Essay 1 Colonial Period
Tyler Ledford
Liberty University
ENGL 201-D01
John Smith, William Bradford, and John Winthrop are among some of the most
recognized historian and literary writers from the early colonial period. They were pioneers in
search of opportunity in what was known as the ‘New World’. They wrote of their experiences in
this ‘New World’, their travels, and even their interactions with the Native American people.
Yet, that is where the similarities end. They were vastly different men with vastly different
writing styles. Smith wrote as an adventurer, who boasted of glory, riches, and to promote a
successful living that would entice others to make the voyage to America. Bradford, who became
a governor, wrote more accurate recordings of experience in such writings as “Of Plymouth
Plantation”. Winthrop like Smith, wanted to promote a successful ‘New World’, but his writing
was more religious focused. While these three pioneers influenced early colonization with what
now is considered historic writings, they could not be more different. John Smith, William
Bradford, and John Winthrop were historic writers with vastly different styles as well as vastly
different writings.
John Smith is probably the most known author from the early colonial period. His work
has even been adapted into famous films. Though he is known for his published works, he was
first and foremost, an adventurer. He was a leader who helped establish the colony of
Jamestown, Virginia. Yet, this adventurer still understood the power that print had. “Knowing
that advertisements were crucial to the success of the colony, Smith wrote a series of books
designed to encourage the English colonization of North America” (Belasco, 2014). He boasted
of riches, and glory that ‘New World’ would bring. It was not just the descriptions of land and
riches that Captain John Smith wrote of. In his most famous work “The Generall Historie of
Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles”, the pioneer not only promoted colonization, he
also “laid the foundations for one of the most enduring myths of North America, his dramatic
rescue by Indian ‘princess’ Pocahontas”(Belasco,2014). These writings, while are
exuberant and boastful, merely covered a harsher reality. In the early beginnings of
Jamestown, disease was vast, food and supplies were minimal, and relations with the
Natives was troublesome. (Belasco, 2014). These darker realties of early colonization
will always be overlooked, for his writings did indeed influence others to voyage to
America to begin their colonization. Yet, “For him, the New World was a new Eden, a
paradise with unlimited potential” (Larson, n.d.). Smith embodied the pioneering
lifestyle and will remembered as such.
William Bradford while may not be as famous as Captain John Smith, arguably had a
bigger impact on early colonization. “Bradford devoted himself to the interests and
welfare of
the ‘Pilgrims’ (Belasco, 2014). That devotion held true for he was elected governor and
held that position for nearly all of his remaining years at Plymouth Colony. It is believed
that “The
survival of the Colony was in large part due his patience, wisdom, and courage”
(pilgrimhall.org). That leadership was built on trust, and unlike Smith, Bradford’s trust
showed
in his writings for they are more accurate recordings of his famously known journal “Of
Plymouth Colony”. The works can be described as the most factual story of the Pilgrims
and
their early colonization of America. Pilgrimhall.org wrote that
The Bradford journal is the single most important source of information
about the Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony. Bradford’s history is a blend of fact and
interpretation. The Bradford journal records not only the events of the first 30
years but also the reactions of the colonists. The Bradford journal is regarded by
historians as the preeminent work of the 17th century America. It is Bradford’s
simple yet vivid story, as told in his journal, that has made the Pilgrims the much-
It is easy to see how influential William Bradford was to the colony of Plymouth as well
as influential his writing was even to this day.
The success of Plymouth soon made its way to England where more and a much larger
group of Puritans were beginning to contemplate the idea of immigrating to New England. These
Puritans wanted a “truly reformed church, without the hierarchy and what they viewed as the
noxious ceremonies, rituals, and trappings of held over from the Catholic Church” (Belasco,
2014). Enter John Winthrop, a wealthy and educated man who joined other like-minded
investors to form the Massachusetts Bay Company (Belasco, 2014). “Massachusetts Bay
Company, a trading company designed to establish a colony is New England based on puritan
principles” (Belasco, 2014). Winthrop like Smith wrote to the successful colonization to
encourage others to make the voyage, but he could also be described as a historian writer, for he
wrote in a journal that became an attempt write down the history of important events in New
England soon after they occurred (masshist.org). Yet, it was not just his recordings which were
famous noted works, he also wrote and delivered the now famous sermon “A Modell of Christian
Charity” , a sermon that pointed out the religious groundings and ideals of the new colony.
Belasco wrote that
Winthrop was firmly committed to the concept of centralized authority,
both civil and religious, which he believed was established by the will of God,
and he was sometimes accused of overstepping the bounds of his own authority.
At the same, Winthrop remained equally committed to the vision of a harmonious,
selfless community he had envisaged in a Modell of Christian Charity.
His idealism and leadership were clearly important to the success of Massachusetts Bay
Colony.
John Smith, William Bradford, and John Winthrop were all popular and
extraordinary pioneers of their time. While they wrote of ‘New World’, their styles were
day and night different. Although their writings are so different, their literature has stood
the test of time. Their impact ia till talked about and written about to this very day.
References
Belasco, Susan. 2014. The Bedford Anthology of American Literature. Bedford-St.
Martin’s. Boston, MA.
Of Plymouth Plantation: The Journal of William Bradford. N.d. Retrieved from
pilgrimhall.org/pdf/Bradford_Journal_Intro_Of_Plymouth_Plantation.pdf
John Smith: A Literary Pioneer. N.d. Retrieved from
docsouth.unc.edu/highlights/smith.html John Winthrop journal, History of New
England. N.d. Retrieved from
masshist.org/database/viewer.php?item_id=2311&pid=15
