Wilderness” and even in later chapters. It is an important speech in the foundation of an English identity in America. In this speech, which is believed to have been delivered as a lecture to the group of English Puritan colonists about to depart for the Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop lays out a vision for the Puritan colony in the “New World.” Winthrop was a devout Puritan, a lawyer (not a minister), and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. As you read Winthrop’s speech, consider the following questions: 1) What is the main message of this speech? If you could sum it up in one or two sentences, what would that be? 2) According to this speech, how important is religion to these Puritan colonists? 3) Based on this speech, how do you think Puritans viewed themselves, how did they see themselves in the world?
John Winthrop (1588-1649)
A Model of Christian Charity (1630)
John Winthrop, and this famous speech, are mentioned in Takaki, Chapter Two: “The ‘Tempest’ in the Wilderness” and even in later chapters. It is an important speech in the foundation of an English identity in America.
In this speech, which is believed to have been delivered as a lecture to the group of English Puritan colonists about to depart for the Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop lays out a vision for the Puritan colony in the “New World.” Winthrop was a devout Puritan, a lawyer (not a minister), and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
As you read Winthrop’s speech, consider the following questions:
1) What is the main message of this speech? If you could sum it up in one or two sentences, what would that be?
2) According to this speech, how important is religion to these Puritan colonists?
3) Based on this speech, how do you think Puritans viewed themselves, how did they see themselves in the world?
4) Based on this speech, how do you think the Puritans would view Indigenous people?
5) How might this speech be connected to later ideas about what it means to be “American”?
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