Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca explored what is now the American Southwest in the 1530’s. His detailed journals encouraged many European settlers to follow.

Captain John Smith explored and served as a leader to settlers of Virginia. He wrote numerous letters to friends, family, etc. to encourage them to come to the New World to experience “paradise.” Once you’ve read an excerpt of his description of Virginia, ask yourself if he did describe a paradise or was he using propaganda to encourage others to come?

In pursuit of the City on a Hill, Puritans set out for the New World in Sept They landed at Cape Cod in Dec. 1620, but decided to move to a more easily accessible location. They named it Plymouth.

The Puritans thought they would land in Virginia but were blown severely off course. Once in Massachusetts, they decided to create a governing document known as the Mayflower Compact.

The Puritans were devoutly religious. They believed that mankind was wicked by nature, so the constant pursuit of grace was necessary to avoid eternal damnation. The Puritans believed that regular, focused study of the Bible was essential to earn God’s grace. They looked to the Bible for instruction, inspiration, and explanation. Four characteristics that would help to insure God’s grace were being: Industrious (hardworking) Temperate (modest in the intake of food and drink) Sober (no alcohol to excess) Simple (in dress, décor, writing style, etc.)

The Puritans were completely ignorant in terms of hunting, fishing, and farming the rough Massachusetts terrain. Wampanoag Chief Massasoit agreed to a peace treaty with the Puritans. Chief Massasoit sent two young men to teach the Puritans. One of these young men, Squanto, lived within the Puritan community until his death.

When the Puritans decided to have a celebratory feast, they set out to hunt immediately. Upon hearing numerous gunshots, the Wampanoag nearby rushed to what they thought was an attack on their allies. It was then that the Native Americans joined the feast. The Thanksgiving meal consisted of: waterfowl, deer, shellfish, possibly turkey, cornbread, corn porridge, chestnuts, walnuts, beans, squash, and pumpkins.

Unfortunately, the European settlers’ relationships with Native Americans broke down due to disputes over land. By 1656, many Native Americans were driven from prime hunting and farming tracts of land. They began to starve. The solution? Kidnapping. The Native Americans would raid villages, steal supplies and kidnap women and children. Later, they would trade the women and children for additional supplies.

In 1692, girls in Salem, Massachusetts, were stricken with a mysterious “illness.” Doctors and ministers blamed the illness on witchcraft. Before the witchcraft craze ended, more than 100 people were accused and imprisoned, and 20 were executed. Essentially, the numerous accusations stemmed from petty land disputes, outright jealousy, and the inflexible/intolerant beliefs of the Puritans.

Jonathan Edwards, a Puritan minister, was deeply disturbed by the decline of faith he was seeing in his own community and surrounding areas of New England. During the Great Awakening, which was a religious movement of the mid-1700’s, Edwards and other ministers sought to revitalize the church. He is known for his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”

Age of Reason Emotion and Religion should have no bearing on decision- making. Followed the ideas of European philosophers & scientists who called themselves “rationalists.” God gave us a brain, the ability to reason, and the will to act on our own.

Cotton Mather was a Puritan minister who did not totally dismiss the idea of rationalism. He united religion and science as he campaigned for inoculating those who were infected with small pox. Of the nearly 300 people who were inoculated, only 6 of them died.