Virginians And The Puritans Essay, Research Paper
The Virginians were better off than the Puritans
were, because they had tobacco for a cash crop,
they had a longer growing season, and they could
trade and sell to England easier than the Puritans
could. The Virginians were also more loosely
structured than the Puritans, and were allowed to
be individual people instead of one large mass.
Smith and Bradford?s ways of leading their
colonies were similar, yet so very different.
Smith?s main concern was to make money and
be famous. Bradford?s concept was to start a
new life, and preach his own, new religion. Both
had keeping their people?s health and well being a
high priority. The idealistic colony for Bradford
was a colony where people were religiously
bonded, and kept together by the church. Smith
was more interested in profit for himself, and let
the people conduct themselves more freely.
One of the main industries that the Virginians had
was the harvesting and selling of tobacco. The
good thing about this is that the majority of
people in the 1700?s used tobacco. Of course the
Puritans also had tobacco, but it was harder to
grow up north because of the rocky terrain, and
the difference in temperature. The Virginians
found that selling tobacco was very profitable,
and growing it was relatively simple. It was a
fairly easy way to make money, and expended
little effort.
The Virginians had a longer growing season than
the Puritans did, due to their latitude. The longer
growing season not only allowed the Virgin
grow their cash crop tobacco longer, but also
enabled them to grow fruits and vegetables longer
into the year. This made winter less harsh for the
Virginians. Smith liked the idea of being able to
grow longer, because he profited from it.
Bradford was more concerned with keeping his
people faithful to God, and well from sickness.
The Puritans had a growing season also, but not
as long as the Virginians. The longer the growing
season was, the longer money could be made,
and produce be harvested.
The Virginians could more readily trade and sell
their cash crops to England, because they were
partially funded by England. This made trips
across the Atlantic less expensive for the
Virginians. Not only did England fund the
Virginians, but also the Virginians were
welcomed with open arms, and the Puritans
weren?t as much because they sought religious
refuge, and were looked upon as outcasts.
Virginia was a better-founded colony due to their
goals. They may not have had as much religion
as the Puritans did, but they still had a way of
life. The Virginians can be looked back upon,
and thought of as a successful colony. One
example of proof is that our nation’s capital is
located in the same general vicinity that John
Smith once settled in.
The significance of being able to grow tobacco,
have a longer growing season, and be able to
trade with England is that all these things allow
for basic survival, and prosperity. Food is
produced, along with a cash crop to keep the
colony going.