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Great Vision Great Nation Within the scope of this research, we will elaborate on how Winthrop's remarks in the sermon delivered to his fellow Americans became reflected through the course of our countrys history. To start with, we will discuss some of the remarks Winthrop, makes during his sermon, which will be followed by a discussion of various aspects of American history and how they are related to the remarks at issue. Winthrop shows how not being selfish will bring the people of the community closer together because respecting one another is key to holding a community together. Each discerns by the work of the Spirit his own image and resemblance in another, and therefore cannot but love him as he loves himself (Brinkley 77). Here, Winthrop makes the point that each person in the community is part of God and should be respected and looked after by the other members.
Winthrop also emphasizes the concepts of Justice and Mercy. He says that By the first of these laws man as he was enables so withal is commanded to love his neighbor as himself (Brinkley 81) John Smith had a different approach to America. Where Winthrop saw it as a kind of paradise for religious freedom, Smith saw New England as a place to start over economically. America for Smith was a new venture in the world of money. The New World had resources to be collected, used and sold. Smith speaks of his surroundings in the New World as many opportunities for successful business transactions.
where this is victual to feed us, wood of all sorts to build boats, ships or barks; the fish at our doors, pitch, tar, masts yards and most other necessaries only for making? (Brinkley 122). However, when we look at the Americans back then form an economical standpoint, it is still evident that Winthrop's remarks are reflected in the American experience. To see this, it is helpful to utilize Smiths opinion on American economic well being. Smith was involved with a company called the Virginia Company. Smith promoted the Virginia Company's interests in the New World and he provided the leadership necessary to get the colonists through what must have been grueling early years of the settlement. Smith states many times in his essay the ways in which people arriving in the New World can achieve wealth even if they were not wealthy while living in England.
The ways he describes mostly have to do with cultivating the resources of the land and waters. He lists many commodities that people can take from the land and use for themselves or sell for a gain. Smith claims that fish are so abundant a resource in the new world that one may make a living off them to eat and to sell abroad. He makes it clear to his reader that all aspects of this environment are fit for producing the things that will give wealth in the future. Smith is careful to leave no questions unanswered. First, the ground is so fertile that questionless it is capable of producing any grain, fruits or seeds you would sow or plant, (Brinkley 130).
He even takes care to describe the soil in which crops will be planted. To an unhappy farmer in England who might have been thinking of coming to the New World, this is an important aspect of the environment. After reading these extravagant claims in Smiths writings, many settlers must have been frightened when they finally did arrive in New England. Smith tends to list many of the same things over again in his writing.
He brings the idea of fishing back into view, but also compares the activity with Hollands people. This not only emphasizes fishing once again but also makes the reader wish to associate himself with hardy and industrious people by moving to America and doing the same thing the Hollanders did. Smith also makes it clear that the work the Hollanders did by fishing was a great charge and labor implying that the same work in the New World will be much easier. Smith lists foods and furs once again, in trying to persuade sailors to bring shiploads of necessities to the new world in return for these foods or furs. Still on the subject of ships and people who may be interested in building them, Smith once again lists wood as a commodity.
Smith tries to appeal to as many useful people as possible. He wants to make sure that the people who finally do come to New England to settle in Virginia are hard working and that they may know a useful trade as well to help build the colony and make it into a functioning economy. Smith states again that work is done with ease in the New World where as labor is required for little gain in England, people may do much better in the new colony. (Brinkley 139) Leaders in Early America approached the same land with different beliefs. This made them have different views of what life should be like in New England and what the new land had to offer people. Both Winthrop and Smith saw a place to start again separate from England.
Wealth, for each of these men meant something different. For Smith, New England was an opportunity to take financial wealth from the land; it was a land of unclaimed resources waiting to be cultivated. For Winthrop, New England meant religious freedom, a place to start over in the eyes of God and be free from past mistakes. They both thought that by starting a new life in New England, they could be successful in their beliefs. Winthrop's remarks are reflected through many American experiences, and the two of the most significant events that are correlated with the remarks are the Revolutionary War and Civil War. The main causes for both wars were the fight for liberty.
If we are to analyze this issue in both wars, we see that the conclusion of one war leads to the beginning of another. The American Revolution could, to some have started when the Americans were given the Proclamation of 1763. As we see they are given boundaries and forbidden to settle onto Indian land. Many more decisions were made in England for the people of America without their opinions. Thereafter, the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, and the Townshend Duties were set and intended to help finance and sustain the British troops in America.
These laws were created without the consent of the people and they were later informed that they were included by Virtual Representation. The colonists lived with these annoying custom duties by evading them through smuggling. Soon a Declaratory Act was passed reasserting the right of Parliament to legislate in all cases whatsoever. (Brinkley 194) The people of America just wanted to separate from the English and soon become interested in the fact that England was producing all sorts of laws and acts onto them. Having such a government displeased the Americans and soon the reaction that they promoted was that of rebellion. A pamphlet authored by Thomas Paine, became a real best seller and many after reading such literature were ready to fight for their freedom. These legislatures were derived from the King of England George III.
He soon became the most disliked man in American homes. The Revolutionary War brought the people together in a patriotic manner. Soon, a document that would change the lives of many was constituted for the citizens of America. The Declaration of Independence was then formed and granted all men freedom and equality. (Brinkley 170) Freedom was finally rewarded to Americans, but how they manipulate, it was up to them. Was freedom and equality guaranteed for all men and women?
Studying history we see that it does differ and in the Declaration it states, All men are created equal. () This gets interpreted as all white men are created equal. In having such frame of mind, civilians began disputing. Not for the equal rights primarily, but for the unlawful slavery that was occurring. This time in history many laws and acts were distributed but often ignored such as the Fugitive Slave Acts 1850 and the Wilson Proviso of 1846. Both were set for the benefits in trying to start the unchaining of slavery.
Similarly to the Revolution, the Americans can be compared with the slaves of the United States. In parallel with writings from the Revolution, the Civil War had some great writers that professed that fighting for the slaves was lawful. Uncle Toms Cabin in itself a fine piece of literature encompassed the life of a slave. Slaves had no say in what they wanted and were not able to actually live life. Not only did the black servants feel like they were being inhumanely treated but so did the masters of the slaves. The slave owners saw this out to be that the North was destroying they way of living by emancipating the slaves.
Like early Americans wanting to be liberated, so did the slaves. With the help of fellow Americans, the slaves of the United States were soon unchained with the victory of the North in the American Civil War. What came of this were the 13 th, 14 th, and 15 th amendments. The 13 th amendment stated slavery was against the law. The 14 th granted all people born in the United States are granted citizenship.
And finally the 15 th amendment declared all citizens of the United States voting rights. (Brinkley 176) In conclusion, we recognize that both battles are in some ways related due to the means in fighting. Each side thought that they had a right to a certain type of freedom. The Americans in the Revolution went to America for the specific reason to separate from the country or religion that they were being persecuted from. Although in the Civil War, the slaves did not wish to come over to America but were taken out of their homes and forced to work. Their blood and sweat built some of the fine plantations that we see in our history books today.
Words Count: 1, 684. Bibliography: 1. Brinkley, A. American History, Volume I Eleventh Edition. New York: Random House, 2000.
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