A DUAL IDENTITY IN COLONIAL AMERICA John Hamblen Professor Binnington History 162 Word Count: October 18, 2012 By looking through the 18th Century, one can see that the North American colonists possessed an identity of both British and colonial aspects of society. Immigrants from the British Empire helped shape the dual identity of colonies. People of different faiths and religions wanted a place where land was cheap and labor was needed. They wanted a society in which they could live their lives the way they wanted to. While living in their ideal society, the British Empire wanted the colonist to think of themselves as British subjects but at the same time to consider their identity of colonists.
Both groups migrated from England to North America in the 1700’s and both still believed their religions and the English church. Both also had authors that wrote literature such as What we should be thinking about in these two groups are not their differences or their similarities but the importance their literature has had on us and our society. We must break down the walls in which cover our eyes and examine the true meanings of these amazing peoples
Religion has been a fundamental component in every colonization known to man since the Garden of Eden. In fact, one is hard pressed to find a culture where the act of utilizing the principle of religion as a cornerstone is not employed. However it was upon the virgin soil of America that Religion made one of its most indelible conquests. Religious conviction played a vital role in all of the continent's fledgling settlements, but particularly in two colonies did religion, unequivocally, have the most radically different effect. It was religion that drove the New England colony and Middle Atlantic colony down two starkly opposite paths, but one was a religion of uniformity and government by God, and the other, a religion promising exactly the opposite.
Disagreements erupted over how the colonies felt that they should be treated and the way they were actually treated by Britain. The British stance was that the colonies were created for the benefit of Britain and the Colonialists wanted more say in their own existence. One main cause of the revolution was that the Colonists wanted more representation within the British government hence “no taxation without representation”, (Hickman n.d.), Britain was unwilling to do this. Another factor was the geographical distance between Britain and the Colonists, this created a sense of independence with in the colonies. Britain therefore tried to tighten control over the Colonists through a series of acts designed to quell any sense of rebellion.
These said factors led to considerable contrast. The colonists that settled in New England were families of young age. Family plays an important role in religion, and it shows that the colonists were planning to stay in America and form a community shaped around the church (document B). They were, for the most part, highly religious Puritans who wished to avoid religious persecution and wanted religious tolerance. So, they immigrated to America to follow their ideals, which are expressed in Document A.
The Jamestown and Plymouth colonies were established with different economic intentions, leadership, and survival tactics. While Jamestown settlers had Gold and other economical gains on their mind establishing their colony, the Pilgrims sought after religious freedom as they established their colony in Plymouth. Jamestown colonists were outrageous adventurers: “Economic motives prompted colonization in Virginia” (National Park Service). The Plymouth colonists, however, sought America for a different purpose: Freedom from religious persecution motivated the Pilgrims to leave England and settle in Holland, where there was more religious freedom. However, after a number of years the Pilgrims felt that their children were being corrupted by the liberal Dutch lifestyle and were losing their English heritage.
There are many answers to the question: ‘What is America?” The official answer is that America is landmass in the western hemisphere and also the other name for the United States of America; however, America is much, much more than that. America is a safe haven, an idea, and a dream. Without these things, America would just be a mass of land. Since its very beginning, America has served as a safe haven for those in seek of refuge. The pilgrims traveled here in order to evade persecution by the British king.
There are so many people living in America from so many different cultures, and that in my opinion is leading us to see religion in a whole new light. 2. What is ethnocentrism? In what ways can ethnocentrism be detrimental to a society? Ethnocentrism is when one culture, religion, etc.
America was a land of opportunity in its own way. It offered religious opportunities to people. For example, when some religious groups were persecuted for their beliefs, they decided to come to America under the leadership of their strongest believers. Some lived there happily while others questioned the laws and beliefs of their own leaders and ran away to find their own countries, which had their own specialties (examples are: New England colonies were good with manufacturing and fishing and the Middle colonies were good at farming. There were many other reasons that people moved to America.
Topic for Essay Current event Discrimination in America Throughout history discrimination and prejudice have been alive and well and has yet been laid to rest for it still exist today whether we as a people would like to accept it or not. Regardless if its discrimination against skin color, sex, creed, educational background, or one’s sexual preference which has become a popular issue the fact of the matter is that it is still very much so alive. Does my sexual preference dictate who I am or what my personality, work ethics, educational and religious background is? Or if I refuse to classify myself as a heterosexual object me to that of a ‘bad and unclean’ person because of whom I choose to love. Unfortunately for most people’s outlook on the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community,