American History

Instructions for the Unit 1 Paper

There are a number of primary sources within your textbook under the headings “Going to the Source.” Primary sources are directly from the direct time frame the event happened- diaries, letters, newspapers etc. See and read the primary sources from early American history on the following pages of your textbook (9th edition): 36, 62, and 123. Write on only the three sources on these specific pages. Summarize the information that is related in these short passages. Then, most importantly, provide your analysis as to whether these primary sources are historically valuable in helping to understand the past and history in general. Are they historically worthy? Are they biased? What can one learn about history from these primary sources? Can these sources be connected to other information gained in this Unit?

Have an introduction paragraph listing your chosen sources by title and explaining the purpose of your paper in summarizing and analyzing these sources.

Summarize the first source and then and provide your analysis of the source. Repeat that procedure for your next two chosen sources.

Have a conclusion paragraph listing your sources by title again and provide final thoughts on all three sources and your primary source investigation in general.

You should end up having approximately three to four pages or so of writing, About one page per sources along with introduction and conclusion.

This is the book

The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People, Volume 1: To 1877
No
THE ENDURING VISION’s engaging narrative integrates political, social, and cultural history within a chronological framework. Known for its focus on ..

36First EncounterAs he encountered the Taino Indians for the first time on October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus recorded the meet-ing in words that he would later include in his report to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. They are the first words writ-ten by Europeans about Native Americans since those of the Norse several centuries earlier (see Chapter 1).As I saw that they were very friendly to us, and perceived that they could be much more easily converted to our holy faith by gentle means than by force, I presented them with some red caps, and strings of beads to wear upon the neck, and many other trifles of small value, wherewith they were much delighted, and became wonderfully attached to us. Afterwards they came swimming to the boats, bringing parrots, balls of cotton thread, javelins, and many other things which they exchanged for articles we gave them, such as glass beads, and hawk’s bells; which trade was carried on with the utmost good will. But they seemed on the whole to me, to be a very poor people. They all go completely naked, even the women, though I saw but one girl. All whom I saw were young, not above thirty years of age, well made, with fine shapes and faces; their hair short, and coarse like that of a horse’s tail, combed toward the forehead, except a small portion which they suffer to hang down behind, and never cut. Some paint themselves with black, which makes them appear like those of the Canaries [Canary Islands, where Columbus had sold enslaved Africans to Spanish planters], neither black nor white; others with white, others with red, and others with such colors as they can find. Some paint the face, and some the whole body; others only the eyes, and others the nose. Weapons they have none, nor are acquainted with them, for I showed them swords which they grasped by the blades, and cut themselves through ignorance. They have no iron, their javelins being without it, and nothing more than sticks, though some have fish-bones or other things at the ends. They are all of a good size and stature, and handsomely formed. I saw some with scars of wounds upon their bodies, and demanded by signs the [source] of them; they answered me in the same way, that there came people from the other islands in the neighborhood who endeavored to make prisoners of them, and they defended themselves. I thought then, and still believe, that these were from the continent [Asia]. It appears to me, that the people are ingenious, and would be good servants and I am of opinion that they would very readily become Christians, as they appear to have no religion. They very quickly learn such words as are spoken to them. If it please our Lord, I intend at my return to carry home six of them to your Highnesses, that they may learn our language. I saw no beasts in the island, nor any sort of animals except parrots”

“Chesapeake Society Anne Hutchinson versus John WinthropThe following excerpt from the transcript of the trial of Anne Hutchinson, held in Boston in 1637, consists of an exchange between her and Governor John Winthrop regarding meetings of women that she held in her home. It reveals the differences between her views and those of the colony’s male political and religious leaders on the proper role and place of women in church affairs.Winthrop: Why do you keep such a meeting at your house as you do every week upon a set day?Hutchinson: It is lawful for me to do so, as it is all your practices, and can you find a warrant for yourself and condemn me for the same thing? The ground of my taking it up was, when I first came to this land, because I did not go to such meetings, . . . it was . . . reported that I did not allow of such meetings but held them unlawful and therefore . . . they said I was proud and did despise all ordinances. Upon that a friend came unto me and told me of it and I to prevent such aspersions took it up, but it was in practice before I came. Therefore I was not the first.Winthrop: By what warrant do you continue such a course?Hutchinson: I conceive there lies a clear rule in Titus that the elder women should instruct the younger and then I must have a time wherein I must do it . . .Winthrop: You know that there is no rule that crosses another, but this rule crosses that in the Corinthians. But you must take it in this sense that elder women must instruct the younger about their business and to love their husbands and not to make them to clash.Hutchinson: Will it please you to answer me this and to give me a rule for then I will willingly submit to any truth. If any come to my house to be instructed in the ways of God what rule have I to put them away? . . . Do you think it not lawful for me to teach women and why do you call me to teach the court?Winthrop: We do not call you to teach the court but to lay open yourself . . .Winthrop: Your course is not to be suffered for. Besides that we find such a course as this to be greatly prejudicial to the state. Besides the occasion that it is to seduce many honest persons that are called to those meetings and your opinions being known to be different from the word of God, may seduce many simple souls that resort unto you. Besides that the occasion which hath come of late hath come from none but such as have frequented your meetings, so that now they are flown off from magistrates and ministers and since they have come to you. And besides that it will not well stand with the commonwealth that families should be neglected for so many neighbors and dames and so much time spent. We see no rule of God for this. We see not that any should have authority to set up any other exercises besides what authority hath already set up and so what hurt comes of this you will be guilty of and we for suffering you.Hutchinson: Sir, I do not believe that to be so.Winthrop: Well, we see how it is. We must therefore put it away from you or restrain you from maintaining this course.Hutchinson: If you have a rule for it from God’s word you may.Winthrop: We are your judges, and not you ours and we must compel you to it.”

Pontiac recounts a prophets vision

“123I am the Master of Life, whom you desire to know and to whom you would speak. Listen well to what I am going to say to you and all the red brethren. I am He who made heaven and earth, the trees, lakes, rivers, all men, and all that you see, and all that you have seen on earth. Because of this and because I love you, you must do what I say and leave what I hate. I do not like it that you drink until you lose your reason, as you do; or that you fight with each other; or that you take two wives, or run after the wives of others; . . . I hate that. You must have but one wife, and keep her until death. When you are going to war, you [must] . . . join the medicine dance, and believe that I am speaking. . . . It is . . . Manitou to whom you [should] speak. It is a bad spirit who whispers to you nothing but evil, and to whom you listen because you do not know me well. This land, where you live, I have made for you and not for others. How comes it that you suffer the whites on your lands? Can’t you do without them? I know that those whom you call the children of your Great Father supply your wants, but if you were not bad, as you are, you would well do without them. You might live wholly as you did before you knew them. Before those whom you call your brothers came on your lands, did you not live by bow and arrow? You had no need of gun nor powder, nor the rest of their things, and nevertheless you caught animals to live and clothe yourselves with their skins, but when I saw that you went to the bad, I called back the animals into the depths of the woods, so that you had need of your brothers to have your wants supplied and cover you. You have only to become good and do what I want, and I shall send back to you the animals to live on. I do not forbid you, for all that, to suffer among you the children of your father [whites who live peaceably among the Indians]. I love them, they know me and pray to me, and I give them their necessities and all that they bring to you, but as regards those [whites] who have come to trouble your country, drive them out, make war on them! I love them not, they know me not, they are my enemies and the enemies of your brothers! Send them back to the country which I made for them! There let them remain.Source: Michigan Pioneer and Historical Collections (1886) 8:270–271.GOING TO THESOURCEPontiac Recounts a Prophet’s VisionPontiac was an ogema (civil leader) of the Ottawa people. Like many eastern Indians, he distrusted British intentions after the Seven Years’ War. Speaking to an intertribal audience in spring 1763, Pontiac recounted the vision of the Delaware religious prophet, Neolin. In the following excerpt from that speech (recorded by a French colonist), Pontiac repeats the words spoken to Neolin by the Master of Life. Note how the Master of Life accounts for the absence of wild animals, which others might attribute to commercial overhunting and the envi-ronmental effects of European settlement.”