The Characteristics Of John Smith : Bartolome De Las Casas

When the name John Smith is mentioned, people of all ages are familiar with it and could tell a lot about him. Why is this? How is it that a man who lived over 400 years ago still so popular today, more specifically to our children? The answer to that question is because John Smith can be viewed as one of America’s earliest heroes. His leadership was vital to the survival of the Jamestown colony. Most people are familiar with his famous quote, “he that will not work shall not eat.” He carried all the qualities of an influential leader, and even had a mystical legend with Pocahontas, in which no one truly knows what happened. His leadership characteristics and qualities possessed hard work, grit, and determination. He was an individualist that had an “American” dream. However, during his time, the colonists did not look at it as an “American” dream. Without him and his leadership, America may not be what it is today.

John Smith, from book 3, chapter 2 of his book, The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles, wrote about his adventures in the new land of the Indians where he experienced new people, a new governance system and a new culture (Smith, The Generall Historie of Virginia, New England & the Summer Isles 43). Smith, who was an English soldier, explorer and author, ventured into a new and unfamiliar territory where he experienced many unknown and unusual conditions and his writings depict his initial experience with the natives of this new and hostile land. He referred to the indigenous people as “savages” based on their hostile nature and brutal behavior towards him and his men. Initially the native chief, Powhatan, wanted to torture and Kill Captain Smith but he

de la Casas describes the second voyage that he embarked upon with Columbus. He described how each island was depopulated and destroyed. His observations of the land were no so descriptive of the native people and the land, but of the gruesome images the Spanish painted upon the Indies. de la Casas says, “…the Indians realize that these men had not come from Heaven (9).” He goes into detail about how the Christians would take over villages and had no mercy describing one particularly crude act to show how ruthless the Spanish were. He says, “Then they behaved with such temerity and shamelessness that the most powerful ruler of the islands had to see his own wife raped by a Christian officer (9).” The Spanish were so coward and angry anytime an Indian was actually capable of slaying a Spanish man that a rule was made; for every Christian slain, a hundred Indians would die. Natives were captured and forced to work jobs like pearl diving where they would very rarely survive due to man eating sharks or just from drowning and holding their breaths

Casas has a positive attitude towards the natives although it is extremely apparent that those around him do not feel the same. He wants to improve the relations between them and the so – called Spanish Christians, which is why he is writing about these horrors. His approach in improving the relations is to write a brutally honest account of what he witnessed to share with others. He wants the Spanish to realize the brutality they have bestowed upon the natives is unsettling and barbaric for people who call themselves civilized. In this writing, he doesn’t outright tell anyone what to do, but it is implied that he wants the murders and slavery of the natives to end. His story portrays the negative relations between the natives and Europeans from the very beginning of the discovery of the New World.

He also portrays the natives with lucid terms so as to shed an innocent light on them in an attempt to instill into his readers why it is so wrong for the Indians to be treated as they are by the Europeans.

The Jamestown landing in 1607 was the first English settlement to be established in North America. In the movie “The New World” Hollywood attempted to tell the story of the Jamestown settlement and the relationship between John Smith and Pocahontas. The movie’s portrayal of their relationship was one of two people falling in love. The historical facts of their relationship, however, paint a completely different picture. Hollywood failed to represent the truth and romanticized their relationship which was not one of love, but one of an acquaintance or friendship.

It was more of an “intriguing” way. On page 98 first paragraph it states, “Smith little dreaming of that accident, being got to the marshes at the river’s head twenty miles in the desert, had his two men [Robinson and Emry] slain (as is supposed) sleeping by the canoe, while himself by fowling sought them victual, who finding he was beset with 200 savages, two of them he slew, still defending himself with the aid of the savage his guide, whom he bound to his arms with his garters and used him as a buckler, yet he was shot in his thigh a little, and had many arrows that stuck in his clothes but no great hurt, till at least they took him prisoner.” In other words, he was attacked by 200 native americans and was able to kill two of them but eventually was wounded and captured. On the way to the native’s camp he feared each hour that he’d get

When the first colonists landed in the territories of the new world, they encountered a people and a culture that no European before them had ever seen. As the first of the settlers attempted to survive in a truly foreign part of the world, their written accounts would soon become popular with those curious of this “new” world, and those who already lived and survived in this seemingly inhospitable environment, Native American Indian. Through these personal accounts, the Native Indian soon became cemented in the American narrative, playing an important role in much of the literature of the era. As one would expect though, the representation of the Native Americans and their relationship with European Americans varies in the written works of the people of the time, with the defining difference in these works being the motives behind the writing. These differences and similarities can be seen in two similar works from two rather different authors, John Smith, and Mary Rowlandson.

In 1607, when English settlers arrived in North America, over ten thousand Native Americans were already inhabiting Virginia. English leader, John Smith, negotiated trade terms with the Indian leader Powhatan. Powhatan was only interested in trade involving weapons, but John Smith denied any weapons on account that there was none to spare. Powhatan the denied there was any corn to spare that the English wanted. The intentions for the trade brought about many questions from both parties. Powhatan questioned Smith as to why they would need all the weapons if they had come there “all being friends;” whereas Smith was wary of Powhatan and his deep interest in their swords (Foner, VOF, Document 7). This encounter between John Smith and Powhatan displays one of the many instances of conflict between European settlers and Native Americans.

However, Hadingham and Zinn both point out that the grandeur of survival and conquest is overstated. In Hadingham’s case, speculation of the Clovis’ origin are prevalent. The status of “big-game hunters” that the Clovis are renowned for is disputed by Hadingham, who mentions the uncovered bones of small prey in the Gault area. Furthermore, the extinction of many ancient animals were mostly due to the changing climate.  Hadingham uses a number of archeological facts and findings. As for Zinn, he points out the cruel treatment of Indians that were greatly responsible for the success of Christopher Columbus and the future colonists. Columbus’ soldiers recall the events in writing, detailing the deceit Columbus employed against the generous Indians. Wars were waged for land and food despite the initial charity of the Arawaks and other tribes. Using Bartolome de las Casas’ writings, Zinn shows the contemptuous treatment of the Indians by the Spaniards. The Spaniards who “grew more conceited every day,” in the words of Las Casas, tolled their Indian slaves to death in mines and slaughtered the innocent for fun. Outrageous quotas of gold was imposed on the Indians and cruel punishments was dealt to those who failed. Spain’s riches was built upon the blood of Indians, not by Columbus’

Dr. Zinn references numerous accounts of innocent bloodshed, cruelty and the enslavement of Indians by Columbus and his soldiers from De Las Casa’s books prior to Columbus’ return to Spain. Dr. Zinn records the following statements from De Las Casa book in which he says; "Endless testimonies ... prove the mild and pacific temperament of the natives. But our work was to exasperate, ravage, kill, mangle and destroy; small wonder, then, if they tried to kill one of us now and then.... The admiral, it is true, was blind as those who came after him, and he was so anxious to please the King that he committed irreparable crimes against the Indians...." To please

When I think of John Smith, the first thing that comes to mind is, that he is the English man Pocahontas falls for. These stories were definitely not like the Pocahontas I remember watching as a kid. I didn't really picture him as the epic hero he seems to portray himself as. He sorts of advertises himself to his readers. I guess you could say that is his first use of propaganda. He boasts about his voyages, adventures and being captured. He talks about how he was captured, but with his bravery and intelligence he manages to keep from getting killed. Smith uses a lot of propaganda in these works. The abundant in raw materials like gold, silver and lead, how healthy the people are, which is probably a result of the fish.(124-125) This would attract the people that wanted to one day invest in this new territory. This new territory brings vast amounts of land. His overall goal is to bring people to

Despite having a remarkably commonplace name, John Smith proved to be anything but. Born in 1580, England, to a family of farmers, Smith took a completely different route from that of his family and became a soldier at the young age of sixteen. After several years into his career, Smith eventually rose to the rank of captain. Sadly, his good fortune was fleeting, for he was soon captured by a Turk and sent to work for a maiden- who he soon fell in love with. Reportedly, she fancied him too, and sent him to her brother so that John could train for the Turkish imperial service. Luck eluded him once again, as her brother proved to be heinous. In response to this, John killed him, fled, and then later returned to England. Oh, and he was only twenty-five

Throughout history, Native Americans in early America have been viewed as primitive and violent people. Artwork often depicts them engaging in barbaric behavior such as eating other humans and engaging in violent wars. However, this view of early Native Americans has been created by the works of people belonging to the “civilized world” of early America. Lucy Terry’s poem “Bars Fight” retells the story of when a group of Indians attacked two families that she knew. Terry’s work can be compared to those of Christopher Columbus and Thomas Jefferson in their portrayal and perception of Indians.

John Smith once said when he got back from North America ”Everything I have is here”.In this essay, you will learn about John Smith and how he explored North America.John Smith's early life was covered with myths and legends.You will learn about John Smith’s early life, accomplishments and struggles and his end of life.First I will tell you about John Smith's early life.