Understanding the Culture of the Amish ANT 101 Understanding the Culture of the Amish When America was first founded, the people to first colonize and populate the new world were those trying to escape religious prosecution in Europe. As time passed in America, different religions came as well as different people. Despite the evolution of religion, technology, and the American belief and value system, there has been a particular group of people in America who continue to maintain the same religious traditions as their forefathers before them. That group is called the Amish Mennonites, or more commonly known as The Amish. The Amish are an agriculturalist society.
First, there is the main theme of both colonies, religion. The summer of 1607 the first colonists stepped foot onto Virginian soil. Observing the settlement of New Spain, the Virginia Company of England also wanted to reap the benefits of the New World “The Virginia Company investors hoped to found an empire that would strengthen England both overseas and at home" . While the colony was run under the pretext of Christianity, the settlers of Jamestown were guided more by their productivity than religion. “…on the whole, religion did not awaken the zeal of Chesapeake settlers…What quickened the pulse of most…folk was a close horse race, a bloody cockfight, or –most of all-an exceptionally fine tobacco crop” On the other hand, the Plymouth colony, settled in 1620, had very different grounds for emigrating from England.
Religion also provided a stage for new and old ideas to collide. Modernist thinkers believed religion could adapt to accept new scientific advances, especially Darwin’s theory of natural selection. Traditionalists did not. They considered religion to be fixed and condemned Darwin’s work. The most notable instance of this conflict is the Scopes Trial.
Two examples of the widespread influence of the Second Great Awakening are the creation of utopian societies and the temperance movement. During the Awakening utopian societies appeared throughout the country. These reformers sought a idealistic world, free from all social evils. Some of these societies wanted an alternative to a world they considered immoral or wanted to reject the middle-class ideals of family. Conversions to faiths like the Shakers peaked during the Second Great Awakening.
The religious persecution settlers experienced in their homelands and, for some, again upon arrival in British North America, served to shape the cultural landscape. For some religious refugees, improved economic opportunity played a secondary role in their decision to emigrate. For other colonists, economic opportunity was the sole motivation for setting sail to the New World. The societal values developed by settlers who worshipped the pursuit of the almighty coin would contrast drastically with those in pursuit of freedom to worship the Almighty. A comparative overview of the religious and socio-economic histories of the Chesapeake, New England and Mid-Atlantic colonies shows the evolved societies contrasted culturally as a direct result of diverse local economies and divergent religious influences manifested in the establishment of unique church state paradigms.
Since the begging of humanity, mankind tries to predict the soon to be future. Many scientific books and movies thrilled readers and viewers with visions of the future world. The book Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and the movie Matrix directed by The Wachowski Brothers tried to put forth-such views. The strongest theme in both the book and the movie was the idea that as humanity progresses through the centuries, the advancement of science leads to perfecting the world that man lives in, which in turn conflicts with human individuality. Although, the concept is similar in both the book and the movie the portrayal of the conflict is different.
Are We Playing Genetic Roulette? Essay by Elisha Sherman, age 18 2012 Since the introduction of commercially grown genetically modi!ed (GM) foods in the 1990’s, there has been much debate about whether or not GM products are safe for the environment or the health of humans and animals. Some question whether or not the use of this technology destroys heirloom seeds, contributes to honeybee colony collapse and if its course can be stopped and reversed if it is determined to be harmful. In this essay I have attempted to take look at both perspectives and reach a personal conclusion. Advocates for GM seeds and products claim it is a way to raise healthy crops with little risk to the farmer.
Genes are an intangible asset in which an individual has no control over. In recent years, scientists have acquired the knowledge to partake in genetic screening, a newly discovered practise which is the epitome of futuristic science. This practise has the power to reshape the world into one which has ‘discrimination down to a science’. This issue is one which is explored in the insightful, thought provoking film Gattaca. The film brings to light a glimpse of a future in which genetic engineering is given free reign, resulting in a highly undesirable world for those who posses undesirable genes.
Specyalski 1 Connie Specyalski Mr. Larson USHD November 6, 2013 The Cherokees Stay, Mr. Jackson Dear America, Our nation as a whole is changing. With great progress in manufacturing, improvement in transportation, settling into western lands, and strengthening our democracy, it would be foolish to not try and expand American territory. Some of you would agree with Andrew Jackson, who deems it’s necessary to remove the Cherokees from their land. It is true that by having the Natives resettle in the West, it would benefit our nation by providing us with farmland as well as mining the land for gold. However, you must also take the Cherokees’ point of view into consideration.
In the article Shirky establishes the point that we are now going through a similar growth in our publishing capability as we had in our past. This capability, according to Shirky, enables us to create new “education resources” such as Wikipedia and Patients like Me. The article also shows how there is much nonsense out there and points towards further historical references of people who were against the widespread availability of knowledge, such as Edgar Allen Poe and Martin Luther King Jr. Yet this article goes on to say that these “pessimists'” awe of the past was unfounded, compared to the present in which people went towards pointless content as well if not more. Shirky points out that in the end the increase in the freedom and availability to make content is a positive change even though it comes with “dumb videos and erotic novels” (Shirky).