Making War and Minting Christians: Masculinity, Religion, and Colonialism in Early New England

271 Pages·2011·2.535 MB·English

by  R. Todd Romero

Making War and Minting Christians
a volume in the series
Native Americans of the Northeast: Culture, History,
and the Contemporary
Making War
and
Minting Christians
Masculinity, Religion, and Colonialism
in Early New England
R. Todd Romero
University of Massachusetts Press
amherst and boston
Copyright © 2011 by University of Massachusetts Press
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
lc 2011006674
isbn 978-1-55849-888-4 (pbk. : alk. paper)
isbn 978-1-55849-887-7 (library cloth : alk. paper)
Designed by Steve Dyer
Set in Arno Pro by House of Equations, Inc.
Printed and bound by Thomson-Shore, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Romero, R. Todd, 1968–
Making war and minting Christians : masculinity, religion, and colonialism in early
New England / R. Todd Romero.
p. cm. — (Native Americans of the Northeast : culture, history, and the contemporary)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 978-1-55849-888-4 (pbk. : alk. paper) — isbn 978-1-55849-887-7 (library cloth :
alk. paper)
1. New England — History — Colonial period, ca. 1600–1775. 2. Masculinity —
New England — History. 3. Masculinity — Religious aspects — Christianity.
4. Sex role — New England — History. 5. Missionaries — New England —History.
6. Indians of North America — Missions — New England. 7. Indians of North
America — New England — Religion. 8. Indians of North America — New England
— Wars. 9. New England — History, Military. I. Title.
F7.R68 2011
974´.02 — dc22 2011006674
British Library Cataloguing in Publication data are available.
For my father,
Ralph Valentine Romero
(December 21, 1943–July 26, 2010)

Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1
Part I: Gender Counterpoint 15
1. “In the shape of a Man, a Deare, a Fawne and Eagle” 21
2. “Manly Christianity” 31
3. “A man is not accounted a man till he doe some notable act” 46
4. “If he is fat and sleek, a wife is given to him” 57
Part II: Minting Christians 71
5. “Man-like civilitie” 77
6. “Formerly . . . a harmlesse man” 90
7. “Endeavour . . . to follow the English mode” 107
8. Deficient Fathers and “Saucy” Children 121
Part III: Making War 137
9. Manitou and Militia Days 141
10. “Best to deal with Indians in their Own Way” 156
11. “The God of Armies” 176
Afterword 193
Notes 199
Index 249
z vii

Illustrations
1. Native American Sachem, ca. 1700 24
2. Title page from Cotton Mather, Manly Christianity, 1711 32
3. Mi’kmaq dice and bowl, nineteenth century 51
4. Map of New England from William Wood’s
New England’s Prospect, 1634 66
5. A string of wampum, seventeenth century 109
6. Turtle buttonmold from Natick, seventeenth century 110
7. Massachusetts Bay Colony Seal, 1629 128
8. King Philip’s war club, seventeenth century 147
9. “The figure of the Indians’ fort or Palizado,” from
John Underhill’s recounting of the Pequot War in
News From America, 1638 169
10. Praying-Indian musket adorned with Indian wampum,
seventeenth century 171
11. Indian gorget or peace medal, 1676 181
z ix