Essays and Research Papers on Pre-Colonial America

A 5 page essay that summarizes and analyzes Edmund S. Morgan's book 'American Slavery, American Freedom.' Morgan argues that the simultaneous development of slavery and freedom represents the central paradox of early American history. This text goes far in explaining the paradox. No additional sources cited.

This 5 page paper provides an overview of colonial history as it is presented by Gary Nash in his book, Red, White And Black: The Peoples Of Early North America and argues that his thesis for the book is centered on the idea that early America was a conglomeration of cultures based on geographical origin, race and religious affiliations. ...

This 5 page paper explores colonial history when Europeans settled in America. The disease and its affect on the Native American populations is the focus of this paper. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

This 9 page report discusses how the conquest of Mexico by Hernan Cortes has been glorified, mythologized, and vilified, even though his actual achievements were significantly more modest than popular history records. This report considers the points of view put forth by both Hernan Cortes himself and Bernal Diaz del Castillo regarding the events that took place in Mexico between 1519 ...

(5pp) As the wife of the second president, and the mother of the sixth, Abigail Adams was in a historic "front-row seat" to record America's early times and political history. She did this through active correspondence, and has provided a valuable and often humorous insight into the times. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A 5 page discussion of the racism and hatred experienced by Native Americans since their initial contact with the European peoples who invaded their homelands. Provides several quotes depicting the overall view that Native Americans were subhuman and without rights. Concludes that although much progress has been made in dispelling these views, additional ...

A 5 page essay on the play by Arthur Miller that has examines the circumstances surrounding the Salem witch trials in the later part of the seventeenth century. The writer argues that the play does not revolve around religious issues, as one might expect, but rather hinges on the concept of having absolute obedience to ...

This 5 page paper examines the writings of J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur to see what they tell us about his thoughts with regard to the American experience and values such as equality and religious freedom. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A six page paper which looks at the involvement of the Spanish historian and theologian Bartolome de las Casas in the Spanish colonisation of the Americas. The writer described las Casas’ background and the way in which firstly acquiesced in the colonists’ management of the new settlements, but later criticised the Spanish authorities’ rule ...

This 6-page paper discusses various aspects of government, based on the Federalist papers and Jefferson's Notes on Virginia. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

This is a 5 page paper that provides an overview of life in Colonial America. Issues such as slavery, Puritanism, and family life are explored. Bibliography lists 1 source.

This 3 page paper discusses two diametrically opposed papers describing the “Boston Massacre” of 1770.

5 pages in length. The writer discusses the viewpoints of Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson as they relate to establishing America as the country she is today. Bibliography lists 8 sources.

A twenty five page paper which looks at the strategies involved in the Battle of Saratoga of 1777, and the events which led up to this turning-point in the War of Independence. The paper considers such factors as the difficulties which the British commanders found in implementing their military tactics, the problems which arose as ...

(8pp). We have been told that cultures with more complex ideas, more readily responded to the development of a written language. Not only was writing used for the keeping of records in these early societies, but it was also used for religious purposes and socio-economic functions. We might say where the ...

This is an 8 page paper comparing two different articles by Canadian historians on the Seven Years’ War. Two articles by Canadian historians Peter MacLeod (The University of Ottawa) and Ian Steele (The University of Western Ontario) give two different perspectives on the Seven Years’ War in United States and Canada between the years 1756-1763. ...

This is a 5 page paper discussing the qualities of character found in William Bradford’s “Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647” and John Winthrop’s “Model of Christian Charity, 1630”. Both men sailed to the New World to set up Christian based communities which were independent of the English Church. Bradford’s journal documents the first thirty years of ...

A letter to Elizabeth Ashbridge from her husband, written in the style of the time and including incidents mentioned in the original text.

This 5 page paper discusses writers such as Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and William Byrd. This paper examines their contributions in terms of writings and how those writings reflect both spiritual and worldy ideals. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

This is a 6 page book review discussing Bernard Bailyn’s “The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution”. Bernard Bailyn’s “The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution” (1967, 1992) shows readers the importance and influence of the “pamphleteers” during the time of the American Revolution. Previous to Bailyn’s publication in 1967, most historical accounts of the ...

A 5 page paper written in the first person, from the perspective of a young 18th century Quaker woman still living at home with her parents. The paper takes the form of a journal, in which Sarah wonders about the reports received in Meeting about the opposition to the Friends in Massachusetts and Virginia. The community ...

This 5 page paper examines three writings. William Bradford, John Smith and John Winthrop have each compiled observations about their journeys to the New World. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

This 3 page paper uses Robert Marks's work to investigate the work of another author, William Cronon, who wrote Changes in the Land. Bibliography lists 2 sources

An 8 page paper which critically reviews this historical text by focusing upon the author’s central question, which is ‘How would Indians have written their own history of colonial America?’ An examination as to why the author considers this question so important and worthy of investigation is then presented and also considered is how he ...

5 pages in length. William Cronon’s “Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England” and Carolyn Merchant’s “Ecological Revolutions: Nature, Gender, and Science in New England” strive to address similar issues in mostly similar manners; however, one might readily argue that their individual styles of approach are based in part upon significantly ...