History/Religion 345 – RELIGION IN AMERICA – August 29, 2005  

Religion in Colonial America  

 

I.                   Empirical data.  Be sure you can define EACH of the following:  

1. A French view of Native Americans (1611)
2. English America’s First Mass (1634)
3. English Anti-Catholicism (1641)
4. Pennsylvania & the Quakers (1669)
5. Margaret Brewster (1677)
6. Slave Conversion on the Carolina Frontier (1709)
7. Webb’s arguments in “Black Women & Religion” 

II.                Critical thinking.    

1. Thinking historically is like working a puzzle.  In this case, we’ve got some seven pieces to put together, 6 pieces of “primary evidence” and 1 piece of “secondary evidence.”  Take ONE of the “primary” pieces above, and re-read it.  What MEANINGS are to be found in it? (make a list).  (Note that this is a “hermeneutical question,” that is, one that struggles to tease out meanings).  

2. Trial transcripts are great sources of evidence.  Re-read the Margaret Brewster document from 1677.  Again, approach it “hermeneutically” – what meanings can be found?

   C.  Religious experience is shaped by lots of things, including, for instance, GENDER and RACE.  Consider Webb’s article about “Black Women” and religion.  What does Webb claim?  Are you convinced?  Change the variables a bit – would white women have a different experience?  White men?  Black men?  (Note that this is an “analytical” question – the aim is to identify categories and sort our data into them, so we can, among other things,  better compare and contrast.

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Modified by:  H.  Kamerling