Differences Between Virginians And New England Puritans

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The First Nations, the Virginians, and the New England Puritans all had a different respect or attitude towards the physical environment in North America. While the First Nations had inhabited the land for already some time, it was a new land for the European colonist. There are many different factors that contributed the three groups’ differing attitudes towards the environment, but it comes down to their purposes or goals in the “New World.” In the long run, these differing attitudes had multiple consequences. The biggest difference of the three groups is the attitude of the First Nation people to both the Virginians and the New England Puritans. The Native Americans had been living in America for hundreds of years before the settlers came. …show more content…

According to the header for John Smith, “The Virginia Company was formed by a group of investors seeking to establish a new colony in North America” (120). This was strictly a business venture. This is how their purpose affects their attitude towards the physical environment. They saw the land as money, and their attitude was that they were willing to do almost anything to make the venture successful. A possible consequence of this attitude is violence and harsh relations the Virginians had with the Native Americans. While the Virginians were focused of making a profit of the land, the New England Puritans saw it as a refuge. The New England Puritans sought religious freedom for themselves in the “New World.” They compared themselves a lot to the Israelites and saw the new land as a “Promised Land.” Their attitude towards the land was that of respect, but they believed God wanted them to “use” the land. In their point of view, the Native Americans were living in the wilderness and not pleasing God. This produced tension with the Natives because Puritans would often expect the Natives to leave the land that they wanted. A possible consequence of this was King Phillips War. In conclusion, the First Nations, the Virginians, and the New England Puritans all had different attitude towards the physical environment of North America. These differing attitudes are sadly what caused most of the bloodshed in the early days of European