John Smith and William Bradford

Paper Summary:

Acting on the statement of John Locke that "In the beginning, all the world was America", several explorers set off to discover the paradise known as the New World. This paper follows the travels of John Smith, one of the the early eighteenth century's most notable European travelers and William Bradford who served as governor of the successful Plymouth Plantation for over 30 years and wrote about the New World through the eyes of his colonists. Using quotes from texts written by these two men, the paper shows what they actually found on their journeys.

From the Paper:

"With no one wanting to work, there would have to be someone to take the blame for the trials they endured in the New World. This person would have to be the leader, John Smith. He refuted the thoughts of the colonies demise, due to thoughts of erroneous leadership by writing, " I will not say, but by ill providing and undue managing, such courses may be taken [that] may make us miserable enough." (p.43) Did the demise of the New World rest upon the strength of the leaders in the colonies? Colonists had to tolerate John Smith in order to survive. John Smith strove through so much, to accomplish so little. Those in the colony of James Towne knew so little about how to succeed in such a vicious world, but those who would trust in their leader would go on to experience John Locke's paradise in the New World."

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