Squanto

History: Squeaky Clean and Ignorant At the age of seven I was taught the story of the first Thanksgiving. My class and I were told of the wonders the Pilgrims explored and how kind and peaceful their meeting with the Native Americans was. We dressed up in handmade frocks and pinafores or vests and feathers as we had a feast and played games. We never once considered the accuracy of the history we were taught, nor the implications of the age old legend of the first Thanksgiving. Nor did I, until…

Early Jack-o’-lanterns were carved from turnips and potatoes by the Irish and Scottish and carried in the Celtic celebration of the Feast of Samhain. Lumps of coal were lit on fire and placed inside the hollowed root vegetables. Later on, Irish children used to carve out potatoes or turnips and light them for their Halloween gatherings to commemorate Jack, a villain who angered the devil and was turned away from heaven and hell when he died. He was doomed to wander the earth in search of a…

After Columbus ' discovery of the Americas, Spain reaped the benefits of this New World. More than a century later, Europeans finally took an interest in establishing colonies in North America. King James I of England established Jamestown, made up of men from the Virginia Company, in Virginia in 1607. Soon after, England established several new colonies along the Atlantic Coast. While Spain and British colonization efforts both began with the goal of finding new wealth, they differed in their…

The purpose of agreements: Relationships that shaped America The United States of America were built on principles and the people who enforced those principles. People may think that those principles first come out in The Declaration of Independence, but it is evident that these principles first show up when people first touch this historic land. One of the first people to influence the growth of North America was William Bradford. Bradford (who was a separatist from the Church of England)…

burned and the were never paid back for that battle. Other than just the point of being paid back, there is the point of loyalty and friendship. There were many Native Americans who were very faithful to the settlers of Plymouth. One of these was Squanto, who helped them to survive by teaching them many things and helping them to establish a good relationship with the local Native American chief and tribe. Another one of these was Sassamon. In Plymouth…

Immigration is something that has been occurring for centuries. It takes place in a multitude of ways and in numerous countries. In fact, the majority of United States residents are descendants of immigrants or are immigrants themselves. Unless a U.S. resident is 100% Native American, or Indian as Christopher Columbus once mistook them for, then their family tree possesses at least one immigrant. Over time, immigration has poured its way into the United States, stirring in a dash of heritage, a…

The documentary We Shall Remain- After the Mayflower presented contact and interactions between settlers and Native Americans in the early periods of English colonization. It used a familiar event; the Mayflower and the establishment of Plymouth as a colonial settlement to bring forth the information in a new way. Right from the beginning of the film, it clearly and quite drastically separated itself from other documentaries of its type. While other documentaries, and many have done so, would…

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin was born in 1706 and died at the age of 84. He was a writer, an inventor, a scientist, and a diplomat. He was one of the founding fathers of the United States of America. He signed the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. One of his famous publications is the “Poor Richard’s Almanack” of 1759. Benjamin Franklin is various things by different individuals. For me, it is his support of the abolitionist movement and attitude…

John Adams John Adams was born in 1735 and died at the age of 90. He was married to Abigail Smith and their son, Quincy Adams was the sixth president of the United States of America. He was a graduate of Harvard College and a prominent attorney in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the second president of the United States of America. Before becoming president, he had served as Vice-President under George Washington. John Adams was influential in stirring up the revolt against Britain rule in…

The aspects of Native American culture can be examined in many parts. The previously studied book, “The Lakota Way” by Joseph Marshall III breaks the culture into 12 separate values; while this piecewise analysis of Native American culture can work well to describe the complexities of the culture, Kent Nerburn is able seamlessly integrate aspects of Native American culture into his book, “Neither Wolf nor Dog.” Nerburn displays the past and present aspects of promises, forgiveness, and respect…