The idea of this work is to analyse Francis Daniel Pastorius’ perception of America in one of his first letters that encourages German people to come to the New World and settle in Pennsylvania. Being the initiator of Germantown, the first province in America founded by German immigrants, he created a special image of America.
For this purpose, I will make use of Rob Kroes’ theory which says that images of America are always influenced by certain metaphorical dimensions. In the second part of the work at hand you may learn about the metaphorical dimensions by the Dutch professor in his book “If you’ve one, you’ve seen the mall”. He is of the conviction that these dimensions have always been used in history when creating America images.
To what extent can Rob Kroes’ theory be applied to Pastorius’ image of America? As a result I can say that Pastorius’ image of America partly confirms Kroes’ metaphors, because two of the metaphorical dimensions, the spatial and the temporal ones, are contained in the analysed letter.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Francis Daniel Pastorius – A Life for Germantown
III. Rob Kroes’ Selection of European Metaphors of America
IV. Francis Daniel Pastorius Recalls for Settlement (1685) - An Example for Kroes’ Theory?
V. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This academic work examines how the perception of America by Francis Daniel Pastorius, a key figure in the founding of Germantown, correlates with Rob Kroes' theory of metaphorical dimensions in European representations of the New World. By analyzing a historical letter from 1685, the paper assesses whether Pastorius’ descriptions reflect specific spatial and temporal metaphors that have historically shaped the European mental construct of America.
- Biographical analysis of Francis Daniel Pastorius
- Theoretical application of Rob Kroes' metaphorical dimensions
- Examination of Pastorius' 1685 letter regarding the settlement of Germantown
- Assessment of the spatial and temporal perceptions of America
- Comparison of immigrant groups and their religious and social motivations
Excerpt from the Book
Francis Daniel Pastorius Recalls the Founding of Germantown, 1685 – An Example for Kroes’ Theory?
In a next step I will research, how far Pastorius is an example for Kroes' theory. First, I try to analyse the main aspects of the text and, secondly, I connect the results to Kroes' metaphorical dimension.
In 1685 Pastorius published a letter which recalls the settlement in America with the intention of founding a new city in Pennsylvania called Germantown. In the first part of the text Pastorius gives a detailed description of the conditions in Germantown, where free land is promised to the settlers coming to Germantown that is “at a distance of two hours’ walk from Philadelphia, where there are a good black fertile soil, and many fresh wholesome springs of water, many oak, walnut, and chestnut trees, and also good pasturage for cattle.”
In Stephanie Grauman Wolf’s book “Urban Village, Population, Community, and Family Structure in Germantown, Pennsylvania 1683-1800”, there are a lot of descriptions of Germantown that put another complexion on the conditions. For example, Pastorius writes about the positive sides of Germantown: pure air, fertile soils, beautiful landscapes and countryside. But on the other hand Grauman Wolf marks negative aspects which are not mentioned in Pastorius’ letter, of course: “
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Outlines the goal of analyzing Pastorius' perception of America through the lens of Rob Kroes' theory regarding metaphorical dimensions.
II. Francis Daniel Pastorius – A Life for Germantown: Examines Pastorius' biography, his religious motivations as a Pietist, and the economic drivers that led him to settle in America.
III. Rob Kroes’ Selection of European Metaphors of America: Discusses the theoretical framework involving spatial, temporal, and high-low components that define the European "imagined" America.
IV. Francis Daniel Pastorius Recalls for Settlement (1685) - An Example for Kroes’ Theory?: Analyzes a specific letter by Pastorius, evaluating how his description of the environment and the settlers reflects or deviates from Kroes' theoretical metaphors.
V. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, confirming that Pastorius' image of America partially aligns with Kroes' metaphors, particularly in terms of spatial and temporal dimensions.
Keywords
Francis Daniel Pastorius, Germantown, America Image, Rob Kroes, Metaphorical Dimensions, Pietism, Pennsylvania, Spatial Dimension, Temporal Dimension, Tabula Rasa, European Perception, Settlement, Religious Tolerance, Colonial History, Cultural Constructs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research?
The work investigates the America-perception of Francis Daniel Pastorius, the founder of Germantown, by applying the theoretical framework of Rob Kroes regarding European metaphorical images of the New World.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The paper covers 17th-century migration, the historical significance of Pietism, the economic motivations for settlement, and the intellectual construction of America within European discourse.
What is the main research question?
The research asks to what extent Rob Kroes' theory of metaphorical dimensions—spatial, temporal, and social—can be applied to the specific historical account of America written by Pastorius in 1685.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author uses a qualitative, text-analytical approach, comparing historical source material (Pastorius' letter) against established historiographical theories (Kroes) and secondary literature (Grauman Wolf).
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body examines Pastorius' biography, the ideological background of the Pietists, the physical descriptions of Germantown, and the differentiation between various immigrant groups.
Which terms characterize the work?
Key terms include metaphorical dimensions, Tabula Rasa, religious freedom, colonial settlement, and the contrast between European tradition and the American landscape.
How does the environment of Germantown influence the metaphorical analysis?
Pastorius depicts the land as a 'Tabula Rasa' to attract settlers, which aligns with Kroes' spatial dimension, though this contrasts with more critical historical accounts of the actual terrain.
What role does the 'temporal dimension' play in the analysis?
The temporal dimension is observed through Pastorius' perception of the Native Americans' lack of historical awareness and his own desire to escape Europe's stagnant historical burden.
How are the 'Old Settlers' distinguished from new arrivals?
Pastorius characterizes the 'Old Settlers' negatively as immoral and idle, projecting his grievances with European aristocratic systems onto them, while viewing the newly arrived pious immigrants as a positive force for religious and social reform.
- Quote paper
- Tobias Kollmann (Author), 2003, Francis Daniel Pastorius and his image of America in the late 17th century, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/41671
