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Bernard Bailyn has recentlyreinterpretedthe early historyof the United States
by applyingnew socialresearchfindingson theexperiencesofEuropean
migrants.Inhisreinterpretation,migrationbecomes the organizingprinciplefor
rewritingthe historyofpreindustrial North America. His approach rests on four
separate propositions.The firstof these asserts that residentsof early modern
England moved regularlyabouttheir countryside; migrating to the New World was
simply a natural spillover. Although atfirstthe colonies held
littlepositiveattractionfor the English D they would rather havestayed home D by
the eighteenth century people increasingly migrated to America becausethey
regarded it as the land of opportunity. Secondly, Bailyn holds that, contrary to
thenotion that used to flourish in America history textbooks, there was never a
typical NewWorld community.For example, the economic and demographiccharacterof
early New Englandtowns varied considerably.Bailyn's third proposition suggest
two general patterns prevailing among the manythousands of migrants:one group
came as indenturedservants,another came to acquire land.Surprisingly,Bailyn
suggests that those who recruitedindentured servants were the drivingforces of
transatlanticmigration.These colonialentrepreneurshelped determine the
socialcharacterof people who came to preindustrialNorth America.At
first,thousands ofunskilled laborers were recruited; by the 1730's, however,
American employers demandedskilled artisans.Finally, Bailyn argues that the
colonies were a half-civilized hinterland of theEuropean culture system. He is
undoubtedly correct to insist that the colonies were partof an Anglo-American
empire. But to divide the empire into English core and colonialperiphery, as
Bailyn does, devalues the achievements of colonial culture. It is true, asBailyn
claims, that high culture in the colonies never matched that in England. But
whatof seventeenth-century New England, where the settlers created effective
laws, built adistinguished university, and published books Bailyn might respond
that New England wasexceptional. However, the ideas and institutions developed
by New England Puritans hadpowerful effects on North American culture.Although
Bailyn goes on to apply his approach to some thousands of indenturedservantswho
migrated just prior to the revolution, he fails to link their experience with
thepolitical development of the United States. Evidence presented in his work
suggests howwe might make such a connection. These indentured servants were
treated as slaves for theperiod during which they had sold their time to
American employers. It is not surprisingthat as soon as they served their time
they passed up good wages in the cities and headedwest to ensure theirpersonal
independence by acquiringland. Thus, it is in the west thata peculiarly American
political culture began, among colonists who were suspicious ofauthority and
intensely anti-aristocratic.
1.Which of the followingstatements about migrants to colonialNorth America is
supportedby information in the text
[A] A larger percentage of migrants to colonial North America came as
indenturedservants than as free agents interested in acquiring land.
[B] Migrants who came to the colonies as indentured servants were more
successful atmaking a livelihood than were farmers and artisans.
[C] Migrants to colonialNorth America were more successfulat acquiringtheir
own landduring the eighteenth century than during the seventeenth century.
[D] By the 1730's,migrants already skilled in a trade were in more demand by
Americanemployers than were unskilled laborers.
2.The author of the text states that Bailyn failed to
[A] Give sufficient emphasis to the cultural and political interdependence of
thecolonies and England.
[B] Describe carefully how migrants of different ethnic backgrounds preserved
theirculture in the United States.
[C] Take advantage of social research on the experiences of colonists who
migrated tocolonial North America specifically to acquire land.
[D] Relate the experience of the migrants to the politicalvalues that
eventuallyshapedthe character of the United States.
3.Which of the following best summarizes the author's evaluation of Bailyn's
fourthproposition
[A] It is totally implausible.
[B] It is partially acceptable.
[C] It is highly admirable.
[D] It is controversial though persuasive.
4.According to the text,Bailyn and the author agree on which of the
followingstatementsabout the culture of colonial New England
[A] High culture in New England never equaled the high culture of
England.
[B] The culturalachievements of colonialNew England have generallybeen
unrecognizedby historians.
[C] The colonistsimitatedthe high cultureof England ， and did not develop a
culturethat was uniquely their own.
[D] The southern colonies were greatly influenced by the high culture of New
England.
5.The author of the text would be most likely to agree with which of the
followingstatements about Bailyn's work
[A] Bailyn underestimates the effects of Puritan thought on North American
culture.
[B] Bailyn overemphasizes the economic dependence of the colonies on Great
Britain.
[C] Bailyn'sdescriptionof thecoloniesas part of an Anglo-American empireis
misleading and incorrect.
[D] Bailyn failedto test his propositionson a specificgroup of migrants to
colonialNorth America.
