of the American legend John Smith and through the accounts of the other settlers. The book starts with a small history lesson and eventually ties it in with John Smith, a soldier who eventually becomes a leader among the men in Jamestown. As we read, there is more detail to whom Smith is; where he came from, a small farm in London; what he went through, he became a soldier fighting in foreign lands with the Turks and getting caught; his family, the battles with his father that kept Smith home as an archer. Moreover, Smiths’ story rolls over to how he was able to go to Virginia; the colony in Virginia started out as a business investment until it was royal property in the 1620’s. Now, while going to

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After reading the Journals of both Robert Robe and Mary Stuart Bailey I have a better understanding of daily life, common struggles, and attitudes during the 1850’s while traveling westward. Robert Robe’s journal begins in May of 1851 and continues into June. Mary’s Journal starts April 13, 1852 with the last entry on November 8th. These journals clearly highlight the stresses that were developed during there travels. The traveler’s attitudes changed circumstantially as the uncertainty of their future unfolded, depending on the day they could be admiring god’s beauty, determined on surviving, or mourning the loss of their previous life, family, and home (Text 386, 387).

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In writing A Voyage Long and Strange, Tony Horwitz’s goal is clear, to educate others on early America and debunk ignorant myths. Horwitz’s reason for wanting to achieve this goal is because of his own ignorance that he sees while at Plymouth Rock. “Expensively educated at a private school and university- a history major, no less!-I’d matriculated to middle age with a third grader’s grasp of early America.” Horwitz is disappointed in his own lack of knowledge of his home country, especially with his background history and decides not only to research America’s true beginnings, but to also follow the path of those who originally yearned to discover America.

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Jill Lepore used quotes and images from English colonists and portraits to show how colonists wrote about their experiences during King Philip’s War and how the narrative of the war has changed throughout the centuries. It also sets how colonists will narrate wars for future centuries. She spoked about how their writings of the war had a consequence of temporally silencing the Native Americans version on the war and how people have forgotten or even have any knowledge of the war. She uses a Boston merchant, Nathaniel Saltonstall account tilted “A true but brief account of our losses since this cruel and mischievous war begun” written in July 1676 year after the war had begun. He lists towns such as Narragansett, Warwick, Seekonk and Springfield

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William Bradford traveled to Plymouth on the Mayflower to escape religious persecution as part of the separatist movement. He wrote Of Plymouth Plantation over many years as an account of the early years of his new colony and an explanation as to why he left England. Chapter one engages readers interest by discussing the reason for escaping England. According to Bradford, papacy was evil and England was the first country to become enlightened by “the light of the gospel.” Those considered puritans were exiled, persecuted, and had their homes watched by officers to ensure that they would not participate in ceremonies or practice freedom of religion.

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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.

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To begin with, John Smith came to Jamestown from England with the thought of getting rich. Money was in this man’s mind all along. In their colony all they thought of was about themselves, they were selfish. There was no “us” but just “me” in every man’s mind. And just like the men were selfish, they just thought about themselves and their own needs and wants.

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Since William Bradford was the leader of those English religious separatists, he experienced the same thing with his separatist members. In order to achieve their dream of building ideal churches, those separatists escaped from the place where they had lived with their friends and family for their whole life to an entire new world where they could possibly accomplish their dream. He must profoundly understand the emotion of those pilgrims. “But that which was most sad and lamentable was, that in two or three months’ time half of their company died, especially in January and February, being the depth of the winter, and wanting houses and other comforts; being infected with the scurvy and other diseases which this long voyage and their inaccommodate condition had brought upon them. So as there died some times two or three of a day in the foresaid time, that of 100 and odd persons, scarce fifty remained.”

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In William Bradford’s story “Of Plymouth Plantation”, he uses many examples of Divine Providence. Divine Providence is all that occurs in the universe that takes place under God's sovereign guidance and control. To establish a safe journey, the people of the Mayflower had faith in God’s Divine Providence. In Bradford’s story the people have faith in God and they survived.

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At the time Bradford was in charge of giving plots of land and assigning it to the pilgrims. On the first winter that the Pilgrims had many of them died including the first governor of Plymouth and with the death of the governor the pilgrims wanted Bradford to become the next governor( Christensen). In the responsibility that Bradford already had he decided to add more to his list of things to do. When Bradford was governor he kept peace between the pilgrims and the Native American group Wampanoags so that there wouldn’t be any trouble between them. Than nearing the end of his life Bradford told the people around him that he was going to pass and go on soon and to the surprise to them he was correct and died the following day on May 9, 1657 at the ripe age of sixty-eight (Johnson) and was buried at Plymouth Burial Hill (Christensen).

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Thomas Morton’s account New England was different from William Bradford’s account because he thought that the Native Americans were great compared to the Puritans who lived close by. Morton speaks of the Puritans using satire in his literary work New English Canaan. He built the Maypole in spite of them because he knew that this would make them angry: “And upon Mayday they brought the Maypole to the place appointed, with drumes, gunnes, pistols and other fitting instruments… The setting up of this Maypole was a lamentable spectacle to the precise separatists, that lived at new Plimmouth” (372). Thomas Morton’s Anglican religious views counter with William Bradfords Puritan views for New England and because of Morton’s actions and beliefs, he was kicked out of New England and sent back to England to be imprisoned.

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During the colonial period many settlers came to the New World to escape persecution for their Puritan beliefs. Writers such as William Bradford, John Winthrop, Anne Bradstreet, and Mary Rowlandson all shared their experiences and religious devotion throughout their literature that ultimately inspired and influenced settlers to follow. This essay will discuss the similarities in Anne Bradstreet and Mary Rowlandson’s work as they both describe their experiences as signs from God. Anne Bradstreet came to the New World as a devoted Puritan as she repeatedly talked about it in her poetry. In her poems she discusses many tragedies that happened in her life such as; the burning of her house and the death of her two grandchildren all of which she thinks were signs from God.

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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.

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Smith wrote in a third person viewpoint for much of his account. He wrote about many sailors planning to go back to England, and desert their mission, and said: “Smith, unexpectedly returning, had the plot discovered to him, much trouble he had to prevent it, till with store of saker and a musket shot he forced them to stay or sink in the river: which action cost the life of Captain Kendall.” Smith writes his account like a narrative, telling it like a story, where he is the main character. William Bradford, on the other hand, wrote his account in a first

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John Smith was the son of a farmer, but he became a soldier at the age of six. He travelled well in Europe and NearEast fighting and winning many wars which later saw him promoted to captain. In 1607, Smith led a group of colonist across the Atlantic Ocean and came down to settle in the now the United States. He established a good relationship with the natives. In his book, A True Relation of Virginia, Smith describes the life in America and encourages English to change their misconception about Americans (Smith, 16).

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