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How Did Religion Affect Early America

Decent Essays

In this essay, I will be discussing religious and economic factors that had an effect on early colonists in North America. I believe the colonists were under strict religious rule, therefore effecting how they did their trading with the people around them, whether they be Indians or other Englishmen. I also believe the colonists used religion as a crutch to help them get through their hardships that they had to face. They came to America for religious freedom and I’m sure they took advantage of that. Although we may never know the exact thoughts of every man, woman, and child in North America during this time, we do have sufficient evidence regarding their religious practices and trading routes and habits. Puritans were a group of reformed Christians following the protestant movement during the 16th and 17th centuries. They wanted to free and reform themselves and others from the strict Roman Catholic practices of England and the Anglican Church, which was only partially reformed at the time. I believe the religious factors had a stronger push than the economic practices on the early American settlers. My reasoning behind this is that although trade was extremely important in the ‘New World’, religion held a more personal factor than trade did. I believe that overall, trade was more important on a survival scale but religion was more important on the …show more content…

They were able to set up their own government systems, trade routes, trade partners, and economic allies. They traded both skills and goods with their Native American neighbors, as well as French settlers later on. The colonists traded knowledge in agricultural life with the Indians, such as how to properly farm, for tips with hunting and trapping. They also traded guns for clothing, tools for gold, beads for other things, ect. Quebec. They would trade furs, foods, spices, guns, money, and many other valuable things to improve everyone’s

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