Exploring and Settling a New World
Naming a New World
o One of the first to suggest it was an explorer named Amerigo Vespucci
o Named the continent America after Amerigo and not after its original discoverer Columbus.
Settling a New World
o Expanding political and national boundaries
o Companies in England would gain a profit by sponsoring colonizing trips to America
§ Jobs were scarce and land expensive in England
o America had vast amounts of land
o You didn’t need money
§ The Virginia Company offered land, tools, and seed to those who fulfilled an indenture
o The vast American frontier offered adventure
o Religious freedom
- Columbus never realized he had stumbled upon the shores of an unknown continent, but died believing he had found the outskirts of Asia.
- Even still, Columbus paved the way for the exploration of this new land.
- What would you name the new continent?
- America. Where did that name come from?
o One of the first to suggest it was an explorer named Amerigo Vespucci
- Who named the continent?
o Named the continent America after Amerigo and not after its original discoverer Columbus.
Settling a New World
- Reasons England wanted to Colonize
o Expanding political and national boundaries
o Companies in England would gain a profit by sponsoring colonizing trips to America
- Reasons for leaving cozy England.
§ Jobs were scarce and land expensive in England
o America had vast amounts of land
o You didn’t need money
§ The Virginia Company offered land, tools, and seed to those who fulfilled an indenture
o The vast American frontier offered adventure
o Religious freedom
The Spiritual Climate in Europe
Renaissance 14th -17th Centuries
Increased literacy (reading and writing) in Europe. More people can read the Bible for themselves. |
Movable Type Printing
1455
Invented by Johannes Gutenberg. Made production of written materials accessible. |
William Tyndale
1494 – 1536
Translated the first Bible into English from original languages of Greek and Hebrew. |
Reformation
1517
Begins with Martin Luther. Begins a movement of return to the Bible as ultimate source. |
- Previously, the Bible had only been read and printed in Latin
- The Reformation birthed a generation of individuals who longed to follow God’s simple plan of Salvation
- The new call for religious freedom and a desire to understand God’s Truth caused increased religious persecution in Europe and individuals and communities began seeking escape.
- Protestant England:
o Was more a Political break from Rome than a religious break.
o The Anglican Church still retained many of the rituals
o Puritans
§ Desired to purify the Anglican Church from within
o Separatists
§ Left the Anglican church completely
§ Declared that all local churches should be independent and free to worship without interference from the State or from other church ties.
§ Were against a state church
Mayflower and Plymouth
- The Pilgrims
o A little more than a decade later, the children of the migrants began to pick up the Dutch language and habits
o This threatened their spiritual growth and culture
o A small group of the larger congregation decided to cross over first
- In July 1620, the Pilgrims obtained a charter from the Virginia Company
o After joining the Mayflower in England, the two ships set sail, but the Speedwell soon had to turn back because of leakage
o About 3 weeks later, the two ships tried again, and made it about 300 miles into the Atlantic Ocean before the smaller ship began to leak again
o After returning again to England, the Pilgrims waited a whole month before being able to set sail once more, this time with only the Mayflower.
- The Mayflower
o Built to carry cargo, not passengers
o The height of the passengers’ quarters was 5.5 feet
o Passengers’ quarters was one long room, and beds were simply made right on the wood deck.
- The Voyage
o There were a total of 128 people aboard the ship
§ There were 102 passengers
o Only about half were Separatists
§ There were 26 crew members
§ Passenger facts
o Average age: 32
o Oldest aboard: 64
o One baby was born aboard. Name: Oceanus Hopkins
o They sailed for 66 days at an average of 2 miles per hour
o Pilgrims suffered from seasickness and disease
o When it stormed, Pilgrims would be wet from water leaking from the upper deck
o They were blown off course far to the North as a result of extremely harsh weather
o They had intended to land near the Hudson River in New York, on the outskirts of the Virginia Colony, but instead, on November 11th, they landed in Cape Cod, Massachusetts
o They were running short on provisions and winter was fast approaching, so they decided to remain in Massachusetts
o They remained on the Mayflower for the whole winter while they built their homes
o Wrote up the Mayflower Compact as a form of government
o When the weather began to improve, they established Plymouth Colony
o On March 21/31, 1621, the Pilgrims disembarked from the Mayflower
o They were on the ship July 22, 1620-March 21, 1620. 8 months!
- How many survived?
§ Only 5 women survived, and one died in May leaving only 4 women to care for all the men and children
o Half of the crew died also
o The colony grew from less than 100 to more than 3,000 in 70 years
- Ten years later, in 1630, a fleet of 17 ships brought over a thousand Puritans to New England.
o Governor John Winthrop led this enterprise
A City Upon a Hill
“For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world.”
--John Winthrop, 1630
Christian
Testimony:
What is the Purpose of our “Good Works” or “Success”?
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
~~Matthew 5:16
"The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you,"
~~Romans 2:24
"Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world"
Philippians 2:14-15
--John Winthrop, 1630
Christian
- Brotherly Affection Romans 12:10
- Prefer others Philippians 2:3-4
- Fruits of the Spirit Galatians 5:22
- Make others' conditions our own Romans 12:15
- Care for necessities of others Romans 12:15
- Diligent labor Romans 2:11, Ephesians 6:7, Colossians 3:23
- Be of the same mind Romans 12:16
- Live at peace with one another Romans 12:18
- Contentment 1 Timothy 6:6-8
Testimony:
What is the Purpose of our “Good Works” or “Success”?
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
~~Matthew 5:16
"The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you,"
~~Romans 2:24
"Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world"
Philippians 2:14-15