Victoria

The Puritans designed a society full of Christian principles, and they emphasized trust within their faith. The role religion plays in society, as described by Crevecoeur, is very different from what the Puritans envisioned. The society in which Crevecoeur lived was filled with people who seized the search of faith for guidance. The difference between the views during the Puritans’ time period, and that of Crevecoeur’s time is the formers strictly Christian society which avoids material objects. ** The Puritans tried to create a society in which only Christians existed. Soon people from many different nations, and religions resided in America. These people married outside of their religion, and nationality, thereby eliminating the pure Christian society. Unlike the Puritans who believed the materialistic life is evil, the people of Crevecoeur’s time took pride in building their materialistic society. Letter IX describes slavery as an urgent issue that many had no idea how to address. Eventually, it was questioned by a clergyman, and upon attempting to provide guidance he was told, “Sir (said one of his hearers) we pay you a genteel salary to read us the prayers of the liturgy, and to explain to us such parts of the Gospel as the rule of the church directs; but we do not want you to teach us what we are to do with our blacks”(607). This shocks the clergyman because there was a time when guiding the people was much easier. They have made many sacrifices, and while their society has made a complete change, Crevecoeur acknowledges being for the better. America is “the idle may be employed, the useless become useful, and the poor become rich; but by riches I do not mean gold or silver, we have but little of those metals; I mean a better sort of wealth, cleared lands, cattle, good houses, good clothes, and an increase in people to enjoy them”(604). They have adapted to their surroundings, and they are doing what they need to to expand their country. Compared to the Puritans, the Americans described by Crevecoeur have deserted their faith, and embraced the materialistic life on Earth. The real difference between the Puritan society, and that of which Creveceour describes is the materialistic lifestyle. They no longer look to faith. Material is the only answer. FINAL DRAFT OF ESSAY TWO: Bradstreet as compared to Edwards, writes from her heart, and affords insight into the conflicts from which she suffers with religion. Edwards writes in hope of the Neo-Puritan society adopting Puritan ideals. His primary focus is on the afterlife, especially Hell. Edwards’ goal is to turn the community devotion to God. “Sinners in the Hand of An Angry God,” states “All wicked men’s pains and contrivance which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, do not secure them from hell one moment”(428). Conversion is the only way to escape such fate. One who is tempted by the materialistic life on Earth, and gives into temptation, cannot expect to be forgiven by God. Heaven as option is never offered. Edward’s states: “it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it”(429). The idea that all humans are damned to Hell is exaggerated in order to scare people into conversion. Bradstreet, on the other hand, acknowledges a dilemma. In the “Flesh and the Spirit,” she describes twin sisters. One embraces Heaven, and the other longs for the materialistic life on Earth. Of the two sisters “One Flesh was called, who had her eye / On worldly wealth and vanity; / The other Spirit, who did rear / Her thoughts unto a higher sphere / ”(5-9). Each sister is a side of her: “Sisters we are, yea, twins we be, / Yet, deadly feud ‘twixt thee and me; / For from one father we are not, / Thou by old Adam wast begot” (43-47). The two sisters are each a side of her religious conflict. The side of her that represents wealth, and vanity is the essential cause of the conflict with her religion because she is tempted by the lavish life on Earth. She emphasizes Heaven, and never emphasizes Hell as Edwards does. Bradstreet realizes the power of temptation, and searches for new ways to look forward to her life in Heaven. The two writers unveil different aspects of the Puritan faith. Bradstreet acknowledges Heaven, and Hell, and their relation to life on Earth. Bradstreet stresses the struggle she has with the temptations between this world, and the next. Edwards never mentions such doubts, or conflicts. Judgment Day is his focus, and he emphasizes the placement of all unconverted humans in Hell. Bradstreet, although she suffers tough obstacles with her faith, always returns to God as a source of strength and comfort in hard times.
 * FINAL DRAFT OF ESSAY THREE:

DRAFT THREE OF ESSAY THREE: The Puritans designed a society full of Christian principles, and they emphasized trust within their faith. The role religion plays in society, as described by Crevecoeur, is very different from what the Puritans envisioned. The society in which Crevecoeur lived was filled with people who no longer searched within their faith for guidance, but questioned nature for the guidance previously found in God. The difference between the views during the Puritans time period, and that of Crevecoeurs time is the strictly Christian society who avoids material objects. For starters, the Puritans tried to create a society in which only Christians existed. Soon people from many different nations, and religions resided in America. These people married outside of their religion, and race, thereby thinning out the pure Christian bloodlines Puritans had hoped for. Secondly, Letter III describes the American Dream as the melting pot of America, the American Dream, hard work rewarded, and an industrious nature. Unlike the Puritans who believed the materialistic life is evil, the people of Crevecoeur’s time took pride in building their materialistic society. Letter IX describes slavery as an urgent issue that many had no idea how to address. Eventually, it was questioned by a clergyman, and upon attempting to provide guidance he was told, “Sir (said one of his hearers) we pay you a genteel salary to read us the prayers of the liturgy, and to explain to us such parts of the Gospel as the rule of the church directs; but we do not want you to teach us what we are to do with our blacks”(607). This is a shock to the clergyman because there was a time when guiding the people was much easier. Crevecoeur describes the slave that is being eaten alive, and he is shocked: “Humanity herself would have recoiled back with horror”(609). Ultimately, the behavior of the “people whom nature has stamped with such different characteristics”(613) is never something that God is questioned about. Even Crevecoeur, after witnessing the half dead man in the woods, addresses the Father of Nature, rather than God to “Restore peace and concord to our poor afflicted country, assuage the fierce storm which has so long ravaged it. Permit, I beseech thee, O Father of Nature that our ancient virtues may not be totally lost…”(616). There was a time when God was the ultimate source of guidance. The fact that people no longer looked to the bible for help proves the vision Puritans had for American society was gone. Compared to the Puritans, the Americans described by Crevecoeur have swayed far from their faith, and have embraced a life full of the materialistic. They have changed because they have abandoned their faith, and begin to question nature. Crevecoeur describes people who have lost sight of keeping a strictly Christian society.

DRAFT THREE OF ESSAY TWO: Bradstreet as compared to Edwards, writes from her heart, and affords insight into the conflicts from which she suffers with religion. Edwards has a different agenda in which he writes in hope of the Neo-Puritan society adopting Puritan ideals. His primary focus is on the afterlife, especially Hell. Edwards’ goal is to turn the community devotion to God, and to do right by Him. “Sinners in the Hand of An Angry God,” states “All wicked men’s pains and contrivance which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, do not secure them from hell one moment”(428). Conversion is a must, and rejecting faith could result in the denial of Gods’ acceptance. Meaning, one whom is tempted by the materialistic life on Earth, and gives into their temptation, cannot expect to be forgiven by God. Heaven as option is never offered, and Edwards preached: “it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it”(429). The idea that all humans are damned to Hell is exaggerated because making mistakes is vital for growth, and Edwards leaves no room for either. Bradstreet, on the other hand, acknowledges a dilemma. In the “Flesh and the Spirit,” she describes twin sisters. One embraces Heaven, and the other longs for the materialistic life on Earth. Of the two sisters “One Flesh was called, who had her eye / On worldly wealth and vanity; / The other Spirit, who did rear / Her thoughts unto a higher sphere / ”(5-9). Each sister is a side of her: “Sisters we are, yea, twins we be, / Yet, deadly feud ‘twixt thee and me; / For from one father we are not, / Thou by old Adam wast begot” (43-47). The two sisters are each a side of her religious argument. The side of her that represents wealth, and vanity is damned to Hell. This is the part of Bradstreet that is tempted by the lavish life to be lived on Earth. While she emphasizes Heaven, she mentions an idea of Hell (never actually using the word Hell), as punishment of living an unfaithful life to God, she doesn’t emphasize Hell as Edwards does. Bradstreet realizes the power of temptation, and Bradstreet searches for new ways to bring her to her faith. The two writers unveil different aspects of the Puritan faith. Bradstreet acknowledges Heaven, and Hell, and their relation to life on Earth. Bradstreet stresses the struggle she has with faith. Edwards never mentions such doubts or conflicts. The afterlife is his focus, and he emphasizes the placement of all unconverted humans in Hell. Bradstreet, although she suffers tough obstacles with her faith, always returns to God as a source of strength and comfort in hard times.

DRAFT TWO OF ESSAY THREE: The Puritans designed a society full of Christian principles, and they emphasized trust within their faith. The role religion plays in society, as described by Crevecoeur, is very different from what the Puritans envisioned. The society in which Crevecoeur lived was filled with people who no longer searched within their faith for guidance. For starters, the Puritans tried to create a society in which only Christians existed. Soon people from many different nations, and religions resided in America. These people married outside of their religion, and race, therefore thinning out the thick Christian bloodlines Puritans had hoped for. Letter IV describes slavery as an urgent issue that many had no idea how to address. Eventually, it was questioned by a clergyman, and upon attempting to provide guidance he was told, “Sir (said one of his hearers) we pay you a genteel salary to read us the prayers of the liturgy, and to explain to us such parts of the Gospel as the rule of the church directs; but we do not want you to teach us what we are to do with our blacks”(607). This is a shock to the clergyman because there was a time when guiding the people was much easier. Crevecoeur describes the slave that is being eaten alive, and he is shocked. Crevecoeur expresses, “Humanity herself would have recoiled back with horror”(609). Ultimately, the behavior of the “people whom nature has stamped with such different characteristics”(613) is never something that God is questioned about. Even Crevecoeur, after witnessing the half dead man in the woods, reached to the Father of Nature, rather than to his faith to “Restore peace and concord to our poor afflicted country, assuage the fierce storm which has so long ravaged it. Permit, I beseech thee, O Father of Nature that our ancient virtues may not be totally lost…”(616). There was a time when God was the ultimate source of guidance. The fact that people no longer looked to the bible for help proves the legacy Puritans had for American society was gone. Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “vicious actions are not hurtful because they are forbidden, but forbidden because they are hurtful…”(533). Compared to the Puritans, the Americans described by Crevecoeur are as vicious as the Native Americans that were so vividly described by Bradford, and have swayed far from their faith. They are committing crimes against humanity that are so evil, not even God can be confronted because if there is a God, such crimes wouldn’t exist. They have not only disregarded Puritan beliefs, but they have lost sight of how to treat their fellow man. Crevecoeur describes people whom have lost sight of everything…keeping a strictly Christian society, God, Nature, and how to do right by their fellow man.

DRAFT TWO OF ESSAY TWO: Bradstreet as compared to Edwards, writes from her heart, and offers insight into the conflicts from which she suffers with religion. Edwards has a different agenda. He writes in hope of the Neo-Puritan society adopting Puritan ideals. His focus is on the afterlife, which for most will be Hell. Edwards’ goal is to turn the community devotion to God, and to do right by him. “Sinners in the Hand of An Angry God,” states “All wicked men’s pains and contrivance which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, do not secure them from hell one moment”(428). Belief is a must, and change of belief could result in the denial of Gods acceptance. Heaven as option is never offered. Edwards preached: “it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it”(429). The idea that all humans are damned to Hell is exaggerated because making mistakes is vital for growth, and Edwards leaves no room for either. Bradstreet, on the other hand, acknowledges a dilemma. In the “Flesh and the Spirit,” she describes two twin sisters. One represents Heaven, and the other represents the materialistic life led while on Earth. Of the two sisters “One Flesh was called, who had her eye/On worldly wealth and vanity;/ The other Spirit, who did rear/ Her thoughts unto a higher spear/”(5-9). Each sister is a side of her: “Sisters we are, yea, twins we be,/Yet, deadly feud ‘twixt thee and me;/ For from one father we are not,/Thou by old Adam wast begot/” (43-47). The side of her, which represents wealth, and vanity, is damned to Hell. While she mentions Hell as punishment of living an unfaithful life to God, she doesn’t emphasize Hell nearly as much as Edwards does. Bradstreet realizes the wrongs of temptation, and Bradstreet searches for new ways to bring her to her faith. The two writers unveil different aspects of the Puritan faith. Bradstreet acknowledges Heaven, and Hell, and their relation to life on Earth. Bradstreet stresses the struggle she has with faith. Edwards never mentions such doubts or conflicts. The afterlife is his expertise, and he emphasizes the placement of all humans in Hell. Bradstreet, although she suffers tough obstacles with her faith, she always returns back.

DRAFT THREE OF ESSAY ONE: Columbus and Bradford, when traveling to exotic, and foreign areas, have preconceived expectations. Readers come to learn they experience the opposite of those expectations. Columbus, one of the first to record his experience, expects to meet a hostile community, and Bradford, and his group, expects English settlers. Columbus and Bradford have completely different encounters: Columbus experiences paradise, whereas Bradford discovers the antithesis. Columbus describes a paradise in which, “there are many harbors on the coast of the sea…and numerous seas…Its lands are lofty and…filled with trees of all kinds and tall, and they seem to touch the sky; I am told that they never seem to lose their foliage”(2). This description led people to believe that the lands were untouched with abundant opportunities “for planting and sowing, and for livestock of every sort, and for building towns and cities,” (3) as well as new minerals, fruits, and plants. The people Columbus comes into contact are described as giving and innocent. If Columbus or his men needed something, they were given the items with love, and without a second thought. These individuals are good for the community Columbus had in mind because he felt they would easily convert to the Christian religion. All these characteristics made the idea of the foreign lands seem welcoming. In contrast, Bradford encounters lands already inhabited, not by the English settlers they hoped to find, but by the savage Native Americans. Unlike the perfect land that Columbus found, the land had been put to use and “the wilderness is hideous and desolate” (108). The people were actually “most furious in their rage, and merciless where they overcome; not being content only to kill, and take away life, but delight to torment men in the most bloody manner that may be” (109). Taking into consideration that Bradford, and his group are expecting Englishmen, readers easily understand their fear and horror. Bradford and Columbus had very different experiences with new found lands. Columbus was lucky enough to find land that is as giving, nourishing, and as caring as its inhabitants. Bradford discovers the complete opposite. The people were savage and the lands had nothing to offer. Each account, while not sharing equal experiences, has a great way of describing America in a way that makes each appreciated. The Puritans designed a society full of Christian’s principles, and they emphasized trusting their faith. The vision of America, and the role that religion plays in society, as described by Crevecoeur, is very different from what the Puritan’s envisioned. The society, in which Crevecoeur lived, was filled with people who no longer searched within their faith for guidance. Slavery, an issue that needed to be addressed, was questioned by a lergyman. When he tried to guide the people, he was told, “Sir (said one of his hearers) we pay you a genteel salary to read us the prayers of the liturgy, and to explain to us such parts of the Gospel as the rule of the church directs; but we do not want you to teach us what we are to do with our blacks”(607). This is a shock to the clergyman because when Puritans reined, he would have been able to guide the people. When Crevecoeur describes the slave that’s to be eaten alive, he is shocked. Crevecoeur expresses, “Humanity herself would have recoiled back with horror”(609). Ultimately, the behavior of the “people whom nature has stamped with such different characteristics”(613) is never something that God is questioned about. This shows the legacy that Puritans had for American society was gone. Even after all the damage Americans caused, Crevecoeur, instead of reaching to his faith, reached to the Father of Nature to “Restore peace and concord to our poor afflicted country, assuage the fierce storm which has so long ravaged it. Permit, I beseech thee, O Father of Nature that our ancient virtues may not be totally lost…”(616). Compared to the Puritans, the Americans described by Crevecoeur are lost. They have not only disregarded Puritan beliefs, but they lost sight of how to treat their fellow man. Bejamin Franklin once wrote, “vicious actions are not hurtful because they are forbidden, but forbidden because they are hurtful…”(533). The people Crevecoeur has described lost sight of everything…God, Nature, and how to do right by their fellow man.
 * DRAFT ONE OF ESSAY THREE:**

Bradstreet’s is easier to relate too. She writes from her heart, and offers insight to the dilemma from which she suffers with religion. Edwards has a different agenda. He writes to convince people to reform the Puritan society. He emphasizes life on Earth serves to pave the way to a beautiful, and fulfilling life in heaven. Edwards’ goal is to turn the communities devotion to God, and to doing right by him. “Sinners in the Hand of An Angry God,” states “All wicked men’s pains and contrivance which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, do not secure them from hell one moment”(428). One must believe, or not, and is not allowed to change their mind because God will not accept you. Heaven as option is never offered. He preached, to Puritan community, “it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it”(429). The idea that all humans are damned to Hell is exaggerated because making mistakes is vital for growth, and Edwards leaves no room for either. Bradstreet, on the other hand acknowledges a dilemma. In the “Flesh and the Spirit,” she describes two twin sisters. One represents Heaven, and the other represents the materialistic life an individual can lead during their life on Earth. Of the two sisters “One Flesh was called, who had her eye on worldly wealth and vanity; the other Spirit, who did rear her thoughts unto a higher spear.” Each sister is a side of her: “Sisters we are, yea, twins we be, Yet, deadly feud ‘twixt thee and me; from one father we are not, Thou by old Adam wast begot” (203). The sister that represents wealth, and vanity is the one damned to Hell. She realizes the wrongs of temptation, and is always searching for new ways to bring her back to her faith. The two writers unveil different aspects to the Puritan faith. Bradstreet acknowledges Heaven, and Hell, and how life on Earth can lead her to choose Hell. Edwards never mentions Heaven. The emphasis is on escaping the path to Hell. Do right by God, and maybe he will accept you, but it is not guaranteed. Bradstreet is admirable because although she suffers tough obstacles with her faith she always returns back.
 * DRAFT ONE OF ESSAY TWO:**

DRAFT TWO OF ESSAY ONE: Columbus and Bradford, when traveling to exotic, and foreign areas, have preconceived expectations. Readers come to learn they experience the opposite. Columbus, one of the first to record his experience, expects to meet a hostile community and, Bradford and his group, expect to meet English settlers. Columbus and Bradford have completely different encounters: Columbus experiences paradise, whereas Bradford discovers the antithesis. Columbus describes a paradise in which, “there are many harbors on the coast of the sea…and numerous seas…Its lands are lofty and…filled with trees of all kinds and tall, and they seem to touch the sky; I am told that they never seem to lose their foliage”(2). This description led people to believe that the lands were untouched with abundant opportunities “for planting and sowing, and for livestock of every sort, and for building towns and cities,” (3) as well as new minerals, fruits, and plants. The people Columbus comes into contact are described as giving and innocent. If Columbus, or his men needed something, they were given the items with love, and without a second thought. These individuals are good for the community Columbus had in mind because he felt they would easily convert to the Christian religion. All these characteristics made the idea of the foreign lands seem welcoming. On the contrary, Bradford encounters lands already inhabited, not by the English settlers they hoped to find, but by the savage Native Americans. Unlike the perfect land that Columbus found, the land had been put to use and “the wilderness is hideous and desolate” (108). The people were actually “most furious in their rage, and merciless where they overcome; not being content only to kill, and take away life, but delight to torment men in the most bloody manner that may be” (109). Bradford and Columbus had very different experiences with new found lands. Columbus was lucky enough to find land that is as giving, nourishing, and as caring as its inhabitants. Bradford discovers the complete opposite. The people were savage and the lands had nothing to offer. Each account, while not sharing equal experiences, have a great way of describing America in a way that makes both appreciated. DRAFT ONE OF ESSAY ONE:

Columbus and Bradford, when making their way to exotic, and foreign areas of the earth, had no idea what to expect. Columbus, one of the first to record his experience, set the bar for what is expected by latecomers. In the mind of the latecomer’s lies the misconception that all they discovered would be the same as that of Christopher Columbus. As readers come to find, Bradford finds that their experiences are on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Columbus and Bradford had completely different encounters with distant lands. Columbus experienced paradise whereas Bradford discovers the antithesis. Columbus describes a paradise in which, “there are many harbors on the coast of the sea…and numerous seas…Its lands are lofty and…filled with trees of a kinds and tall, and they seem to touch the sky; I am told that they never seem to loose their foliage (2).” This description led people to believe that the lands were untouched with multiple opportunities “for planting and sowing, and for livestock of every sort, and for building towns and cities, (3)” and abundant in new minerals, fruits, and plants which “the population in innumerable (3).” The people with whom Columbus came to contact with are described as giving, innocent, and conforming. If Columbus or his men needed something, they ask, and were given the items with love and without a second thought. These individuals were good for the community Columbus had in mind because he also felt they would easily conform to the Christian religion. All these characteristics made the idea of the foreign lands seem welcoming. On the contrary, Bradford encountered lands already inhabited by the savage Native Americans. The land had already been occupied and the wilderness is hideous and desolate(108). The people were cruel, barbarous, and treacherous. The travelers, expecting to find uninhabited lands came to discover “savage and brutish men, which range up and down, little otherwise than the wild beasts of the same (108).” The innocent and giving people they were expecting, were actually “most furious in their rage, and merciless where they overcome; not being content only to kill, and take away life, but delight to torment men in the most bloody manner that may be (109).” Bradford and Columbus had very different experiences with the newly found land. Columbus was lucky enough to find land that is as giving, nourishing, and caring as its inhibitors. Bradford seemed to discover the complete opposite. The people were savage and the lands had nothing to offer his people. The expectations were misled by Columbus’ extravagant account of his trip and by their ignorance to the outside world. Both accounts, while not equal to each other as far as experience, have an equally great way of describing American in a way that makes both equally appreciated.