Colonial America Founding the Dream Essay example

No one knew that a new land existed and the magnitude in which it would shape and influence the world. This new land soon known to many as America became the main theatre of the 16th and 17th centuries also known as the colonial period in which the European continent stretched out its borders which began an unprecedented age of exploration which held unlimited possibilities. The discovery of the New World also led to the discovery of the American Dream which became defined by the colonial Americans and generations to come as a second chance for economic opportunity and religious freedom. The first colonists to arrive in America established Jamestown, Virginia and sought new economic opportunities away from Europe. After the Spanish†¦show more content†¦The movement led by Martin Luther, John Calvin, and even Henry VIII defied the Catholic Church with new beliefs and practices they thought would cleanse the Church (â€Å"The Reformation†). The Protestant Reformation acted as a medium through which the American Dream of religious freedom was born. It persuaded several groups to depart from the Old World in search of a New that accepted their beliefs. America was discovered right on time. The separatist Pilgrims journey from the Old world to the New represents the radical American Dream based on religious freedom. The Pilgrims were not known as the separatists for nothing. They deliberately separated from the corrupt Church of England in search of a way to practice their core Christian beliefs that were established during the Protestant Reformation. First heading to Holland to escape King Henry VIII grasp, the Pilgrims were soon disturbed by the Dutchfication taking place throughout their youth and culture and decided to venture out to the New World where they could practice their religion with no outside influence corrupting their system. The Pilgrims journey to the New World introduced a new aspect upon the defining of the American Dream in which they not only escaped persecution but also were capable of establishing a way of life unhindered by surrounding cultures. Like the Pilgrims, the Puritans fled Europe for religious freedom in the New world, but their dream was. The Puritans wereShow MoreRelatedEquality And The American Dream1068 Words   |  5 PagesEquality and the American Dream History has a way of repeating itself. The problem of inequality has lasted as long as man has throughout the course of time. People are thought to be brave when they stick up against inequality. On July 4, 1776 Thomas Jefferson wrote the most important document in the history of our nation. The Declaration of Independence was the official document that claimed that their new name the United States of America and they would succeed from unfair British control. 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