Why Did The European Settlers Come to The Americas? - Immigrations

The european settlers had a very rough life back in europe, none of the texts exactly go in detail about why they came, but gave just the main ideas. I would argue that for this essay we will be using Rodriguez, Bradford, Mann, and Murray to justify why the european settlers came to the americas seeking for more opportunity and freedom from their previous country. Bradford’s story show the European settlers view on the religious aspect of why they came to the americas

European settlers came to the americas seeking a better life but were then met by the native which are commonly misunderstood because people don’t necessarily know them. Bradfords story of Plymouth Plantations starts of with a group Europeans met by a group of natives on a beach.The Europeans came to the americas on a religious journey that they believed was set out by god “And i may not omit here a special work of god’s providence” Bradford 5. This quote shows that the european settlers mean no harm to the natives due to its religious reasons. In Mann’s story the reader is introduced to an indian named Tisquantum. The author shows how he interacts with the indian. He went around and got all the work from different people such as historians to explain the life of the indians. Mann’s purposes for writing this story is to show the reader that people often look at indians as savages. He wants to show the reader that there is not a very big difference between the european settlers and the indians. Murrays and Rodriguez story both share the same similarities.

In Balboa by Sabina Murray and Blaxicans by Richard Rodriguez, both of them have the same idea when it come to immigration. In Balboa it explores the relationship between balboa and the indians. Balboa does not have a very trustworthy relationship towards the Spaniards or the indians, he never exactly says why he does not trust them or the spaniards but it does say how the spaniards and the indians are working together “His one thousand Indians and two hundred spaniards at the foot of the mountain, as if they are the israelites and Balboa alone is off to speak with god” Murray 77. This quote is showing that the Indians and the Spaniards have no problems involving each other. In the story Blaxicans, it shows how Rodriguez does not view people on their race, but more on their culture, in which that is what makes a person who they are. We as people should not labeling people based off first impression and skin color. “There is something unsettling about immigrants because…well, because they chatter incomprehensibly, and they get in everyone’s way” Rodriguez 87. This is an example of judging because not only do they not know what they are saying because of their two different languages, but also the possible importance of their conversation. When it comes to immigration there are a lot of benefits that come with it.

Immigration has a lot of benefits such as new fresh ideas because of more people as well as a more wealthy community. In Bradford the Indians were scared when they first saw the europeans. But in the end the European settlers ended up becoming friends and having the first Thanksgiving. Even today we still follow this tradition. They also came up with six terms that they both fallow. One of which was term number four “If any did unjustly war against him, they would aid him; if any did war against them, he should aid them” Bradford 17. This shows that people can be allies, they just need to give each other a chance because now that they are allies, if someone were to start unjustly war against them they would have the aid of each other.

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