Most Important Ideas in Sir John Smith's Diary

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Prompt One (19 October 2013): What are the most important ideas in John Smith’s diary? Why do you think Bradford was preferred of the two men? Once John Smith returned to the colony after going back for provisions he knew in order to survive they would have to go exploring looking for either food or some indigenous people to possibly trade with. The first exploration Smith went on, down river, they had run into a group of savages who eventually charged and attacked Smith and his men. Smith and his men were able to deter the attack by firing their muskets, which frightened the savages away. That eventually caused the savages to send one of their priests out to offer peace and to try to get their Okee back that was lost during the initial attack. At this time you see Smith has the colony at heart by negotiating with the savages and forming a friendship, and someone to trade with. Smith traded with the savages by giving them hatchets, beads, and copper, which in return he was given venison, turkey, bread, and fowl. On the second exploration further down river Smith was captured this time and eventually taken to the King of the savages and was to be killed. Then at the moment Smith was to have his head bashed in, Pocahontas, the emperors daughter, jumped down to keep Smith from being killed. Then the emperor also made reference to the goods that Smith had traded on his first voyage as well, which I think possibly, could have been another factor that kept him alive. Even though Bradford and Smith are both accredited for starting up two colonies in the New World, the reason behind starting the colonies might have to do with why Bradford was liked more than Smith. During the travels in Smiths early days,... ... middle of paper ... ...am a black and white kind of person, and if I have to stop to keep reading foot notes or to look up words then it is going to make it harder for me to completely finish it or get interested in it. A perfect example of this was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s’ Hiawatha’s Childhood Part III & IV. And then there is Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven, it was hard for me to sit down in one setting and completely read this poem. I would catch myself drifting off reading the words but not being able to go back and even tell you what it was I read. But not all that was read was too hard to understand or some was wrote in simple terms but just weren’t appealing to me such as Walt Whitman Song of Myself or A Sight in Camp in the Daybreak Gray and Dim. I pledge on my honor that I have not/nor will give or receive any unauthorized assistance on all of my work submitted for this course.

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