Both John Smith and William Bradford were leaders who established colonies.
Both John Smith and William Bradford established colonies and used writings to attract settlers. However, their writings had different audiences and purposes. John Smith aimed to bring people to the new world, while William Bradford had a different purpose and audience.
In an effort to convince people from England and potential settlers, John Smith penned a pamphlet extolling the virtues of New England. Within its pages, he detailed all the advantages of the new land and urged his audience to join him. His intended readership consisted of individuals hailing from England.
John Smith expressed his enjoyment in cultivating plants and designing landscapes, which brought satisfaction to his mind. He also found pleasure in working on various projects such as fields, gardens, orchards, buildings, and ships. On the other hand, William Bradford had a different intention and targeted a distinct audience with his writings. His primary focus was on future generations and he aimed to provide them with valuable insight. Specifically, Bradford documented his personal encounters in Colonial America through the form of a diary.
Bradford documented in his diary the numerous difficulties he encountered. He stated, “But the most sorrowful and heartbreaking aspect was that within a few months, half of their group perished.” However, amidst these challenges, Bradford also emphasized the positive aspects that occurred during the first Thanksgiving. He reported, “Moreover, there was an abundance of wild turkeys in addition to waterfowl, as well as venison. Furthermore, each person received about a peck of meal per week, or now with the harvest, Indian corn in that proportion.” Both John Smith and William Bradford endeavored to persuade individuals to join them in the new world.
Despite their differences in purpose and audience, both John Smith and William Bradford shared the same intention.