American Dream

The American Dream: What makes a true American?

>>William Bradford<<

1. In an excerpt from William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation, although the Puritans experience hardship in their voyage to America, in their initial arrival and thir dealings with the Indians, they still maintain their reverence to God and to one another.

2. In sundry of these storms the winds were so fierce and the seas so high, as they could not bear a knot of sail, but were forced to hull for divers days together. And in one of them, as they thus lay at hull in a mighty storm, a lusty young man called John Howland, coming upon some occasion above the gratings, was, with a roll of the ship, thrown into sea; but it pleased God that he caught hold of the topsail halyards, which hung overboard and ran out at length. Yet he held his hold (though he was sundry fathoms under water) till he was hauled up by the same rope to the brim of the water, and then with a boat hook and other means got into the ship again and his life saved. And though he was something ill with it, yet he lived many years after and became a profitable member both in church and commonwealth. In all this voyage there died but one of the passengers, which was William But ten, a youth, servant to Samuel Fuller, when they drew near the coast.

3. The reason this passage stood out the most to me is because of its vivid wording. When it says that a man was thrown overboard I could picture it happening as if I was standing right there watching.

Dear Diary,

It's me again. This voyage is terrible so far. All ive been doing is throwing up from the horrendous seasickness. I left for the New World about a month ago. Well at least God has been watching out for me. I may have seasickness but at least I'm still alive. Well i have to go fix the sails again. Be back to write later.

yours Truly,

Brad

>>Anne Bradstreet<<

The poem that interested me the most was "Upon the Burning of my House." The reason it stood out the most to me is because Bradstreet was upset about the house but her faith in God never faltered. In the beginning of her poem she was distraught about her house. Bradstreet who was a Puritan believed that God was the only thing that mattered in life. It also impressed me when she said "Here stood that Trunk, and there that chest; There lay that store I counted best: My pleasant things in ashes lye, And them behold no more shall I. Under thy roof no guest shall sitt, Nor at thy Table eat a bitt." That pretty much goes against all the Puritans believe in because they are not suposed to be materialistic.

Dear Diary,

Its Anne again. Everything has been going great! I know God is watching over me because when my house burned down no one was hurt. I lost almost all of my stuff but I guess that doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that I'm safe and so is the rest of my family. Well I need to go make dinner for my wonderful husband. I will check back in later.

Love,

Anne

This political cartoon can represent Anne Bradstreet because she also was not a big part of society because she is a woman.

>>Edward Taylor<<

The poem "Huswifery" by Edward Taylor is about how he is a small thread in God's creation.

Johnathan Edwards

1. The strong images this sermon creates were used to scare the people and to tell them that they definitely are going to hell, and that only by the grace of God will you go to heaven.

2. The use of this awful subject may be for awakening unconverted persons in this congregation. This that you have heard is the case of every one of you that are of Christ. -That world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone, is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell's wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor anything to take hold of, there is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and the mere pleasure of God that holds you up.