Kris Maulden's Questions - Sept. 14/15

This week we'll be discussing the Requerimiento and T.H. Breen's "Looking Out for Number One" from the online reader, parts of ch.'s 3 and 4 of the textbook, and the last half of the Axtell book. Here are your questions for discussion:

1. How do Spanish attitudes shown by the Requerimiento and discussed in lecture resemble and differ from English attitudes explained in lecture and the Breen article? Is there something to be said in favor or against both of them?

2. Is early Virginia an object lesson for having a strong central authority? Why or why not? If so, why is strong authority needed and if not, why is this a unique situation?

3. For those of you who have read John Smith: Breen only quotes John Smith a few times, but do you think that John Smith is a good example of early Virginians as entirely self-interested? Why or why not? (Note: please use specific examples if you answer this question: most people in class probably will not have read it and so you need to explain yourself well.)