Continuing influence of original colonies Essay

Continuing influence of original colonies - Essay Example Some of these elements, including the desire for religious freedom, are reflected in contemporary culture and politics. For instance, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry introduces the â€Å"Workplace Religious Freedom Act† every year, never with the support to pass it. Religious freedom in New England seems to be as pressing a need as it was for the Pilgrims and Puritans in the 17th century. Noticeably, Pilgrim and Puritan laws were not created in order to protect religious diversity, as might be the justification for contemporary legislation. But the spirit of the law as protecting, instead of hindering, one’s freedom to one’s own ideas is the same in both cases. The motivation behind the bill is to protect citizens from restricting workplace religious activities1. It accomplishes this by closing loopholes related to â€Å"reasonable accommodations† to employees’ religious needs. Kerry’s legislation is aimed at enforcing religious freedom in t he workplace throughout the entire country; nevertheless, the value of religious freedom seems only to be a value worth actively pursuing in the region where the New England Colonies developed. ... On a more practical level, New England has always relied on the fishing industry for economic viability, due mainly to the fact that fish is an abundant resource for New England industry and to the fact that fishing was established early in its history. In fact, the Colony of Massachusetts Bay began as a fishing venture motivated primarily by profit. Fish, along with timber and crops, were exported to every corner of the world from New England’s famous port towns. From the point of view of any modern New Englander from Gloucester, New Bedford or Plymouth, which are all steeped in American history, fishing has a central place in the legacy of their hometowns. In an opinion piece about fishing regulations2, the writer sides with small fishing operations that have gone out of business because of â€Å"catch shares.† Catch shares refer to fishery management systems that dedicate a secure privilege to harvest a specific area or percentage of a fishery’s total allowabl e catch to individuals, communities or associations. In doing so, he or she is siding with the traditional New England orientation toward the small business structure that values family. Also, the article emphasizes the cuts being made to organizations designed to protect fishing, which shows just how much New England values (and always has valued) its fishing infrastructure. Briefly alluding to the history of the region and its dependence on fishing for its economic and social livelihood, the author is appealing both logically and emotionally to a sense of connection to the past for a prosperous future. The Middle Colonies, made up of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware, were considerably more diverse in their origin that the New England Colonies. Although some came to the