Encounters and Encounters and Foundations to 1800Foundations to 1800

For a more detailed For a more detailed version of these version of these notes, see HOLT pp. notes, see HOLT pp. 6-196-19

IntroductionIntroduction

► About five hundred years ago European About five hundred years ago European explorers first set foot on land in our explorers first set foot on land in our hemisphere.hemisphere.

► However, European feet were not the first to However, European feet were not the first to tread on American soil. tread on American soil.

American Indians had American Indians had lived here for thousands lived here for thousands of years before the first of years before the first Europeans stumbled Europeans stumbled across what they called across what they called the New World.the New World.

Forming New Forming New RelationshipsRelationships

► The 1The 1stst interactions between Europeans and interactions between Europeans and American Indians largely involved trading near American Indians largely involved trading near harbors and rivers of North America. harbors and rivers of North America.

► As the English began to establish As the English began to establish coloniescolonies on on these new shores, they relied on American these new shores, they relied on American Indians to teach them survival skills, such as Indians to teach them survival skills, such as how to make canoes and shelters, how to how to make canoes and shelters, how to fashion clothing from buckskin, and how to fashion clothing from buckskin, and how to plant crops.plant crops.

► At the same time, American Indians were At the same time, American Indians were eager to acquire European firearms, textiles, eager to acquire European firearms, textiles, and steel tools. and steel tools.

Forming New Relations Forming New Relations cont.cont.

► In the early years of European settlement, In the early years of European settlement, American Indians vastly outnumbered the colonists.American Indians vastly outnumbered the colonists.

► Historians estimate that in 1600, the total American Historians estimate that in 1600, the total American Indian population of New England alone was from Indian population of New England alone was from 70,000 to 100,000 people– more than the English 70,000 to 100,000 people– more than the English population of New England would be two centuries population of New England would be two centuries later.later.

Battling New DiseasesBattling New Diseases

► The arrival of the European settlers had a deadly The arrival of the European settlers had a deadly impact on Native Americans. impact on Native Americans.

► When settlers made contact with American Indians, When settlers made contact with American Indians, they knowingly exposed them to deadly diseases they knowingly exposed them to deadly diseases that sometimes killed the population of an entire that sometimes killed the population of an entire village.village.

► Against enormous odds, Against enormous odds, some Native Americans some Native Americans managed to survive the managed to survive the epidemicsepidemics..► Many were forced to Many were forced to vacate their lands vacate their lands

Explorers’ WritingsExplorers’ Writings► The first detailed European The first detailed European

observations of life on this observations of life on this continent were recorded in continent were recorded in Spanish and French by explorers Spanish and French by explorers of the 15of the 15thth and 16 and 16thth centuries. centuries.

► Christopher Columbus (1451-Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) and many other explorers 1506) and many other explorers described the Americas in a described the Americas in a flurry of letters, journals, and flurry of letters, journals, and booksbooks

► Hoping to receive funding for Hoping to receive funding for further explorations, the further explorations, the explorers emphasized the explorers emphasized the Americas’ abundant resources, Americas’ abundant resources, the peacefulness and hospitality the peacefulness and hospitality of the inhabitants, and the of the inhabitants, and the promise of unlimited wealth from promise of unlimited wealth from fantastic treasuries of gold. fantastic treasuries of gold.

The Puritan LegacyThe Puritan Legacy► The writings of the Puritans The writings of the Puritans

of New England have been of New England have been central to the development central to the development of the American literary of the American literary traditions.traditions.

► PuritanPuritan is a term referring to is a term referring to a number of Protestant a number of Protestant groups that sought to groups that sought to “purify” the Church of “purify” the Church of England, which had been England, which had been virtually inseparable from the virtually inseparable from the country’s government since country’s government since the time of Henry VIII (who the time of Henry VIII (who reigned from 1509-1547).reigned from 1509-1547).

► English Puritans wished to English Puritans wished to return to a simpler form of return to a simpler form of worship.worship.

The Puritan Legacy cont.The Puritan Legacy cont.

► They did not believe that they clergy or government They did not believe that they clergy or government should act as an intermediary between the should act as an intermediary between the individual and God.individual and God.

► Many Puritans suffered Many Puritans suffered persecutionpersecution in England. in England. ► Some were put in jail and whipped, their noses slit Some were put in jail and whipped, their noses slit

and their ears chopped off.and their ears chopped off.

Puritan Beliefs: Sinners Puritan Beliefs: Sinners All?All?

► At the center of Puritan At the center of Puritan theology was an uneasy mixture theology was an uneasy mixture of certainty and doubt. of certainty and doubt.

► The certainty was that because The certainty was that because of Adam’s and Eve’s of Adam’s and Eve’s disobedience, most of humanity disobedience, most of humanity would be damned for all would be damned for all eternity.eternity.

► However, Puritans were also However, Puritans were also certain that God in his mercy certain that God in his mercy had sent his son Jesus Christ to had sent his son Jesus Christ to earth to save particular people.earth to save particular people.

► People hoping to be among the People hoping to be among the saved examined their inner lives saved examined their inner lives closely for signs of grace and closely for signs of grace and tried to live lives that were free tried to live lives that were free of sin– of sin– self-relianceself-reliance, , industriousnessindustriousness, , temperancetemperance, , and and simplicitysimplicity..

Puritan Politics: Puritan Politics: Government by ContractGovernment by Contract

► In the Puritan view, a In the Puritan view, a covenantcovenant, or contract, existed , or contract, existed between God and humanity.between God and humanity.

► This spiritual covenant was a This spiritual covenant was a useful model for social useful model for social organization as well.organization as well.

► Puritans’ political views Puritans’ political views tended to be undemocratic tended to be undemocratic because they believed that a because they believed that a few “saved” persons should few “saved” persons should control the government.control the government.

► In 1692, the witchcraft In 1692, the witchcraft hysteria is Salem, hysteria is Salem, Massachusetts, resulted in Massachusetts, resulted in part from fear that the part from fear that the community’s moral foundation community’s moral foundation was threatened.was threatened.

The Age of ReasonThe Age of Reason

► By the end of the 17By the end of the 17thth century, century, new ideas from Europe began new ideas from Europe began to challenge the unshakable to challenge the unshakable faith of the Puritans. faith of the Puritans.

► The Age of Reason, or the The Age of Reason, or the EnlightenmentEnlightenment, began in , began in Europe with the philosophers Europe with the philosophers and scientists (who called and scientists (who called themselves rationalists).themselves rationalists).

► RationalismRationalism is the belief that is the belief that human beings can arrive at human beings can arrive at truth by using reasontruth by using reason

The Age of Reason cont.The Age of Reason cont.

► The Puritans saw God as actively and mysteriously The Puritans saw God as actively and mysteriously involved in the workings of the universe; the involved in the workings of the universe; the rationalists saw God differently.rationalists saw God differently.

► The great English rationalist Sir Isaac Newton The great English rationalist Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) compared God to a clockmaker.(1642-1727) compared God to a clockmaker.

► Having created the perfect mechanism of this Having created the perfect mechanism of this universe, God then left his creation to run on its universe, God then left his creation to run on its own, like a clock.own, like a clock.

► The rationalists believed that God’s special gift to The rationalists believed that God’s special gift to humanity is humanity is reasonreason– the ability to think in an – the ability to think in an ordered, logical manner.ordered, logical manner.

► This gift of reason enables people to discover both This gift of reason enables people to discover both scientific and spiritual truth.scientific and spiritual truth.

The Smallpox PlagueThe Smallpox Plague

► In 1721, a ship from the In 1721, a ship from the West Indies docked in West Indies docked in Boston Harbor.Boston Harbor.

► In addition to its usual In addition to its usual cargo of sugar and cargo of sugar and molasses, the West molasses, the West Indian ship carried Indian ship carried smallpoxsmallpox– a disease as – a disease as deadly to early American deadly to early American life as AIDS and the life as AIDS and the Ebola virus are todayEbola virus are today

► The outbreak in Boston The outbreak in Boston in 1721 was a major in 1721 was a major health problem.health problem.

The Smallpox Plague The Smallpox Plague cont.cont.

► An Unlikely CureAn Unlikely Cure At the time of the smallpox At the time of the smallpox

epidemic, Cotton Mather was epidemic, Cotton Mather was working on what would be the 1working on what would be the 1stst scholarly essay on medicine written scholarly essay on medicine written in America.in America.

He had heard of a method for He had heard of a method for dealing with smallpox– dealing with smallpox– inoculationinoculation– – and began a campaign for it.and began a campaign for it.

Boston’s medical community Boston’s medical community threatened himthreatened him

The following year, only 6 people The following year, only 6 people died.died.

The Smallpox Plague The Smallpox Plague cont.cont.

►A Practical Approach to ChangeA Practical Approach to Change The smallpox controversy illustrates two The smallpox controversy illustrates two

interesting points about American life in interesting points about American life in that time:that time:►First, it shows that Puritan thinking was not First, it shows that Puritan thinking was not

limited to rigid and narrow interpretation of limited to rigid and narrow interpretation of the Bible; a devout the Bible; a devout PuritanPuritan like Mather could like Mather could also be a also be a scientistscientist..

►Mather’s experiment also reveals that a Mather’s experiment also reveals that a practical approach to social change and practical approach to social change and scientific research was necessary in America.scientific research was necessary in America.

Deism: Deism: Are People Basically Good?Are People Basically Good?

► Like the Puritans, the rationalists discovered God Like the Puritans, the rationalists discovered God through the natural world, but in a different way.through the natural world, but in a different way.

► Rationalists thought it unlikely that God would Rationalists thought it unlikely that God would choose to reveal himself only at particular times choose to reveal himself only at particular times to particular people.to particular people.

►Deism:Deism: God had made it possible for God had made it possible for allall people at people at all all times to times to

discover natural laws through their God-given power of discover natural laws through their God-given power of reason), was shared by many 18reason), was shared by many 18thth century thinkers. century thinkers.

►God’s objective was the happiness of his God’s objective was the happiness of his creaturescreatures

Self-Made AmericansSelf-Made Americans

► The unquestioned masterpiece of the American Age of The unquestioned masterpiece of the American Age of Reason is Reason is The AutobiographyThe Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin

► Franklin (1706-1790) used the autobiographical Franklin (1706-1790) used the autobiographical narrative, a form common in Puritan writing.narrative, a form common in Puritan writing.

► Written in clear, witty prose, this account of the Written in clear, witty prose, this account of the development of the self-made American provided the development of the self-made American provided the model for a story that would be told again and again. model for a story that would be told again and again. Can you think of any examples from well-known literature?Can you think of any examples from well-known literature?