Reading Assignment:

Read the Introduction to the 18th Century on pp. 261-276 of the Heath Anthology

Take notes on the following, using a separate sheet:

The economy and property ownership

The situation of Native Americans

Deism/Deists

The Enlightenment

The Great Awakening

Quakers

The situation of African Americans

The situation of women

Education

The debate about human nature

Reading Assignment:

Read the biography of William Byrd on pp. 295-296

Read pp. 301 (starting at "March 8") - 302 and p. 307 (starting at "7.")

Read the excerpt given on this guide and pp. 309- 310 (to "saving her soul")

1. Byrd felt that the white North Carolinians were ____________________________________ because

they_____________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

2. Byrd criticizes how the other Americans he encounters act, saying that for Americans, "the shortest way… is always counted as the best." How would you support or refute this statement in terms of today's America?

3. What criticisms of the Nottoway Indians does Byrd make?

4. For what does Byrd give the Nottoways some credit?

5. Explain how Byrd felt regarding Englishmen's selling guns to the Native Americans the reasoning behind his feelings.

6. Explain how Byrd felt regarding Englishmen's providing the Native Americans with liquor and the reason for his opinion.

 Add the following passage to William Byrd account on p. 309, after "barbarism themselves…"

And some of them too have made the worst use of the knowledge they acquired among the English, by employing it against their benefactors. Besides, as they unhappily forget all the good they learn, and remember the ill, they are apt to be more vicious and disorderly than the rest of their countrymen.

I ought not to quit this subject without doing justice to the great prudence of colonel Spotswood in this affair. That gentleman was lieutenant governor of Virginia when Carolina was engaged in a bloody war with the Indians. At that critical time it was thought expedient to keep a watchful eye upon our tributary savages, who we knew had nothing to keep them to their duty but their fears.

Then it was that he demanded of each nation a competent number of their great men's children to be sent to the college, where they served as so many hostages for the good behaviour of the rest, and at the same time were themselves principled in the Christian religion. He also placed a school master among the Saponi Indians, at the salary of fifty pounds per annum, to instruct their children. The person that undertook that charitable work was Mr. Charles Griffin, a man of a good family, who, by the innocence of his life, and the sweetness of his temper, was perfectly well qualified for that pious undertaking. Besides, he had so much the secret of mixing pleasure with instruction, that he had not a scholar who did not love him affectionately.

Such talents must needs have been blest with a proportionable success, had he not been unluckily removed to the college, by which he left the good work he had begun unfinished. In short, all the pains he had taken among the infidels had no other effect but to make them something cleanlier than other Indians are.

[Return to the text at "I am sorry I cannot give…," bottom of p. 309.]

7. Byrd describes how whites sometimes forced Indians to go to school. Why did they do this? (There are a couple of reasons.)

Was the schooling successful? Explain.

8. What are your thoughts about Byrd's attitude towards the people with whom he comes in contact?

Are such attitudes still around today? Explain.

Reading Assignment:

Read Heath Anthology pp. 315-317 (bio. of Jonathan Edwards) and pp. 328-339 ("Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards)

Read "A Young Puritan's Code" by Jonathan Edwards (reprinted on this guide)

Read "Voices of Revolution and Nationalism" on pp. 361-363

Read excerpts from Franklin's Autobiography in Heath Anthology pp. 416-417 (from "Before I enter upon my public Appearance" to "and determined to preserve it) and pp. 426 (last paragraph)-434.

1. What was your first reaction to the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"?

2. In your opinion, is this a reasonable way to approach God and religion? Why or why not?

3. Why do you suppose a sermon like this made "converts" (born-again believers) of people during the Great Awakening?

Would it be as effective today? Why or why not?

4. Look at your "Common Propaganda Techniques" handout. What devices or techniques did Edwards use to convince people? Where are they in the sermon (give brief quotations)?

Where may we see these techniques/devices used today (not necessarily connected to religion)?

Are they still effective? Why or why not?

5. What does Franklin tell us influenced him to become a thorough Deist, and why is this ironic?

6. What conclusion did Franklin initially come to about vice and virtue?

7. In the 2nd ¶, what does he say he eventually became convinced were of the "utmost importance" if people wanted happy lives?

8. What did Franklin learn about right and wrong from his own personal experiences?

9. What does Franklin regard as "the most acceptable service to God"?

10. Does he believe in souls? In heaven and hell? Explain.

11. Why was Franklin disenchanted with organized religion?

Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these resolutions so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ's sake.

1. Resolved, never to do, be or suffer anything in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God.

2. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it in the most profitable way I possibly can.

3. Resolved, to live with all my might while I do live.

4. Resolved, never to do anything which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.

5. Resolved, to think much, on all occasions, of my own dying and of the common circumstances which attend death.

6. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.

7. Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge.

8. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger to irrational beings.

9. Resolved, never to speak evil of any person except some particular good call for it.

10. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance in eating and, drinking.

11. Resolved, never to do anything which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for or to think any way the more meanly of him.

12. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently as that I may find and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

13. Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous or matter of laughter on the Lord's day.

14. Whenever I hear anything spoken in conversation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, resolved to endeavor to imitate it.

15. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire what I am the better for them; what good I have got, and what I might have got by them.

12. From Edwards' "A Young Puritan's Code," choose three resolutions which you think are the most practical and/or would do a person the most good to strive for in his/her life. Explain why you chose each.

13. From Franklin's list, choose three virtues which you think are the most practical and/or would do a person the most good to practice in his/her life. Explain why you chose each.

14. Point out three places in Edwards' list where a Puritan/ Calvinist point of view can be seen.

15. Point out three places in Franklin's list where a humanist, Deist, or Enlightenment point of view can be seen.

Reading Assignment:

Read the biography of Paine on pp. 453-455 of the Heath Anthology

Read the excerpts from The Age of Reason on pp. 467-471

1. What does Thomas Paine consider his "religious duties" to be?

2. How does Paine define "church"?

3. What does he say about "national institutions of churches" (i.e., established state churches)?

4. How does Paine feel about those whose beliefs differ from his own (see 8th ¶)?

5. How does Paine define "infidelity"?

6. According to Paine, what cannot happen when church and state are connected?

When they cease to be connected, what happens concerning religious thought/speech?

What philosophy does Paine hope people in a free society should adopt?

7. What does Paine say regarding Jesus Christ and Christ's system of morality?

8. What does he say about the New Testament description of Christ's birth, death, and resurrection? According to Paine, what did historians do, and why?

9. What does Paine say is "required of" something which everyone is required to believe? In other words, what does it take to make Paine believe that a thing is true or real and every person should accept it as such?

Do you see any disadvantages to Paine's philosophy? Any advantages? Explain.