By: Veronica Maciel

~ “What is more lasting than Brass?” - Our hearts, our spirit and our mind. - Brass the symbol of everyone’s spirit, mind, and dedication. ~ This is Waterbury’s Latin quote.

 Connecticut is made of hardy people. Persons full of spirit, determination, and powerful minds. ~The Protestant work ethic was the belief that hard work was an honor to God which would lead to a prosperous reward. This ethic lead to the development of Waterbury.

 Town Plot History ~The land known now as Waterbury was officially purchased from the Tunxis tribe in 1677 for 38 dollars. This Native American tribe called the area "Matecoke".The area was vacated during King Phillip’s War in  When Waterbury was first established it included Farmington, Naugatuck, Middlebury, Watertown, and Thomason.

 Puritan sects were greatly over-represented among the early major industrialists, and their belief that working is required to redeem our ‘original sin’ as human beings became part of their work ethic. This is an idea which continues to underlie our attitude towards work even today. Work is done because it has to be done, it doesn't mean that we want to do it, as much as it means we have to do it.

 The Puritans work ethic showed in Waterburians. They worked hard hoping to adjust nicely to the new world, that they now called their home. The settlers worked as farmers, carpenters, millers and blacksmiths, all of them were hard-working industrious people.  Everyone contributed.  All townspeople worked in some form or another. ~ Building Sabbath-Houses. ~ Tending to the sick and poor ~ Settling Borders with neighboring towns.

 An American is English, French, Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Australian, Iranian, Asian, Arab, Pakistani, or Afghan. An American may also be a Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, or one of the many other tribes known as Native Americans. An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, Buddhist, or Muslim. Every religion is accepted. America is free to worship as each of them chooses. An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God. An American is from the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each man and woman to the pursuit of happiness. An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need.

 Americans welcome the best, but they also welcome the least. The national symbol of America welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America. Americans are not a group of particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American. So look around you. You may find more Americans in your land than you thought were there. One day they will rise up and overthrow the old, ignorant, tired tyrants that trouble too many lands. Then those lands, too, will join the community of free and prosperous nations. And America will welcome them!

 The Puritans were a huge influence on the people who settled Waterbury. They helped America construct what is now known as the American dream.  They developed the work ethic that most Americans have, work to live, work because we have to not because we want to.  In Conclusion, Puritans (or) Early Waterburians helped make us who we are today! Enjoy Life!