William Bradford And John Smith Beliefs

Before America became what it is today settlers from different places attempted to live on the North American continent. Two of these successful settlements were led by men named John Smith and William Bradford. John Smith was the first of the two men to settle in North America in present day Virginia. Smith’s settlement was called Jamestown and was considered the first successful settlement in America. Smith and his people came to America for monetary gain following the Spaniards discovery of wealth in the New World. The settlers accompanying Smith were only here to gain money, and were surprised at the hardship they endured. William Bradford and his people traveled to North America for a different reason. Bradford’s people, referred to as …show more content…
John Smith and his community believed in God but did not refer to him very often. In struggles with the Native Americans John Smith referenced God as the reason the natives became friendly stating, “when God the patron of all good endeavors, in that desperate extremity so changed the hearts of the savages” (17). John Smith only refers to God in the sense of changing nature and its people. Although Smith believed in God he didn’t connect God with matters in his settlement beyond native American conflicts. In contrast, William Bradford believed very strongly in God, letting God take a strong role in his community. While the pilgrims were still crossing the Atlantic Ocean, morale was low and one young man became very mean. The young man fell ill and died and William Bradford connected his death to God’s vengeance writing, “it pleased God before they came half seas over, to smite this young man with a grievous disease, of which he died” (24). In Bradford’s community God controlled everything even death. William Bradford believed his people were chosen by God and let God control how they shaped their colony. John Smith and William Bradford differed greatly in their beliefs of …show more content…
John Smith led his people by good example but forced them to obey his word at times. The settlement of Jamestown was successful due to his leading and his hard work. William Bradford led with kindness and helped his people through hardship. He was not just a leader but took an active role in his community ultimately helping the Pilgrims to make a successful settlement in the new world. Although the two men differed greatly on many subjects they both were very important to Americas history and early