Why Protestantism developed in North America Essay

Why Protestantism developed in North America - Essay Example Protestantism came to North America a few days before Christmas in 1606 through the Englishmen under King James. They carried with them their official religion known as the Church of England. However, their goal to baptize the Indians who were then thriving in the Virginia failed. Years later, the Puritan separatists from the Church of England who first migrated to Holland were permitted to build colonies in New England which was later became the United States. This marked the famous entry of Protestantism in the country. Puritans, like their Anglican predecessors were not able to maintain their doctrinal and spiritual rigor giving way to the birth and growth of other denominations like Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterian. It can be seen that the doctrines held by Protestantism hugely mirrors the pluralistic values of North America. It should be noted that a religion can only prosper and flourish if it embodies the concerns of the individuals in the society (Bauer 1). Looking at the Baptists and Methodist Churches in the United States, it can be seen that their success can be attributed to their ability of successfully meeting the needs of the frontier people than any other denomination: "In face of the new challenge to the Churches, their view of the ministry and the Christian faith was most successful in finding and holding the people of the west. Furthermore, they were from their inception Churches of the common people, the underprivileged" (Bauer 6). Baptists Churches became popular in North America because of their appeal to the common people, the uneducated and dispossessed. Their ministry is led by simple individuals who have heard their calling from the Lord. Thus, the great advantage of Baptists is the abundance of workers in a locality. It should also be noted that Baptist's ministers are untrained and unsalaried (Bauer 6). Like the Baptists, Methodism is also considered as a "frontier faith" which developed after the American Revolution. The development of Methodism is also due to its "frontier structure" which suits the environment and people they are ministering to. Their ministers often travel from place to place conducting classes which latter grow as churches allowing them to reach people in isolated regions. In specific localities, it is also common to find gifted laymen who are appointed to preach if the minister is absent. This ensures that Bible studies and congregational activities are being carried out regularly. The Methodist Church is also seen to preach a "frontier message" as it carries a gospel which stresses the dignity of the poor and rural families: "The circuit riders proclaimed that their faith and that of their congregations was of more worth in the sight of God than the college-learned theologies of elite city preachers and their wealthy churches" (Methodism and the Frontier 1) Protestantism also owes its stability and sustenance to the numerous revivals which renews the commitment of members to their covenant with God. The Great Awakening is noted to have united 4/5 of Americans in the understanding of the Christian faith and life. This revival has also instilled a deeper sense of responsibility for the Indians and slaves. It should be noted that Protestantism strongly opposes slavery and emphasizes the equality of each

Rubber Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rubber - Research Paper Example â€Å"Rubber is also useful as an adhesive, a coating composition, a fiber, a moulding compound and an electrical insulator.† (Rubber)Apart from natural rubber, artificial rubber also invented later. The history and background of rubber can be an interesting topic because of the conspiracy about the origin of rubber. â€Å"Until recently, modern thinkers believed rubber originated in 19th century Europe. According to a Tech Talk article published by Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Wednesday, July 14, 1999, Professor Dorothy Hosler, Assistant Professor Sandra Burkett and an undergraduate named Michael Tarkanian learned that the Mayan people in ancient Mesoamerica made and used rubber as long ago as 1600 BCE.† (Snider) Though the extensive use of rubber just like at present was not known to the Mesoamericans. The first use for rubber was an eraser. It was Magellan, a descendent of the famous Portuguese navigator, who suggested this use (Brief History & Introduction of Rubber) Still rubber is used as an eraser and there are not much substitutes or competition for rubber in this area also. In fact the peculiar thing about rubber is that there is no substitute for many uses of rubber. For example, for tire making, tube making or for an eraser making we don’t have any other subs tances to replace rubber. In 1839, Charles Goodyear accidentally dropped rubber and sulfur on a hot stovetop, causing it to char like leather yet remain plastic and elastic. Vulcanization, a refined version of this process, transformed the white sap from the bark of the Hevea tree into an essential product for the industrial age (Butler) The modern methods of vulcanization of rubber has invented later. The vulcanization character of rubber is made use in the making of tires, tubes and many other material manufacturing. Vulcanization makes rubber material harder, much more durable and also more resistant to chemical attack. Vulcanization of rubber is done by mixing of