The Legacy of Colonial America

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The Legacy of Colonial America Beginning in the early seventeenth century, there were many people that came to the Americas, whether it be for freedom of religious practice or the thought of striking wealth. The colonists in Jamestown, Plymouth, and Massachusetts Bay influenced and continue to influence our nation today due to the events and actions that they participated in during the early 1600s. America’s roots as one nation were founded on the beliefs of the early settlers in the colonies. In both the United States government and practice of law, these values show how not only the colonists influenced the early world, but how it has for better or worse changed how we as one nation operate today. One colonial ideal that is still present in today’s nation is the idea of helping others in need. Our country was built on the belief that helping others was the way of life. (Document A) During the 1620s, in the colonies, the Puritans who settled in the colonies believed that good deeds were needed to find salvation. They also believed that “belief in Jesus and participation in the sacraments could not alone effect one's salvation,” therefore many were quick to help others in need. (Campbell) This ideal continued to occur through the 1880s, after the Civil War. Clara Barton, one of the first female nurses in history of the United States, began to aide and nurse many back to help. She soon developed the idea of an organization dedicated to helping those in need. The American Red Cross, which was founded in 1881 by Barton, was designed to assist Americans in need. (American Red Cross) Finally, when Hurricane Katrina struck and destroyed a good majority of New Orleans, many Americans helped in re-building and aiding those who were in need. They collected cans of food, set up shelters for homeless to stay at, and raised awareness to show conditions and how dire they
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