Essays and Research Papers on Pre-Colonial America

A 4 page paper on this book by Alden T. Vaughn in which the writer provide a brief analytical overview and then comments on the author's viewpoint. The stories of John Smith, Jamestown, and the early plight of the Native Indians are covered.

This 6 page paper examines colonial times, how the Europeans invaded and how the Indians reacted. The English and Spanish are the focus of attention. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 2 page essay discusses the motivations that prompted the Puritan massacre of Pequot indians that occurred in 1637. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 6 page discussion of the book by Robert Berkhofer, Jr. Emphasizes the extreme diversity of Native America and illuminates the numerous misconceptions held by 'mainstream White America' regarding Native Americans. No additional sources are listed.

A 4 page overview of the different approaches to colonization of Spain and Portugal verses England, France, and Holland in the 16th and 17th Centuries. Describes differences in their interactions with Native Americans. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

5 pages in length. Like so many other groups who sought a better life, the Puritans created a new existence in America different from what they had known in England. The year was 1620 when the Puritans, an assembly of religious Pilgrims who were persecuted for their beliefs, made their way to the United ...

A 3 page paper that discusses not only the genocide of indigenous peoples instigated by Columbus on his voyages, but also that it engendered the same policy in Euro-American societies. The paper presents the viewpoint presented in a 1996 position paper on Columbus and the fallacy of idolizing him as a 'hero,' including statistics ...

In 8 pages the author makes a comparison and a contrast of the colonies of Plymouth and Jamestown. Plymouth Colony and Jamestown Colony were two European colonies in the new world. Plymouth Colony was a New England colony, while Jamestown colony was a Southern Colony. The Pilgrims that came to Plymouth Colony did ...

A 5 page paper comparing and contrasting William Bradford's 1650 work with John Steinbeck's 1945 one. The writer concludes that what pulled the Pilgrim community through its evil times, even more than their God, was the strength they derived from each other and the faith they shared. In embracing capitalism, Steinbeck's protagonist turns his back ...

An 8 page paper discussing the premise that the outbreak of witchcraft in 17th century Salem, Massachusetts, was actually an attempt to create political order. The writer also briefly outlines the means by which the witch trials served to preserve the psychological order of Salem Village. Bibliography lists seven sources.

5 pages in length. For contemporary society, it seems a bit difficult to believe some of what transpired in centuries gone by. One such memorable flicker on America's timeline is that of the witch hunts of colonial New England. Men, women and even children, who were branded worshippers of Satan and witchcraft, ...

This 6 page research paper examines the origins of the witch hunts which took place in the Puritan New England colony in the late-seventeenth century. Specifically considered are the background of the Puritan religion, the underlying causes of the young girls' 'bewitching behavior,' and the role prejudice played during the witch hunts. Bibliography ...

A 5 page essay on how causes behind the Salem Witch Trials can be traced to Puritanism and the Protestant Reformation. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 10 page research paper that examines how Protestantism radically altered English society and gave the world a new paradigm by which to judge spiritual matters. Bibliography lists 9 sources.

A 3 page essay on Herbert Klein's 'Slavery in the Americas : A Comparative Study of Cuba and Virginia' in which the writer examines some of the differences that existed between slavery in two different nearby sections of the globe : Virginia (U.S.A.) and Cuba. Among the many points made, Cuban slaves were generally treated ...

In 8 pages, the writer provides an historical overview of military training in Colonial America. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

5 pages in length. The Civil War's Battle of Fredricksburg, as led by Major General Ambrose E. Burnside, began rumbling on November 7, 1862 as one hundred twenty thousand soldiers assembled close by Warrenton, Virginia. Burnside, who inherited the Army of the Potomac from Major General George B. McClellan when McClellan first received Washington's orders, led ...

A 5 page research paper that examines the origins of the American Revolution and how the outcome was often in jeopardy. The writer demonstrates both sides in this historical conflict and argues that it was mainly Washington's leadership that enabled the American forces to be victorious. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 5 page paper considers the role of chance in the novel, based on Remarque’s notion that chance rules a soldier’s life. This paper also relates the way in which the novel was received at the time of publication in 1929 and also considers the conceptual elements of the work as they relate to ...

A 5 page analysis of Salvador Dali's painting 'The Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus.' In this analysis, the writer argues that Dali's painting depicts the traditional view of Columbus, but that the symbolism that he employs also implies the impact that the coming of Europeans and European culture had on the New World and ...

This 5 page paper explores the importance of learning and knowledge in colonial America. There is a focus on Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin and their thoughts about education and learning. The essay discusses the purpose of learning and what knowledge was perceived as the most valuable. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

An eight page comparison of English and Spanish colonization of the Americas. Identifies the geographic range of each and the differences between the two countries in regard to issues like dealing with Native Americans, indentured servitude and slavery. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

This 5 page report discusses various social or governmental models in the context of their attitudes regard individual liberty. Particular attention is paid to the thinking of Edmund Burke and the ways in which he ultimately influenced the most basic aspects of conservatism. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 5 page paper which examines the book "A Woman's Dilemma : Mercy Otis Warren and the American Revolution" by Rosemarie Zagarri. No additional sources cited.

This 5 page paper considers the gaining of independence of the United States from Britain from the perspective freedom and liberty, examining what these meant to the people of the time, and the cost that independence incurred. The bibliography cites 4 sources.