Session 5A Case in America

The First Political Crisis & Opportunity

Table of Contents

I. Background of the Mayflower VoyageMartin Luther’s Reformation in the 16th

centuryChurch of EnglandPuritans , Separatists & Strangers

II. The Mayflower Voyage & Challenges

III. Birth of the Mayflower Compact

IV. Conclusion

Table of Contents

I. Background of the Mayflower VoyageMartin Luther’s Reformation in the 16th

centuryChurch of EnglandPuritans , Separatists & Strangers

II. The Mayflower Voyage & Challenges

III. Birth of the Mayflower Compact

IV. Conclusion

I. The Reformation from 16 to 17 centuryBackground 1

Martin Luther (1483-1546)’s revolt against Rome’s corruption in selling indulgence. “Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and

Efficacy of Indulgences," which came to be known as The Ninety-Five Theses in 1517.

Faith alone through God's grace led to salvationFaith & truth from Bible directly, rather through

intermediaries of church and priests.The Pope was the Antichrist and the church “the

most lawless den of robbers, the most shameless of all brothels, the very kingdom of sin, death and Hell.”

ContinueTranslated the New Testament from Latin

into GermanProtestant Reformation in Europe

Northern Europe: Germany, Scandinavia countries, Netherland, & Scotland

Catholic domination in southern Europe like Italy and Spain

Central Europe in religious warsEngland in the middle between Catholic

church and protestant reformation

Pope Leo X and Saint Peter’s basilica

Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation

Background 2: Reformation in England

The Church of England: The separation of the Church of England (or Anglican

Church) from Rome under Henry VIII, beginning in 1529 and completed in 1537.

a middle way (via media) between the Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions.

Bloody Mary (1553-1558) Virgin Elizabeth (1558-1603) James VI & I (1603-25)

Puritans • Seeking to bring the Church to a state of purity

that would match Christianity as it had been in the time of Christ.

• During Elizabeth's reign the Marian exiles (Protestants who'd fled England during "Bloody Mary's" reign) had returned from the Continent, full of enthusiasm to set the Anglican church straight. By the end of her reign, these believers were still committed to working within the Church of England to "purify" it (hence the term "Puritans").

The SeparatistsJames I’s anti-Protestants policy:

Smaller groups of the Puritans came to the conclusion that it was fruitless to struggle any more within the C of E. These were named Separatists, and it was this group to which American Pilgrim ancestors belonged.

Separatists not only had given up on trying to reform the Anglican church, they also wanted to separate themselves from the corruptions of the world. They believed they were chosen of God and wanted to set up an environment where they could worship as they wished.

II. The Mayflower Voyage & Crisis

Voyage to the new world: 9/20/ 1620- 11/21/1620

What to do?How to survive?

See the movieA land without a government

Separatists in Holland

Discussion

What would happen if the Mayflower arrived in Jamestown,

Virginia instead of Plymouth?

III. The Birth of the Mayflower Compact:Crisis turned into an opportunity

The Mayflower Compact was signed by 41 male adults on 11 November 1620 on board the Mayflower

The Mayflower Compact"In the name of God, Amen. We, …… covenant and

combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience."

Significance of the Mayflower Compact

• Influenced by the tradition of the West:• Greek city democracy• The Greater Charter from Great Britain in 1215• respect of covenant and rule by law

• Creating an indigenous American government, which became core of American politics and foundation of people’s daily life

• John Quincy Adams: the Mayflower Compact as "part of the repudiation of English domination and as the inauguration of indigenous American government."

• Kammen writes, spokesman for the Whig Party, "the Mayflower Compact as a milestone in the growth of social order and cohesion."

The Mayflower Compact, Foundation of American Democracy Great Yu, Founder of China’s Authoritarian Rule

The Yellow River & Its Impact on China’s centralized authoritarian government

Continue

Chinese civilization is a big river civilization. The Yellow River gave birth to this civilization, and affected its way of life and its political development.

The Yellow River - China’s Sorrow- is a suspended river that flooded more than 1590 times and changed course 26 times from 602 BCE to 1938 CE

The Mayflower Compact: A solid foundation for a great nation and civilization in the

world

Only 53 of 102 passengers was alive by November, 1621

John Winthrop, the New World would become a beacon of religious light, a model of spiritual promise, a "citty upon a hill.”

Mayflower DescendantsPoliticians

John Adams and John Quincy Adams - John Alden

President Zachary Taylor - Issac Allerton

President Ulysses S. Grant - Richard Warren

President James Garfield-John Billington

President Franklin D. Roosevelt-Richard Warren

Presidents George Bush Senior and Junior-John Howland

Politician Sarah Palin-Henry Samson

Politician Dan Quayle-Myles Standish

Mayflower Descendants (2)Astronauts

Alan B. Shepard-Richard Warren

Actors and Singers

Marilyn Monroe-John Alden

Orson Welles-John Alden

Clint Eastwood-William Bradford

Alec and Stephen Baldwin-John Howland

Humphrey Bogart-John Howland

Dick Van Dyke-Myles Standish

Christopher Lloyd-John Howland

Richard Gere-Samuel Fuller

Christopher Reeve-William Bradford

Singer Bing Crosby-William Brewster

Mayflower Descendants (3)Authors and Publishers

• Noah Webster of Webster's dictionary-William Bradford

• Poet Ralph Waldo Emerson-Elizabeth Tilley• Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow-John Alden• Publisher Hugh Hefner-William BradfordInventors• George Eastman of the Eastman Kodak Company-William Bradford

• Military Commander• George McClellan-William Bradford• Religious Leaders• Joseph Smith-John Howland

Firsts of Massachusetts

1638: Printing workshop1639: Post office1690: Newspaper1716: Beacon1773: Phillis Wheatley, the first African American woman writer1775: The Revolution in Lexington1776: (John Hankock, first person to sign on the Declaration of Independence

Continue1819:Dedham set up the first public school1837: Mt. Holyoke College, first women college1846: sewing machine 1851: YMCA was established1856: YMCA in Springfield, MA-First "Health and Fitness" program to overcome weak, nervous, and physically unsound" individuals 。1891: Basketball in Springfield。1895: Volleyball in Holyoke。

Continue

1898: the first subway in Boston1926: Robert Goddard made the first rocket1933年，Mt. Holyoke’s graduate,Frances Perkins, the first cabinet member and proposed the Security and Minimum rageJohn F. Kennedy became the first Catholic president in 19612009: Barack Obama, Harvard graduate, the first African American president

Puritan Culture

The American Revolution

Public Education

Harvard

NGO

Basketball VolleyballYMCA

Firsts

The Spirit of America

Miscellaneous

Source:

evThe First Written

Constitution

IV. Conclusion: First Case of Turning Crises into Opportunity in America

• Confrontation between Martin Luther and Roman Catholic Church led to Protestant Reformation

• Persecution of Puritans led to Mayflower voyage

• Failure of voyages to Virginia placed the passengers into a crisis. This crisis, in turn, led to the Mayflower Compact for the sake of collective survival, social order and general good of the settlers.

ContinueCreation and opportunity:

The Mayflower Compact is the first document in American history demonstrating the attempt to form a government based of the concept that government should derive its power from the “consent of the governed.” It not only led to survival, success and prosperity of this community, but it also turned out to be the foundation of the American constitution and corner stone of the American government.

Questions?

谢谢