Book Response Essay # 2 of America: Jamestown and Plymouth “Early America was littered with European failures- the Spanish in the Florida,the French at Fort Caroline, and the English at Baffin Island, Roanoke, and Sagadahoc”(Horn, 290). Yet, despite all the pervious disasters, two colonies would begin to find apermanent place on the soil of this New World. James Horn painstakingly chronicled thetribulations
Forced Founder’s, written by Woody Holton, sheds new light on one of the best-known events in American History. Holton challenges the traditional narrative of the great land-owning elite leading the revolutionary war. He does not believe it was one single factor but in fact, a web of influences that pushed Virginia into the war of independence. Holton’s main argument consists of the idea that the Indians, merchants, slaves, and debtors helped propel free Virginians into the independence movement. Virginia’s gentry were joining their peers in declaring independence from Britain in response to grassroots rebellions against their own rule.
&&“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
Smith and Bradford support their explanation by illustrating how they were able to build a community in the new world and their interrelations with the native Americans. Their purpose is to demonstrate how the new world was formed by their small colonies and their intentions to come to the new world in order to have a clearer perspective on why they came. Like in Jamestown and in Plymouth Plantation they had similarities and differences to become one of the first colonies to stable in America.
James Horn’s, “A Land As God Made It”, tells about the hardships and tragedies the settlers faced as they attempted to make a settlement in Jamestown. Before attempting to settle at Jamestown, England tried to permanently settle in Roanoke, off the coast of North Carolina. The colony was “unsuitable because its shallow waters could not accommodate ocean-going vessels” (Horn 2005, 31). Horn says that the failure of the Roanoke colony occurred for many different reasons; one of the main reasons being that it was not a time for success for the colony. Although the colony failed, it gave impact on the future for settlers to start a new settlement (Horn 2005, 33).
The colony of Virginia wasn’t always efficient in the growth and trade of tobacco. To understand the role tobacco played in the development of the economy and society of the once destitute colony, we first must look back at how Virginia was established. Although not considered to be a part of the founding of Virginia, before 1607 there were two attempts made by English settlers to establish a colony in the Chesapeake region of North America. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth first of her name, a charter was granted to English settlers that would allow for colonies to be established
John Smith: Since I was unhappy being an apprentice to a merchant and not wanting to be a farmer like my father and brother, I decided to join the English soldiers to fight the Spanish. As my mother stated in the book, John Smith Jamestown Boy “I can see you do not like farm work and you will never be a good farmer, no matter how hard you try” (Barton 119). I worked as a merchant until the death of my
Even though John Smith, Pocahontas, and Anne Hutchinson all died before turning 54 years old, they made many accomplishments. John Smith was a young warrior, a original Jamestown settler, and made a map of Virginia (Kelly, Melissa "Biography of John Smith"). Pocahontas was a Native American princess who saved John Smith's life and brought peace between Native Americans and colonists in Virginia (Kelly Melissa "Biography of Pocahontas). Anne Hutchison hosted meetings for women, criticized a church in Massachusetts, and got her and herself kicked out of Massachusetts (Kelly Martin). John Smith, Pocahontas, and Anne Hutchinson are key people of colonial time, because of their important contributions to their community.
The book is an apt textbook as it details the important concepts of colonial history in America. Hawke (1989) also takes a balanced approach in order to give the diverse viewpoints of notable scholars while discussing the history of early America. Moreover the topics clearly examine and explain every single section and notion including scholarly opinions. Overall the book has been excellently written and has highly researched text which provides knowledge to the readers about the early history of
Virginian landowners did not see the need to incorporate slavery nor wanted to participate in the practices that occurred in the West Indies since most of the Virginians were individuals who wanted to settle in Virginia with their families, rather than the businessmen who would return to England like it was in the Caribbean (Takaki 52). Eventually, due to the boom of tobacco as a commodity and the potential of its production overseas, more servants were needed to provide for the demand of labor. Some estates valued their indentured blacks more than their white counterparts, Takaki provides documents showing a landowner’s inventory and the differences in their production in comparison between black and white servants; this fluctuation can be attributed to blacks becoming indentured for significantly longer periods then those white servants from Ireland (Takaki 55-56). Because of the lack of regulation with indentured servants and the disenfranchisement of blacks, the trend began to shift from blacks indentured for life to selling blacks as property; during this period of time, wealthy landowners gained control of Virginian Assembly and pushed any ordinance that would benefit their business’s (Takaki 58).
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.
Most likely, one has heard about the story of Pocahontas and John Smith. However, John Smith was not as loving and kind as he was portrayed. In the letter Address to Captain Smith, the speaker, Chief Powhatan, Pocahontas’ father, takes a condescending tone and addresses to the English settlers, especially John Smith, how the chief’s generous hospitality has not been appreciated. Literary devices such as rhetorical questions, antithesis, and repetition, diction, and pathos and ethos are exercised by Chief Powhatan to address his purpose and produce it as impactful as fully possible.
The author goes on to debate what Pocahontas actually felt in her relationship with John Smith and how she most likely did not reciprocate the feelings he claimed she had. This may be new information to the reader and provides historical difference of the real Pocahontas from the Hollywood version while strengthening Townsend’s argument. Also, the author does not use challenging language in her own writing. She keeps her own wording basic as to give the readers a break from the difficultness of the old language. Another positive aspect of this book is the notes section and the preface.
The early Virginia and New England colonies differed politically, socially, and economically due to the situations that the settlers faced. Throughout many of the letters written about some of the experiences of the earlier settlers, one can easily see a major difference in the way of life of the two colonies. Although many of these colonies differed in the way of life, each colony faced some similar things that they each had to overcome. These challenges made a massive difference in the way that each of the colonies started out and directly influenced the future for both colonies. When these challenges are faced, many of the settlers will create the foundations of their political, social, and economic systems.
Smith 's first book, A True Relation, told the British people of Smith 's travels in what was known then as the New World. He would tell his countrymen of the beautiful sights he saw there, the resources abounding, the settling of the colony Jamestown, all of his adventures and misadventures. But most importantly, he would speak of the people. Those strange and foreign people who lived so differently than the British. While the British wore stiff petticoats with corsets and tail suits, these new people were draped in deerskin.
