Book Report

I. Introduction

A. Black Elk Speaks, John G. Neihardt, published in 1932
B. A holy Lakota Indian named Black Elk who lived during the time when the English were taking over the Indians' land and when he was young, he had a great vision.
C. Religion plays a major roll in a persons' life.
D. Anyone who believes in a religion devotes their life to it.

II. Theme of Book

A. Religion plays a major roll in a Lakota Indians' life.
B. They thank the six grandfathers for what they have and they offer it to the four quarters of the earth
C. Before and after battles they have religious dances
D. Everything they wear for cloths has something to do with their religion
E. Lakota Indians are very spiritual people and religion is a large part of everyday life for them.

III. Theme in History

A. Religion has played a major roll in history
B. The Crucifixion of Jesus
C. The Holocaust
D. The Pilgrims and other settlers to came to America
E. Many wars and other major turning points in history were religion related.

IV. Conclusion

A. Religion is import to many people and makes a difference in their life
B. Lakota Indians are very spiritual people
C. Many wars and other major turning points in history were religion related.
D. The book did a very good job showing how religion plays a major roll in a persons life
E. The book did a very good job showing the theme

I read a book by John G. Neihardt called Black Elk Speaks published in 1932. This book is about a holy Lakota Indian named Black Elk (1863-1950)who lived during the time when the English were taking over the Indians' land, and when he was just a child, he had a great vision that helped him in battle and later on in life heal people. He had other smaller visions throughout his life that showed him how life used to be before the Englishmen came. The theme of this book is, religion plays a major roll in a persons' life. This theme is important because anyone who believes in a religion devotes their life to it.

John G. Neihardt

Religion plays a major roll in a Lakota Indians' life. Before the Lakota Indians do anything they thank the six grandfathers for what they have and they offer it to the four quarters of the earth. Another example from the book that religion plays a major roll in Indians' lives is, before and after battles, healing, and many other reasons, they will have dances that can last from one night to multiple days. Last, everything they wear for cloths has something to do with their religion weather it be a shirt, pants, paint or feathers, they have a purpose for everything they wear. The theme is important for this book because the Lakota Indians are very spiritual people and religion is a large part of everyday life for them.

Black Elk

Religion has played a major roll in history. The Crucifixion of Jesus was an important part in history due to religion because Christianity was started. Another way religion has played an important roll in history is, the Holocaust and Hitler because over eleven million people were killed, over half of them being Jews and most of the others being of other religions. He did this because he was atheist and wanted to create a super race without any religion. Last, Religion is what forced the Pilgrims and other settlers to come to America because the Pilgrims were Protestant and wanted religious freedom from the English who were Catholic. The theme is important in history because many wars and other major turning points in history were religion related.

Religion is import to many people and makes a difference in their life. The theme is important for this book because the Lakota Indians are very spiritual people and religion is a large part of everyday life for them. The theme is important in history because many wars and other major turning points in history were religion related. The book did a very good job showing how religion plays a major roll in a persons life by showing what the Lakota Indians do in everyday life and how they incorporate religion into it. The book did a very good job showing the theme because without knowing a religious background of a person, you could offend them by saying or doing something without intending to.

I. Introduction





A. Thesis statement: The founding of English colonies in modern Massachusetts combined a strange mix of idealism and violence.


B. Preview first major point: Miles Standish contributed important protection to the early colonies by using violence.


C. Preview second major point: Benjamin Church provided vital leadership to protect the colonies during King Philip's War.


D. Preview third major point: Despite all of this violence, the colonies were also founded on religious idealism.


E. Significance of Thesis: It is important to understand the full history of these areas because this is what Americans generally consider to be our nation's beginning.





II. First Major Point





A. Statement of position: Miles Standish contributed important protection to the early colonies by using violence.


B. Detail of support: Standish killed Witawumat with his own knife after being insulted by him


C. Detail of Support: Standish invades an Indian wigwam to kill Corbin


D. Detail of Support: Standish threatens Thomas Morton


E. Significance of position: Standish played a vital role in the formation of the colony using violence.





III. Second Major Point





A. Benjamin Church provided vital leadership to protect the colonies during King Philip's War.


B. Detail of support : Church took over an Indian wigwam with just three people.


C. Detail of Support: Church held off 300 Indians with just 20 men.


D. Detail of Support: Church thought of a plan to kill King Phillup


E. Significance of position: This is important because, without Church's violent leadership the colony wouldn't have flourished like it did.





IV. Third Major Point





A. Despite all of this violence, the colonies were also founded on religious idealism.


B. Detail of support: They believed that England was not free enough religously so they came to the "New World".


C. Detail of Support: The Pilgrams only wanted religous freedom for themselves, no other relogons except Protestant.


D. Detail of Support: They established a public education system and stressed the importance of education.


E. Significance of position: The idealism lead to many of their violent acts.


V. Conclusion





A. The early English colonies combined idealism and violence in the formation of the country.



B. Miles Standish used violence to help protect the early colonies.


C. Benjamin Church helped lead and protect the colonies during King Philip's War.


D. Despite all of this violence, the colonies were also founded on religious idealism.


E. This essay is important to anyone who wants to learn about the early American heros before George Washington's time and how they used idealism and violence to establish the colonies.





The founding of English colonies in modern Massachusetts combined a strange mix of idealism and violence. Miles Standish contributed important protection to the early colonies by using violence. Benjamin Church provided vital leadership to protect the colonies during King Philip's War. Despite all of this violence, the colonies were also founded on religious idealism. It is important to understand the full history of these areas because this is what Americans generally consider to be our nation's beginning.





Miles Standish contributed important protection to the early colonies by using violence. When Witawumat came up to to Standish sharpening his knife saying how small and powerless he was, Standish used violence by inviting him to dinner and then killing him with his own knife because he felt that he was trying to taking the pilgrams. Another thing standish did was invade an Indian wigwam to kill Corbin because he thought that he was trying to take over the pilgrams. One last thing that Sandish did was threaten Thomas Morton because he partied with the Indians alot and the Pilgrams did not like that. Standish played a vital role in the formation of the colony using violence.



Benjamin Church provided vital leadership to protect the colonies during King Philip's War. One thing Benjamin Church did was sneek into an Indian wigwam behind two other people then once he was in, he jumped to the weapons so the Indians couldn't get to tham, held Annawon's son hostage and took over the wigwam. Another thing that Church did that showed leadership was hold off 300 Indiand with 20 men. He did this by hiding behind a rock wall and sending two men at a time down a river to excape and he was the last one to go. The last thing that Church did as a leader was, think up a plan to capture king phillup. He did this by, knowing that Phillup always ran, so he sourounded him so he couldn't then killed him. This is important because, without Church's violent leadership the colony wouldn't have flourished like it did.



Despite all of this violence, the colonies were also founded on religious idealism. The pilgrams believed that England was not free enough religously so they came to the "New World" to believe what they wanted to believe. The Pilgrams however, only wanted religous freedom for themselves and wanted no other religons except Protestant. They established a public education system and stressed the importance of education. The idealism lead to many of their violent acts.

The early English colonies combined idealism and violence in the formation of the country. Miles Standish used violence to help protect the early colonies. Benjamin Church helped lead and protect the colonies during King Philip's War. Despite all of this violence, the colonies were also founded on religious idealism. This essay is important to anyone who wants to learn about the early American heros before George Washington's time and how they used idealism and violence to establish the colonies. The idealism could have lead to many of the violence because they wanted it so bad.