Becoming America - An Exploration of American Literature from Precolonial to Post-Revolution, 2018a

BECOMING AMERICA
PRE- AND EARLY COLONIAL LITERATURE
Spanyards Discoveries and Plantations, where they may see how many mutinies,
disorders, and dissentions haue accompanied them, and crossed their attempts:
which being knowne to be particular mens oences; doth take away the generall
scorne and contempt, which malice, presumption, covetousnesse, or ignorance
might produce; to the scandall and reproach of those, whose actions and valiant
resolutions deserue a more worthy respect.
Now whether it had beene better for Captaine Smith, to haue concluded
with any of those severall proiects, to haue abandoned the Countrey, with some
ten or twelue of them, who were called the better sort, and haue left Mr Hunt
our Preacher, Master Anthony Gosnoll, a most honest, worthy, and industrious
Gentleman, Master Thomas Wotton, and some 27 others of his Countrymen to the
fury of the Salvages, famine, and all manner of mischiefes, and inconveniences,
(for they were but fortie in all to keepe possession of this large Country;) or starue
himselfe with them for company, for want of lodging: or but adventuring abroad to
make them provision, or by his opposition to preserue the action, and saue all their
liues; I leaue to the censure of all honest men to consider. But
We men imagine in our Iolitie
That ‘tis all one, or good or bad to be.
But then anone wee alter this againe
If happily wee feele the sence of paine;
For then we’re turn’d into a mourning vaine.
1.8.2 Reading and Review Questions
1. How does Smith’s account of his experiences in the New World compare
with the descriptions and assumptions of Columbus, Cabeza de Vaca, or
Harriot?
2. What grounds Smith’s assessment of events that he recounts, events like
the men’s starving at the settlement? Does he ground his assessment in
cause and eect? In Providence? Why, either way, do you think?
3. Compare the way the Native Americans treat Smith after capturing
him with the way his own men treat him before he leaves to follow the
Council’s bidding. What, if anything, causes the dierences, do you
think?
4. How does Smith use scientic knowledge against the Native Americans
or for his own defense? Why?
5. What introduction, if any, does Smith give to Pocahontas? Why? What
purpose lies behind Smith’s probably inventing his rescue by Pocahontas?
What role, if any, does it play in legitimizing a cultural as well as military
conquest?
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