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Virginia, Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation And A Model Of Christian Charity

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ESSAY: EARLY COLONIAL LITERATURE: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SMITH, BRADFORD, AND WINTHROP. Thesis statement: Early colonial literature, such as Smith’s The General History of Virginia, Bradford’s Of Plymouth Plantation, and Winthrop’s A Model of Christian Charity, reveal patterns in colonial thought, in particular the biblical influence found therein and is the basis upon which the rest of early American ideology was built on. The early colonial period in America was deeply intertwined with Christian and biblical influence, which permeated throughout the literature of this period. This influence laid the groundwork and the formation of early American ideology, and the American legal system. The Puritans and Pilgrims viewed America as a special …show more content…

He states in the preface, that his intent was to produce an accurate record “unto the simple truth in all things” (Belasco, 2019, p. 144). Unlike Captain Smith (more of an explorer), Bradford writings are interwoven with Christian thought and biblical references which underscore, in this author’s opinion, the depth the Pilgrim’s faith had in their everyday life, as well as the providential nature of their undertaking. John Winthrop's sermon A Model of Christian Charity articulates the vision of the Massachusetts Bay Colony as a "City upon a Hill," emphasizing the “covenant...the Puritans had entered into with their God, who they believed had given them divine commission to establish a colony” (Belasco, 2019, pgs. 1). 172, 184). The. Winthrop's sermon reflects the religious fervor and communal ideals of the Puritan settlers, who sought to create a society based on principles of Christian love, charity, and moral purity. This Christian or brotherly love, according to Winthrop, was of most importance in this period: “to seek out a place of cohabitation and consortship under a due form of government both civil and ecclesiastical” (Noll, 2012, p. 8). While Noll argues that it was time and place specific, this sermon embodies the concept of America as a being a chosen land with a special covenant with God (Noll, 2012, p. 7). Winthrop uses

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First, in A Model of Christian Charity, John Winthrop wrote that Massachusetts had to be a perfect colony. He said, “We will be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us…”.(Doc. A). This meant that Massachusetts had to exemplify the perfect religious colony of Puritanism that will look up to at set a perfect example.

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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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John Winthrop Jr was an extremely influential figure in New England during the 1600’s, not only in Connecticut, but also in all of the New England colonies. Walter Woodward’s book, Prospero's America, illustrates just how diverse Winthrop Jr's interests and impacts were. Winthrop Jr is popularly known as the man who is greatly accountable for protecting Connecticut's existence and obtaining royal charter to govern Connecticut. Woodward tells his readers Winthrop Jr's other roles which ranged widely and also how these roles were interrelated. Woodward shows us a person with boundless talent with even larger dreams and desires (Godbeer).

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This journal, “Of Plymouth Plantation”, which was from Norton Anthology of American Literature, Vol. 1, written by William Bradford between 1630 and 1651, and edited by Samuel Eliot Morison in 1953, describes the story of the pilgrims who sailed from Southampton, England, on the Mayflower and settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620. Those pilgrims were English Christians in the 16th and 17th centuries and religious separatists who saw no hope of reforming the Church of England from within; therefore, they hoped to separate from the Church of England and form independent local churches in another place. In order to , those pilgrims overcame many obstacles. The author had used the power of rhetoric, especially in the use of the three rhetorical

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Many of the travelers to the New World had their goals in mind, some expecting to own a piece of land, while others seeking religious freedom. There were quite a number of ideas and goals proclaimed by John Winthrop in his sermon as he embarked with many others to the New World in hopes to create a society based around their religious beliefs. Some of those ideas were comparable to the laws of Pennsylvania where William Penn and the legislature wrote and put in place laws that gave religious freedom to all, but were with Christian ideals. The new Pennsylvanian laws and John Winthrop’s sermon had many things in common, one being the creation of a close knit colony or utopian society which would focus on puritan ideals.

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The New Englanders took religion seriously, making unitary laws according to Puritan standards. John Winthrop, later chosen as the first Massachusetts Bay Colony governor, was seeking religious freedom. Wishing to inspire the colonists to dwell in brotherly unity, he summoned them together to remind them “that if we [colonists] shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world.” On the other hand, those in the Chesapeake region came for the wealth that America promised. They were there to become prosperous or die trying.

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The main focus of the people of New England whilst settling was to form a community and society that would prosper and last. In the 1630 document titled “A Model of Christian Charity”, John Winthrop wrote about the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and some of the rules and principles that the citizens there would abide by. For example, Winthrop stated, “…We must be knit together in this work as one man… We must consider that we shall be us a city upon a hill”. He is referring to how the people of Jamestown would work together as one and form a community of such prestige that other colonies will look up to it, as if it was placed on top of a hill for all of the world to shadow after.

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As the Arbella finally entered the Massachusetts Bay waters and a group of weary travelers who had fled the religious harassment of the Old Word finally set their sights on a new frontier, Governor John Winthrop boldly proclaimed "we shall be as a city on a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us". This iconic speech given by Winthrop remains a classic even to this day, for it gallantly challenged the new settlers who had endured so much to brightly proclaim to the world the core values which the Puritans treasured. Winthrop was determined to succeed when other colonies at the time had failed, and envisioned a colony where the righteousness of Puritan living would radiate out like a city on a hill and bring reform to the Anglican Church which dominated England.

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The values that early American writers considered most important were piety, courage, and industry. They were highly honored by the large Puritan population, and these values helped them survive the beginning of the colonies. Overtime, however, different values were stressed more than others. For example, in “Of Plymouth Plantation,” written around 1620, Bradford chooses to write about the piety, courage, and industry of all the settlers in his settlement. In 1630, Winthrop gave his sermon “A Model of Christian Charity,” and in it he motivates his audience using piety and industry as reasons to succeed.

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Chapter 3 Outline: • 3.1 The Protestant Reformation Produces Puritanism • 3.2 The Pilgrims End Their Pilgrimage at Plymouth • 3.3 The Bay Colony Bible Commonwealth • 3.4 Building the Bay Colony • 3.5 Trouble in the Bible Commonwealth • 3.6 The Rhode Island “Sewer” • 3.7 New England Spreads Out • 3.8 Puritans Versus Indians • 3.9 Seeds of Colonial Unity and Independence • 3.10 Andros Promotes the First American Revolution • 3.11 Old Netherlanders at New Netherlanders • 3.12 Friction with English and Swedish Neighbors • 3.13 Dutch Residues in New York • 3.14 Penn’s Holy Experiment in Pennsylvania • 3.15 Quaker Pennsylvania and Its Neighbors • 3.16 The Middle Way in the Middle Colonies   3.1 The Protestant Reformation Produces Puritanism

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The American Puritan’s ideal example to follow was left by Crèvecœur in his letters depicting an American by their environment. Formerly, before Crèvecœur’s idea of a puritan mentality, came John Winthrop and his sermon, “A Model of Christian Charity.” Winthrop later spoke in greater detail about his idea in the excerpt “City Upon a Hill,” where he speaks highly about the mentality that each puritan should have, “There is no body but consistes of partes and that which knits these partes together gives the body its perfeccion… the most perfect of all bodies, Christ and his church make one body…”. Specifying that in order for a community to come together as one body, they must be greatly involved with Christ and the church. Considering, that

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The ideas constructed by the Puritans were not simply a principal starting point for American culture because they were the first in the country, but because they offered distinct ways of thinking that are still deep-seated in our culture today. Although many of the ideas of Puritans have evolved or vanished over time, it is important to give credit to the Puritan writers and thinkers such as John Winthrop and John Cotton who offered ideas that were new at the time and that stayed with the American consciousness—culturally, socially, and politically. “John Winthrop's legacy can be seen primarily in the fields of government, commerce, and religion. It was religion that would most impact John's life; his religion would ultimately impact the

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The subject of this sermon is the ideology of success in the colonies. Winthrop used various emotions to create imagery of the ideal society. He presented the subject through the ideals of God: unity, community, and self-pleasure under the

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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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