...City on a Hill Speeches John Winthrop in particular has been quoted as a source of inspiration by U.S. presidents from John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. John Winthrop crossed the ocean from England to New England aboard the Arabella in early 1630s. His passengers were primarily Puritans who had fled England in search of religious freedom. John Winthrop's directive provided inspiration and caution to the passengers, and his determination was seen through John F. Kennedy’s and Ronald Reagan’s eyes. The “City on a Hill” speech was the motivational piece for John Winthrop, and the incentive for John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. The “City upon a Hill” section of the sermon called “A Model of Christian Charity” was written in 1630s by the Puritan leader, John Winthrop, while the first group of Puritan emigrants was still onboard their ship. The “City upon a Hill” passage has come to represent irritating Puritan pridefulness; they thought they were perfect, a city on a hill that everyone else would admire and want to imitate. In reality, the passage is far from a back-patting exercise. Winthrop knew that the events in New England would be watched not just by England, but by the world. It was in this context that Winthrop noted: “We must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us.” His language made it clear that we were not destined to be a shining example, only that we were destined to be an example, shining or not. In theory, his speech...
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...principle. Less clear, however, are the difficulties both had to maintain the discipline to live up to their high standards. Evidence suggests that important beliefs, attitudes, and behavior of the colonists conflicted with both societies’ religious ideals: many of which are presented in John Winthrop’s A Model of Christian Charity. The beliefs of the Puritans initially were toward the carrying out of God’s responsibilities, but eventually faced a conflict. The Puritans did not break with the Church of England, but instead sought to reform it. Aboard the Arbella, John Winthrop had written a sermon that pointed out their Christian duties and obligations. If they fulfilled their duties and obligations, they would be blessed; if not, they would be punished. Winthrop stated that the Lord expected a strict performance of the articles of the covenant.1 If they neglected the articles, the Lord would break out in wrath.2 The Puritans faced an enormous amount of pressure in order to be able to please the Lord and abide by his covenant that was set forth. An important point in Winthrop’s sermon is the principle of love and how it is important to love all men, and bring to a lifestyle either Puritan or Christian.3 This important belief that carried through the Puritan lifestyle would be challenged in part of interacting with Native...
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... It is an acronym that stands for: Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and Perseverance of the saints. There are also other beliefs outside of TULIP, such as typology, manifest destiny, and backsliding. However, a principle that was focused on by John Winthrop and Jonathan Edwards is irresistible grace. It makes the assertion that God’s grace is freely given; it cannot be earned or denied. Grace is recognized as the saving and transfiguring power of God. Winthrop’s “A Model of Christian Charity” and Edward’s “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” are effective examples of literature that shows irresistible grace. John Winthrop, along with many other people from Europe, came to America to establish the “city on the hill” idea of religion. While being the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, he felt that it was his duty to remind the people of their purpose for coming to America. He envisioned a society that practiced God’s teaching and that was based on His ideas. By creating this religious community, the Puritans would be an illustration showing everyone else how to live the way that God wanted. In his sermon, “A Model of Christian Charity,” he tells the Puritans that their success would greatly depend on their creation of a Godly community and it would also depend on God’s grace. For example Winthrop says, “If thou pour out thy soul to the hungry, then shall thy light spring out in darkness, and the Lord shall guide thee continually...
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...Analysis of the Term “American Exceptionalism” in the Current U.S. Culture A Reflections Paper Analysis of the Term “American Exceptionalism” in the Current U.S. Culture American Exceptionalism refers to the idea that the United States is significantly different from other countries. The concept has origins in the writings of French scholar Alexis de Toqueville who made observations during his visit to America in the nineteenth century (Mansfield, 2011). Also, Puritan John Winthrop's 1630 sermon "A Model of Christian Charity" led to the widespread belief in American folklore that the United States of America is God's country because it would become a "city upon a hill", watched by the world (John Winthrop: "A Modell of Christian Charity", 2007). Although the term does not necessarily imply superiority, many political leaders and writers have coined its use in that sense. Naturally, others hold the position that America is not really exceptional at all. In fact, after taking a cursory glance at some of the issues that our leaders are charged to correct, we can easily peel off the loftier label and replace it with a more humbling phrase. To begin, America’s hunger issue is a strong reason to reduce our loftier standing. It is not impressive that in a country without drought or famine and with enough food and money to feed the world twice over 1-in-8 of our own people struggle to put food on its table (Berg, 2009). Also, in 2010, 4.8 percent of all U.S. households...
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...The most iconic figure of the colonial times is John Winthrop because he appears throughout history sailing the new world in search of the “city upon a hill” for his Puritan religion, and for the economic prosperity that came with it. The Puritans led by John Winthrop came to New England in 1630. They came on the Arabella, which was financed by them since they were in the high class of England. The Puritans decided to leave for the New World because they were unable to reform the Church of England. In A Modell of Christian Charity, Winthrop wrote that “the lord make it like that of New England; for we must consider that we shall be as a City Upon a Hill, the eyes of all people are upon us” (Bedford 256). Winthrop imagines and hopes that the new puritan society will be the perfect city that everyone looks too. John Winthrop and the puritans follow their dream to be able to establish their own society and did this with the belief...
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...Famous Englanders Benjamin Franklin Vs John Winthrop Both, John Winthrop and Benjamin Franklin, have a great importance in the American’s History and from the study of their tenures we can figure out the similar thoughts shared by both of them. They both were from the different generations but played there parts in changing the situations. Born in 1587 in England, Winthrop became a successful lawyer in his mother country. He was also an ardent Puritan, and in 1629 he set forth to help establish the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Winthrop's history in New England was very largely that of the Massachusetts colony, of which he was twelve times chosen Governor by annual election, serving in 1629-34, 1637-40, in 1642-44, and in 1646-49, and dying in office. To the service of the colony he gave not merely unwearied devotion; but in its interests consumed strength and fortune. His own temper of mind was conservative and somewhat aristocratic, but he guided political development, often under circumstances of great difficulty, with singular fairness and conspicuous magnanimity. In 1634-5 he was a leader in putting the colony in a state of defense against possible coercion by the English government. He opposed the majority of his fellow-townsmen in the so-called "Antinomian controversy" of 1636-7, taking a strongly conservative attitude towards the questions in dispute. He was the first president of the Commissioners of the United Colonies of New England, organized in 1643...
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...who felt compelled to sin. However, the public display of the crime she committed against God and community backfired when instead of humiliating and embarrassing her as planned Hester embraced her public branding and did not just exceed everybody’s expectations but forged a new path for all sinners to take: A path to redemption and restoration. This she achieved by neither minimizing nor downplaying her actions. Arthur Dimmesdale on the other hand, while not publicly accused or ousted like Hester carried with him an intense guilt which would ultimately be his demise. He continued to counsel the townspeople in the ways of the Bible while concealing his part in the crime. His life was representative of the way Puritan’s should live; a model for everyone else to follow. Yet, like so many other people, then and now, he led a double life. A life that was perceived as good and decent on the outside, but in reality, on the inside, was stricken with guilt and self-persecution. My point is, while Hawthorne may have been mocking the Puritan’s beliefs and values at how they handled sin, the hypocrisy they showed, would it be such a bad idea if we all had to physically display our sins where everyone could see them so as to avoid the suffering that Dimmesdale experienced? Personal Response What if people were made to wear signs around their necks that stated “I’m a coveter”, “I’m a liar”, “I’m a cheater”, or “I have anger issues”? This would hopefully level the playing field so everyone...
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...Religion in Colonial America Deanna Levant ENG 491/American Literature to 1860 Professor Rathi Krishnan October 27, 2014 The Colonial period was an abundant period of American history in its source of respectful and influential people who helped to shape modern society through questioning the past beliefs. As a result, many people came to America with the purpose of searching for religious freedom. Their major hopes and wishes were to escape the religious persecution, which they were forced to face. In addition, they had the opportunity to choose religion that wished to be part of. Hence, the settlers came here with a load of European cultural and artistic traditions and began to implement them in real life. Consequently, the earliest writings that emerged during the colonial period were religious tracts and historical essays. Thus, this paper presents the information on the role of religion in colonial American literature and discusses the works of colonial authors to analyze how their religious views shape their literary works, their styles, and their interpretation of historical and political events. To start with, for the Puritans of the Colonial Period, various creations were actually connected to their religious beliefs and views of God. The Puritans sailed to America in order to build their lives on biblical laws away from the rule of the old church. Severe Calvinists, they believed in the indisputable authority...
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...exciting point, and brings the plot up again later. The most significant technique of her narration however, is Sedgwick's use of the figurative language. In this research paper, I intend to decrypt and interpret the different aspects of the metaphorical language and omens in Hope Leslie. 2. The Metaphorical Language and Omens in Hope Leslie 2.1 The Puritans as God's Exemplary Instruments in Connection with Texts from Contemporary Witnesses Catharine Maria Sedgwick uses a very strong language to describe the Puritans, who see themselves as the "chosen servants of the Lord" (Sedgwick 75). The author's word choice strongly reminds me of John Cotton's remarks in Gods Promise to His Plantation (1630), a fair-well sermon for the people, who were going to leave Great Britain with John Winthrop. One of Cotton's doctrines reads, "The placing of a people . . . is from the appointment of the Lord" (Cotton 65). Furthermore, the Puritans are appointed "to...
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...Stephen Mennell HISTORY, NATIONAL CHARACTER AND AMERICAN CIVILISATION America is a land of familiar paradoxes. An agreeable civility habitually prevails in most everyday relations among people in America – yet the United States is factually a socially highly unequal society. In most parts of America, the laws and social customs strongly restrain people from doing harm to themselves and others by smoking – yet the laws and social customs only weakly restrain people from doing harm to themselves and others by the use of guns, and the murder rate is about four times as high per capita as in Western Europe. The usa is the world’s remaining super-power – yet internally the American state is in some ways strikingly weak. The usa has ‘saved the world for democracy’ on more than one occasion – but has itself become an aggressive militaristic society. And there appears to be an increasing divergence between how a large proportion of Americans view themselves and their country and how they are perceived by a large proportion of the 95 per cent of the world’s population who are not Americans. Hunting down myths It has been said that sociologists must be ‘myth-hunters’, tracking down popular beliefs that are ill founded (Elias 1978: 50-70). Whether simply exposing such beliefs to contrary evidence deployed by academics is sufficient to kill off myths and bring them home for mounting on the walls of our university departments is highly debateable. Nevertheless, we have a duty to call...
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