A Comparison and Contrast Between Native American and Puritan Culture.

Essay by mdsabrinaHigh School, 10th gradeA+, February 2008

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Each group of people in the world has their own distinct culture, or way of life. Some societies may incorporate their culture into their literature; the Native Americans, for example, are widely known for doing so. On the other hand, certain sets of people may base their culture upon a great piece of writing; Puritans, a group of people who separated from the Church of England and fled to the Americas for religious reform, are famous for basing their way of life upon the Bible. Both Native Americans and Puritans have similar elements of culture, such as religion and morals. Though they may share certain ideals, they are quite different in their approach.

It has been stated by Carl Jung that everyone, living or deceased, has been connected by a force called the collective unconscious; this means that all of humanity shares similar thought and perspective. This can be said for the Native Americans and Puritans, since both seem to include mutual beliefs in their lifestyle.

First of all, each of them believes in one supreme creator. In Byrd’s survey, The Native American Religion, a Native American named Bearskin explains his belief in one sole supreme God, and that this master God created the world with his own hands many years ago. The Puritan’s Genesis, the first chapter of the Bible, explains a similar concept in which God made the Earth. Both groups also portray God as a single, distinct ruler who has placed us on this earth to please him. Secondly, in both cultures mankind is born from earth and nature. In Genesis, man is molded from the soil in an image of God. Similarly, in many of the Native American folklore, such as the Navajo’s tale, man is pulled up from natural elements, such as...