Randel and Puglisi - Essay Example

RANDEL AND PUGLISI The articles give an overview of the genesis of the European journey into the new lands of America which was inhabited by the Native Indians. There has been a significant challenge in validating the various accounts given by historical works on the approach and tactics used by Englishmen to conquer the Natives. It has been indicated that when the whites entered America, there were people living there as native Indians with a fully functional socio-economic and political structure under chieftaincy.

At the center of American exploration by English me is John Smith who wrote several books thereafter in regard to his experience and reaction towards the native Indians that lived in America before its colonization by Britain. The two articles give different accounts of the journey of John Smith, his attempts to woe the Indians and put them under King James I, and the historic interaction with the native King of Powhatan Indian who was referred to as Wahunsonnacoc (William, 1939). Randel and Puglisi give contradicting accounts on some aspects but converge ideologically in other sections.

Critical analysis of Puglisi's article shows that the arrival of James Smith was coupled with hidden motives of confusing the Wahunsonnacoc to enter a peaceful agreement with England authorities under the guise of trade. It is, however, clearly indicated that this Chief was also witty and outsmarted several attempts of John Smith on many occasions. Puglisi demonstrates that Wahunsonnacoc had priorities that included the expansion of his kingdom at the time James Smith arrived in Jamestown and accepted the trade gesture.

This narration shows the extent of the established government structure and organized social form of the native Indians. Puglisi gives a chronological order of events and discusses the progressive interaction between Wahunsonnacoc and James Smith until Captain Christopher Newport comes into the picture. On the other hand, Randel emphasizes the perception of John Smith towards the Indians. He gives a shallow detail on how John Smith interacted with the chief who controlled the existing native Indian Kingdom at that time (Michael, 1991).

He rather emphasizes the experiences of John Smith in captivity with limited information on the socio-political significance attached to such an episode to the native Indians. Randel gives much attention to the view of John Smith as a sympathizer to the Native Indians after they were overwhelmed and colonized by the British. He focuses much on James town but fails to give a detailed order of events with particular involvement of the native chieftaincy during the colonization attempts. There is a significant line of similarity as far as the concept of ethnohistory is addressed by Randel and Puglisi.

Evident misinterpretation between John Smith as the Englishmen agent and the native chief Wahunsonnacoc seems to underlie the interaction of the two groups. Each side is presented as having a planned agenda with significant deviation and a battle for superiority. The two articles note that John Smith realized that the Native Indians were an organized lot with significant levels of ancient civilization and were not easy to colonize without war. The two articles present John Smith as very tricky and a political schemer who survived the wrath of captivity but wittingly lured the native Indians to the bait of British colonialists during the reign of King James I References Michael J. Puglisi. EducationCapt.