Student Research Post on "Plain Style"

Scots Irish review

Not genealogically motivated, but partly autobiographical

I didn't dislike Scots-Irish culture as much as it dislikes me.

Scots-Irish deny ethnicity: "We're just Americans. Why can't everyone just be an American?"--i.e., an American like me! (you assimilate to me, not I to you)

However, Scots-Irish / Red-State culture increasingly plays ethnicity game of victimization and grievance: "Take Back America!"

But they don't go there: If Red State culture becomes ethnic instead of "just American," part of its rhetorical and symbolic power diminishes.

1. How do the opening chapters of Plymouth Plantation describe the history, qualities, or styles that will mark the USA's dominant culture? How does Puritanism embody Protestantism, and what does Protestantism contribute to forming the USA's dominant culture?

Pilgrims keep moving but miss what gets left behind

Protestantism

literacy

community or individual? > chapter 14 re Plato

1.1 light of gospel x darkness of popery  [Protestantism]

churches of God revert to their ancient purity, and recover their primitive order, liberty, and beauty [Protestantism]

1.2 his ancient stratagems, used of old against the first Christians

11.2 in the Presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick

enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions, and Officers, from time to time, . .  for the general Good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due Submission and Obedience

2. How does the Pilgrims' sojourn in the Netherlands resemble a traditional immigrant story? Why is it significant to the Dominant Culture that the Pilgrims reject that model in order to go to North America?

chapter 4

question re assimilation: Original settlers do not assimilate to existing culture, but bring their own culture, to which later immigrants assimilate

10.3 a good quantity of clear ground where the Indians had formerly set corn, and some of their graves.

[The first evidence of the 1612-1617 epidemic of European disease that killed up to 90% of the Massachusett Indians] cf. John Smith, invisible bullets

10.4 found where lately a house had been, . . . found in them divers fair Indian baskets filled with corn

10.7 a special providence of God, and a great mercy to this poor people, that here they got seed to plant them corn the next year, or else they might have starved

[Instructor’s note: The Pilgrims’ interpretation of the New World of America as a Promised Land overflowing with blessings thanks to their special relation with God is automatically agreeable to the USA’s evangelical dominant culture. However, with no disrespect to the scripture or faith of the Pilgrims, keep in mind how much this interpretation of events blocks reception of the catastrophic story of the Indians as a result of European contact.]

12.2 Squanto stood them in great stead, showing them both the manner how to set it, and after how to dress and tend it. Also he told them except they got fish and set with it (in these old grounds) it would come to nothing

3. The immigrant narrative emphasizes heroic individualism, but the Pilgrims migrate as a community, and they suffer and survive together as a community. Americans today (including Vance) emphasize individualism but celebrate occasions when we stand together and act as a community, as after 9/11 or after natural disasters. Compare the Pilgrims' narrative of their journey and hard beginnings in North America.

uniqueness of New England

other immigrants come as individuals or families

New England comes as a community, sticks together as a community

John Winthrop, "A Model of Christian Charity"

opening bullets

2c. Do good to all, especially to the household of faith. Upon this ground the Israelites were to put a difference between the brethren of such as were strangers, though not of the Canaanites.

[preview next week, x-consort with Indians]

4 primitive church + Acts

12 "together"

9.9 heroic generation

3b. How does the United States function as a "community of individuals?"

everybody gets rich

always increasing number of working people to support rich

disasters; cf Pilgrims

help each other out in trouble, otherwise leave each other alone--every man for himself, or are we all in this together?

Winthrop 12 "together"

Bradford notes

a plain style, with singular regard unto the simple truth in all things

1.1 light of gospel x darkness of popery  [Protestantism]

churches of God revert to their ancient purity, and recover their primitive order, liberty, and beauty [Protestantism]

1.2 his ancient stratagems, used of old against the first Christians

4.1 30 Years War

4.5 propagating and advancing the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in those remote parts of the world [the Americas]

4.7 vast and unpeopled countries of America, which are fruitful and fit for habitation, being devoid of all civil inhabitants, where there are only savage and brutish men which range up and down, little otherwise than the wild beasts

9.5 God in heaven + Seneca

9.6 amazed at this poor people's condition

9.7 cf. St. Paul at Malta, + savage barbarians

9.8 what could they see but a hideous and desolate wilderness, full of wild beasts and wild men

9.9 If they looked behind them, there was the mighty ocean which they had passed and was now as a main bar and gulf to separate them from all the civil parts of the world.

9.11 What could now sustain them but the Spirit of God and his grace?

Our fathers were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto the Lord

no city to dwell in

10.2 espied five or six persons with a dog coming towards them, who were savages; but they [the “savages”] fled from them [the English] and ran up into the woods, and the English followed them

10.3 a good quantity of clear ground where the Indians had formerly set corn, and some of their graves.

[The first evidence of the 1612-1617 epidemic of European disease that killed up to 90% of the Massachusett Indians] cf. John Smith, invisible bullets

10.4 found where lately a house had been, . . . found in them divers fair Indian baskets filled with corn

10.7 a special providence of God, and a great mercy to this poor people, that here they got seed to plant them corn the next year, or else they might have starved

[Instructor’s note: The Pilgrims’ interpretation of the New World of America as a Promised Land overflowing with blessings thanks to their special relation with God is automatically agreeable to the USA’s evangelical dominant culture. However, with no disrespect to the scripture or faith of the Pilgrims, keep in mind how much this interpretation of events blocks reception of the catastrophic story of the Indians as a result of European contact.]

10.8 The weather [the precipitation or rain]  was very cold and it froze so hard as the spray of the sea lighting on their coats, they were as if they had been glazed. [a rare poetic figure] . . .  

10.13 a great and strange cry, which they knew to be the same voices they heard in the night, . . . one of their company being abroad came running in and cried, "Men, Indians! Indians!" And withal, their arrows came flying amongst them.

10.15 a lusty [strong] man, and no less valiant, stood behind a tree within half a musket shot, and let his arrows fly at them . . . an extraordinary shriek

11.1 discontented and mutinous speeches that some of the strangers [non-Pilgrims] amongst them had let fall from them in the ship—That when they came ashore they would use their own liberty; for none had power to command them, the patent they had being for Virginia, and not for New England

11.2 in the Presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick

enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions, and Officers, from time to time, . .  for the general Good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due Submission and Obedience

11.3 common store

begun some small cottages for their habitation, as time would admitte, they met and consulted of laws and orders, both for their civil and military Government

11.4 starving time

11.5 did all the homely and necessary offices for them which dainty and queasy stomachs cannot endure to hear named; and all this willingly and cheerfully, without any grudging in the least, showing herein their true love unto their friends and brethren. A rare example and worthy to be remembered

11.7 But now amongst his company [the ships' sailors] there was far another kind of carriage [behavior] in this misery than amongst the passengers [the Pilgrims]

11.8 about the sixteenth of March a certain Indian came boldly amongst them, and spoke to them in broken English, which they could well understand, but marveled at it.

11.9 Samoset, Squanto, Massasoit

11.11 He was a native of this place, and scarce any left alive beside himself.

11.12 He was carried away with diverse others by one Hunt, a master of a ship, who thought to sell them for slaves in Spain

12.2 Squanto stood them in great stead, showing them both the manner how to set it, and after how to dress and tend it. Also he told them except they got fish and set with it (in these old grounds) it would come to nothing

12.12 now began to come in store of fowl, as winter approached, of which this place did abound when they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees).

great store of wild Turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison, etc

[Mourt's] amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation

12.15-16 Christmas Day

14.1 set corn every man for his own particular [each person or family with their own plot of land], and in that regard trust to themselves; in all other things to go on in the general way as before. And so assigned to every family a parcel of land, according to the proportion of their number

14.2 made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than other ways would have been by any means the Governor or any other could use, and saved him a great deal of trouble

14.2 The women now went willingly into the field, and took their litle-ones with them to set corn, which before would allege weakness, and inability; whom to have compelled would have been thought great tyranny and oppression.

14.3 The experience that was had in this common course and condition, tried sundry [several] years, and that amongst godly and sober men, may well evince the vanity of that conceit of Plato’s and other ancients, applauded by some of after [modern] times;—that the taking away of property, and bringing in communities into a commonwealth, would make them happy and flourishing; as if they were wiser then God.

14.4 young men that were most able and fit for labor and service did repine [whine, complain] that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men’s wives and children, with out any recompense

14.5 And for men’s wives to be commanded to do service for other men, as dressing their meat, washing their clothes, etc., they deemed it a kind of slavery, neither could many husbands well brook [stand] it.

23.1 people of the plantation began to grow in their outward estates [economic wealth], by reason of the flowing of many people into the country,

corn and cattle rose to a great price, by which many were much enriched, and commodities grew plentiful; and yet in other regards this benefit turned to their hurt, and this accession of strength to their weakness.

23.2 no longer any holding them together,

23.3 the town [Plymouth], in which they lived compactly [close together] till now, was left very thin, and in a short time almost desolate.

23.4 the church must also be divided, and those that had lived so long together in Christian and comfortable fellowship must now part and suffer many divisions

23.6 this, I fear, will be the ruin of New England, at least of the churches of God there, and will provoke the Lord’s displeasure against them.

28.1 great terror

28.2 the Pequots, especially in the winter before, sought to make peace with the Narragansetts, and used very pernicious arguments to move them thereunto: as that the English were strangers and began to overspread their country, and would deprive them thereof in time, if they were suffered to grow and increase; and if the Narragansetts did assist the English to subdue them [the Pequots], they [the Narragansetts] did but make way for their own overthrow

28.3 But again when they [the Narragansetts] considered, how much wrong they had received from the Pequot, and what an opportunity they now had by the help of the English to right themselves, revenge was so sweet unto them, as it prevailed above all the rest; so as they resolved to join with the English against them, and did.

28.5 the victory seemed a sweet sacrifice, and they gave the praise thereof to God

33.1 that so many of them should live to very old age! [sounds biblical]

33.6 Many having left this place (as is before noted) by reason of the straitness [narrowness] and barrenness of the same, and their finding of better accommodations elsewhere, more suitable to their ends and minds; and sundry others still upon every occasion desiring their dismissions, the church began seriously to think whether it were not better jointly to remove to some other place, than to be thus weakened, and as it were insensibly dissolved.

[¶33.9] And thus was this poor church left, like an ancient mother, grown old, and forsaken of her children, (though not in their affections,) yet in regard of their bodily presence and personal helpfulness. Her ancient members being most of them worn away by death; and these of later time being like children translated into other families, and she like a widow left only to trust in God [1 Timothy 5.5]. Thus she that had made many rich became herself poor [2 Corinthians 6.10].

Problem of individualism and family-centered society, accentuated by migration and mobile society (criticize & celebrate)

Can America be a community of individuals?

Earlier semesters: read Exodus story from Bible

compared Jews leaving Egypt for Canaan (Promised Land)

to

Pilgrims leaving England for America (Promised Land)

migration as a people vs. migration as individuals and families (cf. Mormons)

immigration for religious freedom v. economic opportunity

freedom of religion > religion evolves rapidly in freemarket of ideas

religion again becomes comfortable with comfort, wealth, material gain

two-way motion: western migration & modernization, but religious primitivism

we can't stop moving and changing, but our ancestors or forebears had it right and we don't

hope for progress + fear of decline

Modernization and migration erode communities and extended families

> nuclear families, divorce, people living alone, rugged individualism as model of success 

Pilgrims & Puritans as most community-minded of American immigrants

They migrated as a community and work to establish a community based on more than wealth: Christianity > social welfare

Puritan diaspora as base of liberal US: New England and northern Midwest

significance of literacy: the Puritans were never that numerous, but they're over-represented in American literary & cultural studies.

Why?

They wrote everything down, cultivating the most literate middle-class society and the strongest educational systems.

Downsides:

community as repression, meddling, policing of morality: blue laws, Salem Witch Trials

Just as the Jews in the Promised Land swore not to mix with the Canaanites (i.e., to intermarry and assimilate)

the Pilgrims and Puritans in their Promised Land mixed little with American Indians (i.e., no assimilation to previous dominant culture, but became dominant culture themselves)

review Jews & Exodus

Jews as model minority?

Jews as dominant culture?

immigrate, act as group--reinforcing and exclusive (no intermarriage)

don't assimilate--some assimilation to them, or later "falling off" to assimilation (to Canaanites)

literacy--covenant, social contract, constitution > change + continuity

language powers