Even since I was little, I've had this idea that right and wrong should be distinct, black and white, easy to identify. There are the good guys and the bad guys. Well obviously that's not how the world works, since most things, ideas, or people aren't totally good or totally bad. In the past I've fallen into the trap of thinking "Ok, the Puritans weren't all that great. They misused natural resources and exploited Indians. They're the bad guys. Then there's the poor Pueblos, just trying to survive and plan out for their future." Things aren't black and white. I'm glad I've been able to read about the virtuous aspects of the Puritans and the shortcomings of the Pueblos. It's given me more appreciation for both. After all, these were just people, who can make both huge mistakes and great choices.
The Puritans' idealism is something to be admired. They were willing to cross an ocean in order to start constructing a new life. Wanting to be a "city on a hill" that the people below would look up to, they lived according to their faith. Some had a romantic view of this new life and how great it would be. In class we talked about the strawberries and roses, how these things made the Puritans so joyful to be in a new home.
The Pueblos had an immense respect for the land, but also had to use it to survive. In the article "Learning from the Pueblos", Tony Anella says, "an increase in food-producing capability lead to an increase in the population and consequently the need for more food as the Anasazi struggled and eventually failed to maintain a balance and equilibrium with the land. The very act of cultivating corn is a human intervention in the landscape" (32). Even if we are a part of nature, we still rely on it and at some points misuse its resources.
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