Exploring

American Literature

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Think about the three readings for this week -- readings from three different viewpoints: Pilgrim (William Bradford), Anglican (Thomas Morton), and Puritan (John Winthrop). How do these three perspectives support or contradict your vision of the founding of America?

* Pilgrims –

* Separatists. Came to escape persecution and for religious freedom.

* Anglicans –

* Seemed to come mostly for industry and trade.

* Puritans –

* Came to spread their religion.

Perspectives Support My Vision

No particular society solely founded America; hence, the country is a melting pot of many diverse cultures and peoples. Even today, one can see traces of different traditions from unique lands. Look at city names, for example. One will see names such as Canterbury, Cornwall, Sussex, and Windsor. All of those towns and cities were obviously heavily influenced by English culture. Examples of French and Spanish town names include Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Boca Raton, and Santa Fe. Similarly, the selections from the Pilgrim, Puritan, and Anglican perspective support the melding of cultures that I believe forms the backbone of American diversity.

A Comparison of Pilgrims, Anglicans, and Puritans

The American spirit is a combination of the attitudes and beliefs of America’s founders. Trusting in God to sustain them, and with a strong survivalist ethic, the Pilgrims sought a new beginning, free from religious tyranny. “What could now sustain them but the spirit of God and his grace?” wrote William Bradford in “Of Plymouth Plantation.” Also survivors, the Puritans set themselves apart as self-sufficient builders of a new society. In fact, they sought to figuratively and literally build a “City upon a hill,” as noted in John Winthrop’s “A Model of Christian Charity.” The Anglicans, on the other hand, were much more business-minded. Their intent to profit commercially often...