A Praying People: Massachusett Acculturation and the Failure of the Puritan Mission, 1600-1690This is the first book-length history of the remnants of the Massachusett and Wampanoag tribes, documenting their struggle to survive devastating epidemics and Puritan colonization. Morrison incorporates insights from anthropology and organization studies to show how the adoption of Puritan beliefs and practices by bands of praying Indians constituted a viable, if defensive, strategy of acculturation. The emergent institution of Praying Town became both the organization and the process through which these groups of Native Americans hoped to achieve cultural revitalization. Tragically, as the remnant peoples looked to Puritan ways for guidance in redefining their identity, profound changes within colonial society were leading a new generation of colonists to subsume their own spiritual mission under more commercial concerns. In linking their destiny to weakening elements in Puritan culture, the Praying Indians were left unprotected when King Philip's War recast the framework of relations between colonists and Native Americans. |
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Contents
A Remnant Remaines | 1 |
The Time of Knowledge | 37 |
The Reformation of Disordered Lives | 75 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
accepted acculturation Algonkian American attempted authority bands believed Boston called Calvinist Cambridge Christ Christian church civility claimed Collections colonial colonists continued converts Court culture death Dedham described early Edward efforts England English epidemic established European experience expressed forces further Gookin Gospel Historical Historical Society institutions Jehovah John Eliot knowledge labor land leaders learned letter Light live Lord magistrates Massachusetts Bay Massachusetts Historical Mather meaning meeting minister missionaries Natick native neighbors Nonanetum observed organization political population practices Praying Indians Praying Towns present Progress Puritan questions Records religious remnants response Reverend rituals sachem sachusett saints sanop sense settlement Shepard social Society spiritual strategy Strength Sufferings Tears things Thomas tion took traditional tribe turned village Waban Wampanoag Whitfield Wilson Winslow York