English Blog # 2

Use the readings (Introduction v. 1 p. 311-3333) as a basis for your own musings, anecdotes, or personal reflections. In other words, allow your mind to make connections between what you read, past readings or class discussions, and your own experiences and sense of things. Write 200-300 words before class time on Sept. 1, 2011.

The independence of the Thirteen Colonies was based on a way of thinking known as the Enlightenment. Ideas such as “all men are created equal and are endowed with certain natural rights; and [those governed are] justified in rebelling if their natural rights are violated”. The Thirteen Colonies believed that “their rights had been violated by Parliament and King George III”.

In class we have discussed the Indians who had settled in the “New World” long before anyone else. European settlers began coming over to the “New World” after Christopher Columbus discovery. As these settlers began coming over assumptions were made that the Indians needed the help of European Settlers. Indians began losing their land, freedom, and more importantly their identity. By the time the Thirteen Colonies  “most of the Indians had been drive out of the thirteen colonies” and forced on reservations.

Another group whose rights were being violated were the African Americans. According to the text book “90 percent of [African Americans] were slaves in the South”. Although being the second largest groups in the country African Americans were not given the rights promised in this new settlement.

After reading and discussing the early days of America I feel that the early Americans were cheating others such as the Indians and the African Americans out of their rights.  Early Americans fought so hard to have independence from Parliament because they felt their rights were being violated. However, these early Americans were violating the rights of others.