Idealism in Colonial Times

The Scourge of Greed, Religion, and Idealism in Colonial Times

American history records old political systems, culture norms and economic views on around which social aspects rotated in the colonial period. This era was mainly manifested by the superiority of certain individuals within the society and scorn for a minority who were ostracized by ideals within the elites and political circles. It is with this perspective that Bacon’s revolt on Jamestown (Kelso 368-369), The pueblo Revolt, and Salem Witch Trials was authored to give a deeper perspective of these facts. Bacon’s revolt on Jamestown reflects on the antagonism between Berkeley, who is the governor of Virginia and Bacon who was his cousin by marriage (Kelso 368-369). The settings of the events that explain the antagonism are in a small town known as Jamestown in the year 1670 in a colonial marred era. The antagonism is mainly procreated by the need by Bacon to have a controlling influence on the Indians under Berkeley’s representation of the Burgesses influence. The result of the antagonism and quest for power led to the death of many innocent Indians and the massive destruction of their property (Kelso 368-369).

The Pueblo revolt is set in Southwest America in the year 1680. The pueblo revolt is propagated by the forceful imposition of Christianity over the Pueblos by the Spaniards. The revolt oversaw a series of conflicts between the Spaniards and the Pueblo’s led by Po’pay. The resulting scourge of this revolt was the death of 400 Spaniards and 20 Franciscan friars (Liebmann, Ferguson and Preucel 45-60). Salem witch trials were held in the colonial Salem Village in Massachusetts. This was in the year 1697; the trials were caused by the false implication of Puritans with witchcraft. The orchestration of the Salem Witchcraft was due to the display of fits of witchcraft by the niece and daughter of Parris who was the minister of Salem village. These trials led to the death of eighteen suspected witches whose hanging was preceded by Bridget Bishop’s conviction (Kelso 368-369). Additionally, seven more accused witches died while in the jail, and the stoning of Giles Corey add to the tally of casualties in the Salem witch trials.

The forceful imposition of white man’s supremacist on existing political systems in the colonial era was a demeaning act. White man’s supremacist in the colonial period is one of the characteristics that draw conflict on facts to be discussed in this paper (Liebmann, Ferguson and Preucel 45-60). This factor also procreates a number of factors that mediates philosophies that have attributed to the westernizing influence that has become the norm in the current day. This set of rules and ideas have completely eroded the distinction between the cultures that initially set out the political, social and economic aspects of traditional societies (Liebmann, Ferguson and Preucel 45-60). The colonial era procreated this force to the distinct cultures of various people as recorded by history. History records of the white man’s control over people whose land and quo-systems have not been infiltrated. The societies deferred by the various responses of resistance, collaboration and mixed resistances by the people in the new lands.  However, the overall outcome is a loss in all the factors that dictated their societies (Clark and Aronson 401).

Bacon’s revolt on Jamestown displays Greed between two people who have been vested the role of the ruling. However, the warring antagonism between them leads to the loss of lives and the ultimate death of Bacon. This is relevant to modern political societies; the result has seen infighting between countries and people of the same class against one another. Bacon manipulates the Indians on the need to revolt against Berkeley’s rule on Virginia in order to earn a top spot for him in the powers of influence (Liebmann, Ferguson and Preucel 45-60). However, Berkeley heavily reinforces fear and uses treachery to subdue Bacon’s revolt in a bid of retaining illegal trade in his area of jurisdiction. The Spaniards try to enforce Christianity over the Pueblos. This is by deploying Franciscan friars of the catholic denomination. The contradictive aspect of religion and culture has widely affected relationships and in the same nature created conflicts. Modern day society has witnessed the wrangle between people based on the difference in their beliefs procreated by religion(Liebmann, Ferguson and Preucel 45-60). This has slowed implementation of certain clauses within political systems due to the differing viewpoints superposed by varying religious beliefs.

The Salem witch trials give the deeper perspective of the reason of committing these convictions on innocent individuals (Gastil and Harris 311). The witch hunts were a means of perpetrating anti-communism killings. The need to enforce communism over the puritans took a new shape of witch hunts. The rise of idealism in the modern society has led to the rise of terrorism. This is inducted by the need by certain people to lead their lives led by their own set of rules. Terrorism has widely been accelerated by the need to oust western influence from a country. This is mediated by militia group’s that propagate their objectives by instilling violence and terror over people (Clark and Aronson 401).

The events leading up to the Bacon’s revolt on Jamestown, The pueblo Revolt, and Salem Witch Trials must be inclined to certain perspectives. The Bacon’s revolt had the inevitable aspect of the conflict between two opposing fronts. However, it paved the way for Berkeley’s assumption of full power and control over Jamestown (Clark and Aronson 401). The pueblo revolt also had the inevitable aspect of the conflict in the introduction of religion which was a contradictory aspect to the pueblos. The cost of this was the long resistance to Spaniard rule to the killing of friars by the pueblos (Gastil and Harris 311). The Salem witch trials had the avoidable aspect of the death of innocent people for the imposition of communism. However, the cost of this had to be met by the death of people who solely rebelled against communism among the puritans.

The early history information deduced from this paper helps to grow analytical skills. This is because it helps one to think beyond the scope of what is on paper. Additionally, it helps one in learning American culture in comparison with today’s culture. This is in view of political systems, economic periods and social activities. Likewise, it helps to integrate some of the values learned from early successful people in the past. Thus, the book connecting America has deeper insights to comparing cultures back then and today. It is an ideal book in learning history compared to other books.

Work Cited

Clark, Charles W. and Marc Aronson. “Witch-Hunt: Mysteries of The Salem Witch Trials”. The History Teacher 37.3 (2004): 401. Web.

Gastil, George and Bonnie Harris. Connecting California (Volume I): Selections In Early American History. California: Cognella Academic Publishing, 2013. Print.

Kelso, William M. “The Jamestown Project – By Karen Ordahl Kupperman”. Historian 71.2 (2009): 368-369. Web.

Liebmann, Matthew, T. J. Ferguson, and Robert W Preucel. “Pueblo Settlement, Architecture, And Social Change In The Pueblo Revolt Era, A.D. 1680 To 1696”. Journal of Field Archaeology 30.1 (2005): 45-60. Web.