How Do Primary Source Documents Mirror The Ideals Of A Society?

How do Primary Source Documents Mirror the Ideals of a Society?

The attitudes and beliefs of a particular time period are reflected in first hand

documents, purposely and inadvertently through the biases and ideals of the authors of the

pieces. The arrogant self-serving attitude of the first colony is reflected in Captain John

Smith’s, “The General History of Virginia.” The Puritans holier-than-thou ideals are

reflected in the essay by William Bradford, “Of Plymouth Plantation.” Finally the fear of

the unknown by the colonists is shown in Cotton Mather’s reflection on the Salem Witch

Trials, “The Wonders of the Invisible world.” In all of the documents, the biases and

believes of the authors show the attitudes of the people at the time.

Captain John Smith epitomizes the self-serving attitude of the first colony in his

essay, “The General History of Virginia.” Smith is not interested in what people in his

time think of his writing. His work is written so future generations will see Captain John

Smith (he refers to himself in third person) as a hero. According to Smith it was entirely

his doing that the colony was established. He says, “The New President and Martin, being

little beloved, of weak judgment in dangers, and less industry in peace, committed the

managing of all things abroad to Captain Smith...,” meaning that the President is weak and

inferior to himself, and goes on to say, “...who by his own example, good words, and fair

promises......

How Do Primary Source Documents Mirror The Ideals Of A Society?

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