Similarities Between British Colonization And American Identity

British Colonization and American Identity
Virginia, Massachusetts Bay, and Plymouth colonists all originated from New England, but what principle of individuality and community do they follow that each makes the Northern and Southern New World colonies diverge into these separate groups? Since the mid-fifteenth century, the European empire had their motives for traveling to America, along with their own set of ideas for an ideal civilization. The Virginians had aspirations for economic pursuit and a representative form of government, while their northern colonial counterparts focused more on the religious facets. Despite a few differences, these various attitudes towards what makes up triumph and the controversies over what is best to represent

Unlike the Virginians, the Separatists of Plymouth were able to learn the significance of diplomacy with the Native Americans. Their success derived from cooperation with the natives, providing a basis for the Thanksgiving story. The Puritans of Massachusetts Bay held pride in their Christianity. In 1630, colonial leader of the Massachusetts Bay colony, John Winthrop had developed what he called “A Model of Christian Charity.” In this model, he refers to his colony as a “Company”, telling the colonists that they are obliged to be members of Christ and conduct themselves accordingly. In addition, part of the model

Their dependence on Christ to help their community thrive forms a government much like a theocracy. For the northern colonists, religion played a critical role in dictating the aspects of the colonists’ lives.
Virginia’s House of Burgesses and Plymouth’s Mayflower Compact are two forms of government that demonstrates a sense of community. … While each are fairly different from each other, both provides structure to their colony.
The individual successes of John Smith, John Winthrop, and William Bradford are all strongly demonstrated by their leadership and influence towards the colonists. Robert Hughes, author of American Visions, provided details on a self-portrait of Thomas Smith. He wrote:
The only Puritan self-portrait that has come to light was painted sometime between 1670 and 1690 by a Boston mariner, Captain Thomas Smith. The image says quite a lot about him: the fine bunch of French lace at his throat suggests that he was well-off, the naval skirmish near a coastal fort in the background must refer to some action in which he took part, and to signify moral plainness he is wearing his own hair in the Puritan way, not a wig. It also says, quite plainly, that he accepts his impending death. He is holding a skull, which rests on a poem he wrote himself and signed T.S.